The Big Story

Dear Year-Enders:

It’s easy to do an end-of-the-year summary of the news in 2011. There has been only big one story this year in the District of Columbia, and it has lasted all year, which is why we have returned to it constantly. That story is that some government officials were corrupt and flaunted their corruption unashamedly and unabashedly; that many other government officials tolerated that corruption and refused to condemn it, which made them complicit in it; that councilmembers attempted to quell public outrage by passing a weak and inadequate “ethics reform” bill that deliberately avoided addressing the real ethical problems; and that powerful forces in this city pretended to believe that the sham ethics bill was a step forward, an advance rather than an evasion.

The year began, at least for me, with great hope that the obvious corruption in the Fenty administration — the favoritism in awarding city contracts, the appointing of obviously incompetent nominees to boards and commissions, the ignoring of community and citizen input in running the public school system — which had been overwhelmingly rejected in the 2010 election, would be cleaned up by the new administration. But then the Gray administration not only didn’t clean up the corruption of the Fenty administration that Vince Gray had campaigned against. Gray embraced that corruption itself, ignoring the Inspector General’s and DC Auditor’s reports condemning Allen Lew’s mismanagement of the school construction and renovation program, and rewarding him for it by naming him his City Administrator. Gray named a series of appointees of dubious ability, some tainted by nepotism. Councilmembers were involved in scandals involving misappropriating their campaign funds and city tax funds, misspending their “constituent service” funds for their own personal and political purposes, and engaging in conflicts of interest between their legislative duties and their outside employers.

There is no end in sight, and the political class sees no need for there to be an end. For them, these are the good old days; why should they come to an end?

Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com

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District Politics — Troubled Waters
Dorothy Brizill, dorothy@dcwatch.com

In District politics, 2011 will be remembered as the year of allegations, investigations, grand juries, and search warrants. It is likely that many of the same issues will continue in 2012, and that they will involve federal indictments and plea agreements. For Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, 2010 begins particularly inauspiciously. In accordance with the settlement agreement Thomas signed with the Office of the DC Attorney General (OAG) on July 22, he must make a “payment of $50,000 due on or before December 31, 2011.” This is Thomas’ second installment in the repayment schedule for the $300,000 of District grant funds he “diverted” (a.k.a., stole). Under the terms of the settlement, if Thomas fails to make the payment “within ten days of such default, to fully satisfy the payment obligations, then the District may use all the payment, including, but not limited to, attachment of any property owned — in whole, by the entirety, or in part — by Thomas.

As Alan Suderman notes in his December 27 Loose Lips column, http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2011/12/27/more-legal-troubles-for-htj/, Thomas also faces considerable expenses associated with his high-priced legal defense team, which currently consists of four attorneys — Fred Cooke (Rubin, Winston, Diercks, Harris, and Cooke), Abbe Lowell (Chadbourne and Parke), John Ray (Manatt Phelps and Phillips), and Karl Racine (Managing Partner, Venable).

The Thomas situation raises searing questions that must be answered. If was recently sued in federal court for failing to repay two student loans from the 1980’s totaling $16,000, where did Thomas get the $50,000 for his initial installment payment in July? And if he pays the December installment, where will the funds come from? And how is he paying his attorneys? Since he is a public official, Thomas cannot avoid these questions by claiming it is a private matter. Residents of Ward 5 and of the District are entitled to know whether he is paying for his defense himself, whether he is getting a discounted rate, or whether the fees are being paid by contributions from people who may want governmental favors in exchange.

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District Denies Teachers Contractually Obligated Benefits
Nathan A. Saunders, President, WTU, NSaunders@wtulocal6.net

In 2010, the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and the Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) signed a contract that included an Early Retirement Option: “Excessed permanent status Teachers with twenty (20) or more years of creditable service shall have the option of retiring with full benefits. This provision shall be subject to necessary government and budgetary approvals.” Unfortunately, DCPS asserts that it has no money to fund the early retirement option. The WTU is deeply concerned with DCPS’s position and urges DCPS to honors its contractual obligation to DC’s veteran teachers.

In a recent interview with the WTU, an excessed veteran teacher, Mrs. W, discussed her concerns “I was excessed after 25 years of service and now at the age of 57, am given one year to either find a permanent placement in DCPS or forcibly retire without the benefits promised. While I love to teach, I am tired of the insecurity and have a right to option 2.”

