Under Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager is the following item:
Public Hearing on the following Charter Amendments:Faithful readers may want to re-read the Growler's posting from March 2007 on campaign finance. It's all the more timely, as we are coming up on a Council election in the spring of 2009.
1. An amendment to authorize City Council to set limits on the terms of members it appoints to City boards, committees, authorities, councils, task forces, work groups and commissions;
2. An amendment to require that applicants for land use or land development approvals before the City Council, Planning Commission, Boards of Architectural Review, and Board of Zoning Appeals disclose all investors in the proposed land use or land development approval prior to the hearing by the applicable body;
3. An amendment to require that applicants for land use or land development approvals before the City Council, Planning Commission, Boards of Architectural Review, and Board of Zoning Appeals disclose any current or previous (within 12 months) financial interest (including campaign contributions if so requested in the proposed Charter Bill) involving the applicants, agents and/or investors, with any of the individual members of the applicable body; and
4. An amendment to allow Council to prohibit current or previous (within 12 months) campaign contributions from applicants, agents and/or investors involved in land use or land development approvals before the City Council.
12 comments:
Would any council member dare to vote against this??
It's shocking that these weren't requirements all along.
And, reading your previous post, I have to say that the more I learn about Mayor Euille, the less I like.
Considering the lengthy "lag-time"
between decisions being made, and the commencement of construction, especially as it relates to the Braddock Metro area plan, why isn't the embargo of donations (i.e., payola) at least 10 years, instead of 12-months? By then, the corrupt politicians should be long gone from office / or serving time.
As long as I live, I will NEVER forget the picture of the city council and planning commission votes to approve the Braddock Road Plan.... Entire benches of developers sitting quietly in back of the chamber with wide grins on their faces, so confident of their victory, smirkiing all the way to their banks.
This city NEVER fails to disappoint....
In the case of Enron, it took so long to get the facts aired in public, that CEO Ken Lay died before going to trial, but the employees and the public were still stuck with the plague of his corrupt decisions, running his company into the ground just like our politicians are running this city into the ground without any fear of penalty.
In Euille's case, we can only hope that he falls on his sword.
It is all starting to make sense. Remember when vice mayor MacDonald resigned a few years back? Do you think that he was feeling the pressure? Ever wonder why this City Council almost ALWAYS approves measures unanimously? City Government is driven by Del Ray. Disgusting. I will never say good things about this mayor again!
"In Euille's case, we can only hope that he falls on his sword."
With blood gushing. I always thought accountants were supposed to be more rational. Obviously not where ARHA is concerned.
Surprise? Of course developers would grin - remember Euille the accountant runs a construction company.
Courting developers makes sense, and so does development that compliments our neighborhood. The problem we have is that City Hall from top to bottom lets developers overbuild without demanding something from them to improve the affected neighborhood. We get little in return other than fewer parking spaces, fewer empty buildings, and promises of future performance.
There's nothing wrong with requiring a developer to fix a block's worth of cracked sidewalk so our old people don't trip and die before their time.
And through our ancient sewers untreated waste flows directly into the Potomac River when it rains. Think of that when your house backs up this winter....
Jumping ship after the good times rolled.
Personally, I expect a major ship jump prior to the 2009 Council elections. Year after year these same people made democratic policies, spent our hard earned monies in flagrant ways and taxed residents hard in spite of our admonition that the good times would definitely come to an end. I urged cutting City spending over and over again, but no, they kept it up and taxed us to boot. Now Council is considering with this predicted economic downturn.... you got it, more residential tax hikes.
Yesterdays Gazette quoted Mayor Euille as saying when the President calls, it's hard to say no. Does P-E Obama really know what he is getting? Maybe he wants to talk to the common folks in Alexandria first, not just his press secretary who lives here and is a friend of Euilles.
There will be a mass defection from the Council prior to the 2009 election. Fleeing like mice as the Mother Cat Economy shows her paws and the Citizens, ever burdened, hopefully revolt big-time.
"Yesterdays Gazette quoted Mayor Euille as saying when the President calls, it's hard to say no. Does P-E Obama really know what he is getting?"
Maybe the local Dems advocate the Peter Principle. How else can they offer our Mayor for Life a timely departure. The new incoming Mayor would also be indebted to Mrs. Gibbs.
I read that the City seems to be run by Del Ray. Well, I live in Del Ray but how many Council members really live there? The boundries for real Del Ray are Raymond to the north; Bellefonte to the south; Rt 1 to the east; Commonwealth to the west. So, just how many Council members really live in Del Ray? Not too many or the new Monroe Avenue Bridge configuration wouldn't be ramming Monroe Avenue traffic down 22 foot wide all residential streets when City Code calls for major traffic collectors to be at least 40 feet wide. These guys just like to say they live in Del Ray but when it comes to sticking it to a neighborhood, the real Del Ray is no better off than any of the neighborhoods in the Parker Gray area. We are all in the same boat, heading down the same stream with Council holding our paddles and waving from the shore. According to City Staff our 22 foot wide residential streets are going to be able to handle 1800 cars an hour. Sound familiar? Problems with Public Housing are going to look pale in comparison to what will happen in the Parker Gray area when the height and density of Council's proposed development hits you all. By the way, say good bye to your entire tree canopy. If any of you want a large tree, buy a large pot. Good luck.
"Yesterdays Gazette quoted Mayor Euille as saying when the President calls, it's hard to say no. Does P-E Obama really know what he is getting?"
Please call, please call, please call, please call!!!
"These guys just like to say they live in Del Ray but when it comes to sticking it to a neighborhood, the real Del Ray is no better off than any of the neighborhoods in the Parker Gray area. We are all in the same boat,.."
Does this mean you feel deprived because public housing is only on the east side of Metro?
"Problems with Public Housing are going to look pale in comparison to what will happen in the Parker Gray area when the height and density of Council's proposed development hits you all."
If you want to be in the same boat you're welcome to share all the coming density 360 degrees around metro.
Euille, Krupicka and Wilson live pretty close to Del Ray, do they not? Krupicka and Wilson are former Del Ray Civic Assn Presidents, are they not? On an all-Dem council, three members out of seven total isn't too shabby. And Mayor Euille is a heavy contributor to local campaigns - at least one council member seems afraid to bite the hand that got him into office.
"Problems with Public Housing are going to look pale in comparison to what will happen in the Parker Gray area when the height and density of Council's proposed development hits you all."
So we can trade then?
You take Adkins and I will take more cars....
What I think Paul meant was that due to the nature of the City Council At-Large election process, it is possible for a favorite son(s) candidate from a specific neighborhood and run the tables at legislative hearings. Council membership should be broken down by specific neighborhoods, not city-wide. In this current council, the mayor (Del-Ray) leads discussion on specific proposed legislations, then the two others from his area serve as the whips. Watch any meeting... It is so obivious. Of course, decisions are made in their ultimate best interests.
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