DC Government

How Many Government Cameras are too many?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user ekelly80

Yesterday TBD reported:

The District of Columbia currently has a network of around 50 red-light cameras and 30 speed cameras, nabbing thousands of drivers for traffic violations while putting millions of dollars into city coffers.

The D.C. police are hoping to install smaller, more mobile cameras in neighborhoods around town, catching drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks, block the box at intersections, or even fail to fully stop at stop signs, among other potential violations.

If you add in the crime cctv cameras, well, that’s a lot of cameras around town. Do you feel that these cameras (either crime or traffic enforcement cameras) have been effective? At what point, if any, do you think there will be too many cameras?

Do you support the addition of more cameras to catch traffic offenders who “fail to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks, block the box at intersections, or even fail to fully stop at stop signs”?

Would you support the addition of more CCTV cameras in hopes preventing street crimes?

Are these two (street crime/traffic enforcement) totally different issues that should not be mixed into one discussion?

If you object to more cameras is it because of privacy concerns or something else? Where do you think the balance between privacy and the public good rests?


Photo by PoPville flickr user sciascia

Dear PoP – What Type of Education Reform Would People Like to See?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user BrennaLM

“Dear PoP,

I’m wondering if you could throw up a question some time this week asking residents for their thoughts on substantive education reform. I’m not looking for people’s responses to Michelle Rhee or Kaya Henderson, I’m wondering exactly what sorts of changes they’re looking for in District schools. I’m out and talking with people, but your site offers the unique opportunity to observe people talking openly and honestly with one another.”

The following question was sent by a candidate for Ward 4 Member of the DC State Board of Education. It’s been a while since we’ve spoken about education reform. It’s an interesting question for me, because I’m far from an expert on education reform (or anything really except tropical fish and the Drive by Truckers) and all I hear is that many of the public schools leave a lot to be desired, to put it nicely. Obviously Michelle Rhee was a controversial figure but I understand she took some difficult (if not politically sensitive) moves. I don’t think it’s possible to answer this question without weighing in on Michelle Rhee’s decisions but power to you if you can.

So what type of education reform would you like to see in the coming years?

Worst Marketing Campaign in DC History?

By Prince Of Petworth

Saw this on the side of Irving Wine and Spirits in Mt. Pleasant. I think I’ve seen one in Adams Morgan as well. I dare you to stare at the photo for three full seconds without laughing.

Can you think of any worse health/gov’t marketing campaigns?

Dear PoP – What to Do When Wires Down? (Not Necessarily Pepco Wires)

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

What do you do if you have a downed line on your block? We have a downed line that has been in that state for maybe 3-4 weeks. I’m guessing, based on the appearance of the line, that it is some sort of cable line (verizon, comcast, direct tv, rcn?) and likely from a disconnected service since it clearly hasn’t been reported due to an outage of some sort.

In my experience after the snowpocolypse, the companies wouldn’t come out to check on the lines without confirmation that I was a service user and that the downed lines were in fact for my service. Some of them even tried to charge me for the visit!

So, yeah… what do you do?”

If it is a power line of course call Pepco at 1-877-PEPCO-62 but it sounds like you’re talking about cable. How would you guys advise this reader?

Also on a related note, I just had a big branch come down (call 311 if a tree or big branch came down in last night’s storm) and take out some landline telephone wires. I don’t use a landline – so who should I call to take care of these telephone wires? Verizon?

Dear PoP – Help, The City Sold My House!

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

The DC Government stole our Petworth home, 929 Farragut St, just east of Georgia Ave, through a classic screwup. It was an improper sale of the deed through an improper tax sale based on completely incorrect property taxes. Now the house is boarded up and no one is living there. If it happened to us it could happen to anybody! We’d like to get the story out to other DC residents and taxpayers. Our FULLY PAID FOR $450,000. house was sold for $40,000!! I’d like to tell you the whole story.

The short version is that I got a ten times higher than normal property tax bill. When I went in person to DCRA I was told that someone had put it into the vacant tax classification. The house had been under renovation when it was misclassified. By the time I got the bill and went down there it was already rented and occupied. They didn’t know how to get it out of this classification. I went many times and called many times and was never able to get the tax classification changed even though it stayed occupied. Eventually the DC city council shortened the period of time during which you could dispute a tax bill from three years down to six months. Without notice they sold the hose for taxes!! We have been trying for the last FIVE years to get this rectified!”

