Monthly Archives: March 2012

Grassroots Effort Pushes Ban on Corporate Contributions to Local Pols -Ballot Initiative for November Election Sought

 by Larry Janezich

DC Public Trust http://dcpublictrust.org/wordpress1/ is heading up a grass roots campaign to get corporate cash out of local elections.  The effort, initiated by Former Ward 1 At-Large D.C. Council candidate Bryan Weaver and Ward 7 ANC Commissioner Sylvia Brown , will require over 22,000 signatures from registered voters across the city, 4,000 from Ward Six.  Currently, District law allows corporate contributions up to $500 for ward races, $1,000 for at-large and $2,000 for mayor per year but corporations can exceed those limits by “bundling” contributions from individuals and subsidiary companies.  The proposed initiative would ban corporations and other business entities from making direct contributions to politicians or their campaign, legal defense, and inaugural committees, or their constituent-service programs. 

It is not clear that the initiative will completely fix what has been described as the “pay to play culture” characterizing the relationship between DC city government and the business community.  Corporations have been resourceful in finding ways to help elect city officials in excess of the limit of law.  An equally important area needing reform is transparency in campaign financing.  Currently, considerable effort is required to search through the Office of Campaign Finance’s online records which go back to 2000.

ANC6B Commissioner Brian Pate is supporting the effort.  He says “We’re looking for volunteers to gather signatures at various civic events, with a focus on the April 3rd primary election.  People can contact co-Ward 6 coordinators Justin Unger  (justin.ungernps@gmail.com)       or Nathaneal Hill (nathanael.hill@gmail.com) to sign up for shifts on the April 3rd at polling places throughout the Ward, or to get involved at other times.  We are, of course, also looking for signatures on the ballot petition.” 

The language of the proposed initiative is as follows:

“The Prohibition on Corporate Campaign Contributions Initiative of 2012”

This initiative, if passed, would prohibit corporations and other business entities from making direct contributions to principal campaign committees, exploratory committees, legal defense committees organized in support of public officials, transition committees, inaugural committees, or constituent-service programs.

PROPOSED LEGISLATION

BE IT ENACTED BY THE ELECTORS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the “Prohibition on Corporate Campaign Contributions Initiative of 2012.”

Sec. 2 It shall be unlawful for a corporation, limited liability company, or partnership to make any contribution to a principal campaign committee, exploratory committee, legal defense committee, transition committee, inaugural committee, or constituent-service program

Sec. 3 To the extent that the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Establishment and Comprehensive Ethics Reform Amendment Act of 2011 (Enrolled version of Bill 19-511, passed by the District of Columbia Council on December 20, 2011) takes effect prior to the effective date of this Initiative, this Initiative shall be deemed and construed to repeal any provision of that Act that conflicts with this Initiative.

Sec. 4 Fiscal impact statement.

Sec. 5 Effective date. This act shall take effect after a 30-day period of Congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206 (c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register

The Week Ahead ….

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, March 27

ANC6B Executive Committee meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center.

CHRS Community Forum meets at 7:00pm at Maury Elementary School, 1250 Constitution Ave, NE.  Historic Preservation Review Board Chair Catherine Buell speaks on working of HPRB.  (Former CHRS Board Member and Historic Preservation Chair Nancy Metzger was recently appointed to the HPRB by Mayor Gray)

Wednesday, March 28

7:00pm at a place TBD.  ANC6B Hine Subcommittee Working Group on Retail for the Hine Development meets to continue working on recommendations.  Latest details on the Stanton Eastbanc retail plan will be discussed.  Recommendations will be forwarded to ANC6B for their April 10 meeting. 

Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) meets at 7:00pm in Eastern Market North Hall.

Office of Planning hosts meeting on making the 11th Street Bridge a recreational area.  6:30-8:00 pm at the DC Office of Planning, 1100 4th Street, SW. 

Thursday, March 29

ANC6B Subcommittee on Hine PUD meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center to consider recommendations on the Hine project design, retail plan, and open space plan.