The District’s refusal to honor its contractual obligations to our teachers is unconscionable. Prior to signing the 2010 contract, Mr. Natwar M. Gandhi, the Chief Financial Officer for the District government, certified that the District could pay for the early retirement option. In fact, Mr. Gandhi’s statement was confirmed by David Umansky, the spokesperson for the DC Treasury, who remarked that there would be no problem in funding the early retirement provision through a District of Columbia Retirement Board plan.

The Washington Teachers’ Union encourages DCPS to abandon the false notion that the District has no money to fund the early retirement option, and has filed two grievances on behalf of effected teachers. The WTU holds DCPS accountable to its contractual obligations and urges the District to provide what is rightfully owed to DC’s most experienced and accomplished educators.

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Tech Question Answers
Gabe Goldberg, gabe at gabegold dot com

I couldn’t agree more with Phil Shapiro [themail, December 25] that it’s good news that “Rob Pegoraro Is Now Answering Tech Questions Again.”

Another resource for such questions and answers is the wealth of local technology user groups, such as the stalwarts: http://www.wacug.org, PC oriented, meets at GMU campus; http://www.wap.org, Mac/iPhone/iPad oriented, meets at GMU campus; http://www.cpcug.org, PC oriented with multiple subgroups, meets various places in the region — which offer meetings, tutorials, Q&A sessions, fix-it clinics, discussion lists, newsletters, friendly ears, and shoulders to cry on, etc.

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Proposed Legislation on Estate Tax Rate
William Haskett, williamhaskett@hotmail.com

[An open letter to Councilmembers Cheh and Evans and their staffs] I wish to suggest a topic for adjustment in the District of Columbia’s Estate Tax Legislation which has, so far as I know, not been revised or reviewed in the council since 2003, when the allowance for the estate tax was raised from its former level ($675,000.00) to $1 million, which is qualified by various details, usually downward. The chief reasons for revisiting this topic are involved in the complex increase in housing prices in this period, qualified in various degrees across the country by the so-called “mortgage crisis,” and the related declines in average house prices in various parts of the country.

In this same period, the Federal Estate Tax Allowances have gone from $1 million to $2 million in 2003, and so to the present $3.5 million, with at least one suggestion that the level at which it would begin to be levied be $5 million. The spread between the national figure and that of the District suggests that it is now time for serious discussion and possible change — upwards — of the District allowances for taxation of estates. The detailed numbers for this revision must be in the records of the Office of Tax and Revenue, and these should be made available for this purpose.

I have laid out part of the case for this alteration in level of estate taxes in a comment in themail, and would like to discuss it further with the staffs of the Committee on Tax and Revenue and of Councilwoman Cheh. A copy of this note was sent to councimembers earlier, and my first suggestions on this important topic were sent to Councilwoman Cheh’s office on February 24.

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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS

Passport to the World New Year’s Eve Gala, December 31
Michael Karlan, dc@prosinthecity.com

On December 31, join Professionals in the City at its Passport to the World New Year’s Eve Gala at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City. More than three thousand people attend this gala each year. See a brief video of last year’s gala at http://www.newyearseveindc.com. The current block of tickets starts at $109. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.newyearseveindc.com, E-mail dc@prosinthecity.com, or call 686-5990.

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Janet Langhart Cohen and William Cohen at Women’s National Democratic Club, January 3
Patricia Bitondo, pbitondo@aol.com

The Woman’s National Democratic Club will present Janet Langhart Cohen and William S. Cohen speaking on “Growing Up in and with America” on Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at 1526 New Hampshire Avenue, NW. We are so pleased that this dynamic couple has agreed to be our opening speakers for 2012. Their bios are remarkable.

Janet (as she prefers to be called) was in the band and on the debate team in high school, after college was a model, and then became a distinguished media personality. After the Cohen’s marriage she continued her interest in equality and is proud that she can say Martin Luther King was her mentor. One of her recent plays is called Anne and Emmett, an imaginary conversation between Anne Frank and Emmett Till.

Secretary Cohen has had and continues to have a most interesting career. After practicing law he served in local office and later was elected to the US House of Representatives from Maine. That was followed by his election to the US Senate and then, as Secretary of Defense, his being the only Republican in the Clinton cabinet. Through the years, he followed his own convictions and voted them. He has written many books: some poetry, some novels, and some serious books, including one on Iran with George Mitchell. Janet will talk about her play and they will both talk about their book, Love in Black and White. Books will be for sale and including the Secretary’s latest novel, Blink of an Eye.

The bar will open at 11:30 a.m., lunch will be at 12:15 p.m., and the lecture, presentation, and question and answer session will be from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Members $25, nonmembers $30, $10 lecture only. Or reservations call 232-7363 or E-mail pfitzgerald@democraticwoman.org.

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