I’ll be honest I normally very skeptical of claims like this but I decided to sit down with the owners because the case seemed so wild. The owners Dennis Dyer and his partner Amy Marx sat down with me last week to discuss the case. I’ll be honest again, the case is a bit complicated and while Mr. Dyer and Ms. Marx had folder after folder of affidavits and leases and other communications it still wasn’t completely clear to me. As best I can understand it seemed like the house was accidentally placed into vacant status and was sold due to unpaid tax bills.

This is likely a case for a proper investigative reporter but I’d like to throw it out to you guys – do you think it’s possible (in this specific case) that the city could have accidentally placed a home into an incorrect tax status and sold it before the owners were able to correct the problem? For those who have a lot of free time, after the jump you can find more details.

If you do think the city made a mistake – since the house has already been sold – do you think the owners will be able to recoup their losses? Has anyone else heard of a similar situation?

Ed. Note: The WBJ’s Michael Neibauer recently wrote about D.C.’s tax lien market here.

Update: DCRA also encourages people to look at the Complete Guide to Vacant Property Compliance FY 2011

After the jump you can see a detailed letter sent to the mayor and a full timeline of the incident submitted by Ms. Marx. (more…)

And While We’re Talking About Possibly Renaming Things…

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user annejuliet

Just got an email from Shadow Senator Paul Strauss about “our plan to change the name of Pennsylvania Avenue to help promote our struggle for DC Statehood.”

Washington City Paper reported on some of the proposed names for the 1300 and 1400 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue NW:

* Give D.C. Statehood Avenue
* Statehood for D.C. Avenue
* D.C. for Statehood Avenue
* D.C. Demands Statehood Avenue
* D.C. Statehood Now Avenue
* D.C. Demands Full Democracy Avenue
* Give D.C. Full Democracy Avenue

The council is also considering a new message to accompany the “Welcome to Washington” signs along the D.C.-Maryland line.

Anyone think this is a good idea?  If so, what do you think the name should be changed to?

14th Street Corridor Vision Plan and Revitalization Strategy Public Meeting #3 Next Wed.

By Prince Of Petworth

From an email:

Wednesday, January 19, 2011
6:30 – 8:30 pm

Kingsbury Day School at 5000 14th St., NW (The Great Room)

STUDY PURPOSE:

With the help of government agency representatives and community stakeholders, the revitalization
strategy will help prioritize concerns and determine potential opportunities for revitalization and infill
development for the following commercial nodes along 14th Street:

Spring to Shepherd Streets |Webster to Decatur Streets | Jefferson to Longfellow Streets NW

MEETING #3 PURPOSE: OP consultants will present their market analysis for 14th Street to the public and
engage in a question and answer period. Community stakeholders will have the opportunity to learn
more about market demand and potential in their neighborhood. The outcome of this meeting will
facilitate the development of concrete strategies to revitalize and improve 14th Street.

Dear PoP – Furniture in the Streets

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

What are the regulations about leaving old furniture/ large items on the curb? There has been a couch in front of an apartment building on my street for at least 2 months. I would think the owners are responsible but given that it is a complex, I doubt that anyone is going to own up to it. but are there any citations that can be issued or anything of that nature?”

This is a good news bad news situation. Calling 311 and/or using the city’s service center online and reporting an illegal dumping usually gets these items picked up within a week or two. Unfortunately it is very difficult to catch the people who commit the illegal dumping.

Dear PoP – DC’s Bag Fee: One Year Later

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

“Dear PoP,

DC’s disposable bag fee is just over a year old now. While the program had a successful start, I’m starting to notice more and more retailers sliding back to pre-bag fee days. In the Columbia Heights neighborhood, all the large chains seem to have forgotten about this law already–Target, CVS, Giant–and so have many smaller establishments. Does the city audit this program, or does it rely solely on consumer reports/complaints? (There is an online tip form here)

So I found out a little more from someone at DDOE. They do perform inspections of businesses required to follow the regulations of the District Bag Law and use the tip line to help prioritize inspections. It seems they too have noticed that many businesses are not consistently charging customers the $.05 fee per bag.

I’d like to find out of others have experienced this same change in compliance by retailers. If it’s just a few stores here and there, I think the tip form could work to get things back on track. On the other hand, if it’s a city-wide problem, perhaps a reminder campaign is in order.”

And on the flip side another reader sent in a link to a Facebook page called Kill The Bag Tax that has over 9,000 fans. Though it’s not clear how many are DC residents.

But to the original reader’s question – whenever I go to the Giant in Columbia Heights they comply. And the same goes for my experiences at Target. Have others noticed the fee not being implemented?

We talked about fast food stores and the fee/tax here.

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