Councilmembers Michael Brown, Jack Evans, and Mayor Gray

ANC Commissioners From Wards Six and Seven. Hill East Resident Commissioner Jared Critchfield (second from right) Chairs ANC6B

300 Residents Turn Out For Community Meeting

Mayor Gray Meets Wards Six and Seven Residents On Redskins Training Camp

Mayor Says Hill East Redskins Camp “Is Not a Plan – It’s a Conversation”

by Larry Janezich

Mayor Vincent Gray told 300 residents of Ward 6 and Ward 7 that the idea of bringing a Redskins training camp to Reservation 13 “is not a plan – it’s a conversation.”  The community meeting, sponsored jointly by ANCs in Wards Six and Seven, was held in DC Armory, near Reservation 13.  Last fall, the redistricting process placed Reservation 13 in Yvette Alexander’s Ward 7, most of which lies east of the river, a change from its previous, contiguous location in Ward Six. 

Ward Six residents in the neighborhoods adjacent to Reservation 13 are largely opposed to siting a Redskins training facility there, preferring the long-stalled plans for city buildings, retail, and residential complexes. 

Mayor Gray said that DC joined the conversation about a new Redskins training facility in DC after learning that Virginia and Maryland each had proposals on the table for a training facility within their boundaries.  Gray added that he had visited the Tampa in 2011 to take a look at what was reportedly the finest training facility in the country.  The Washington Times reported that Gray and was accompanied on that trip by Councilmembers Evans and Michael Brown.

Gray said that visit to Tampa resulted in consideration of what a Redskins training facility might include: fields, a training facility, a Redskin’s hall of fame, a hotel and a medical center.  He went on to say that “nobody wants to bring out something that is half-baked,” and noted that one reason there have been no community meetings on the plan was that, “we’ve had nothing to present – and there is still nothing to present.”

The Mayor went on to tell the crowd what would have to happen before a training facility could be brought to the site of Reservation 13:  both the DC Master Plan and the DC Comprehensive Plan would have to be modified, each being brought first to the community and then passed by the City Council.  Then the site would have to be re-zoned in public hearings before the Zoning Commission.  “To the extent people are concerned about this; there is no way anything could be moved through the back door,” Gray told the gathering.

He went on to say that the city needs a catalyst to jump start Hill East – “I don’t know what it is,” he admitted, “but we’ve been focusing on economic development and will continue to focus on economic development.”

Gray also said that Reservation 13 is not the only place “we’ve looked at for a training facility,” and summing up, the mayor said, “There is no plan.  I have a desire to bring the Redskins back to DC.  If we work together that will happen.  But we need to work together rather than fighting over a non-existent plan.”

City Officials turned out in force for tonight’s meeting, which in addition to the Mayor featured Councilmembers Michael Brown, Jack Evans, Yvette Alexander, Deputy Mayor Victor Hoskins, City Administrator Allen Lew, former Councilmember Sharon Ambrose, and more than a dozen ANC Commissioners from Wards Six and Seven.  Councilmember Wells was reported to be travelling.

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

March 19, Monday

ANC6B Hill East Task Force meets holds a panel discussion at 7:00pm on the history of Reservation 13.  Mayor Gray meets with Hill East residents on Reservation 13 on Thursday at the Armory. 

March 20, Tuesday

The ANC6B Hine Subcommittee meets at 7:00pm at Hill Center on mitigation amenities and benefit issues. 

March 20, Tuesday

CHRS Board Meeting, open to CHRS members, 6:30pm Capitol Hill Townhomes, 750 6^th Street.

March 20, Tuesday

Ward 6 At-Large Candidates Forum, 7:00pm – 8:30pm at Brent Elementary School.

March 22, Thursday

Meeting with Mayor Gray on Reservation 13, 7:00pm  – 9:00pm at DC Armory.  Security will be in effect, so you will need photo ID to enter the building.

The Week Ahead ….

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, March 13

ANC6B meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center. 

Agenda items of interest:

Application of Acqua Al 2 to expand operation upstairs with 36 additional seats and extend hours of operation. 

Approval of Hine Redevelopment Subcommittee Preliminary Recommendations on Amenities & Benefits and Design Changes in order to begin negotiations with the developer.

Discussion of Transportation-Related Mitigations related to the Hine development.