Tweets by
Mike Debonis (Washington City Paper) and Mark Segraves (WTOP)
Start at the bottom and work your way to the top of each list.
• Name mikedebonis
• Location Washington, D.C., USA
• Web http://washingtoncitypaper.com
• Bio Loose Lips columnist for Washington City Paper
• http://twitter.com/mikedebonis
mikedebonis
1. DC has been paying rent on VA Ave since 2007. Other agencies slated to move
there, OCTO and Arts and Humanities
2. City pays $12 million per year in rent. Wells says mayor wants to. Buy building for
$85 million plus another $85 million in upgrades. It would house CFSA
3. Talk has turned to 225 Virginia Ave, the old Washington Star building near the SE
Freeway.
4. The debate over summer youth funding rages on. Majority want to cut it.
5. Topic now, summer jobs. CMs upset the EOM won't say how much spent so far. Wells
says he regrets vote to extend, Evans agrees.
6. One of Fenty proposed diversions of DDOT unified fund would cut school crossing
guards according to Graham
7. More baseball tax talk. Catania points out the promise to reduce the baseball tax rate
if they collected a surplus.
8. Now on parking tax revenue. Graham says the taxes should be raised. Barry says it
hasn’t been raised in years, Evans says “shhhhh”
9. Evans says the choices are "intolerable" but added a political reality, “we can cut $10
million from schools. But we'll catch hell, so we may as well cut $50 million because
we will catch just as much hell”
10. Evans is explaining that a commitment was made to business and community about
how baseball taxes would be used to pay off stadium. Bonds and the rest of money
would fund community programs. Evans says Fenty plan goes back on those.
11. CMs talking about Fenty proposal to divert $13.9 million from community benefits
fund which comes from baseball District taxes.
12. Graham is upset that the $4 million in revenue from new parking meters which was
meant for TANF and others will go to close budget gap next year
13. The CMs seem to agree with Gray on the Rainy Day Fund.
14. Gray would use the $106 million fund balance for FY 2010 and make cuts then rather
than use $125 million from Rainy Day Fund as Fenty wants.
15. Catania says “we can't tax and cut our way out of the Fiscal Year 09” Gray says he
wants to take the money from FY 2010.
16. Gray says the previous budget gaps were fixed with stimulus money and that puts
off the problem but won't fix. “The problem is a tsunami.”
17. Gray wants to know if the new Federal education dollars could be used to help with
budget woe.
18. Evans pointed out that the Council can make tough cuts now or later, “two months
before an election.”
19. The issue with the DOES O-type funds is the conversion of workers comp and
unemployment fund to public use. Unions have sued other jurisdictions
20. Gray's chief of staff has made fresh popcorn for everyone. The noise from the eating
is so loud nobody can hear.
21. Gray says he won't accept some of these proposals. Gray is focusing on use of cash
reserves he says he wants to avoid.
22. Graham is asking if the Council plans on blocking any of the Mayor's proposals.
“Won't that create a problem for us?”
23. CMs are expressing concerns about Mayor's proposed conversions of O-type funds at
DOES being legal.
24. Council budget director is briefing on Mayors proposals. Mendelson is now here. Full
house
25. Barry and Bowser now here. Gray is using a power point presentation to detail the
agenda for the next few days.
26. Councilmembers here: Gray, Cheh, Wells, Graham, Catania, both Browns, Alexander,
Evans and Thomas
27. Gray made it clear, “this is not a decision making meeting.” The litmus test for an
open meeting. While gray has allowed press in, the public is locked out.
28. The DC Council is meeting behind closed doors to talk budget. Chairman Gray has
allowed press to attend. Wells is asking for no tweets
The tweets of both Mike Debonis and Mark Segraves were used with their permission. I
edited some to make the money and CMs’ names consistent. The content, however, was
not changed.