PROMISE TO TOUR ALL DC BUSINESS CORRIDORS FULFILLED
Brown says more work is needed to drive economic growth
(Left: Councilmember Brown touring Gateway Georgia Avenue Main Street with Councilmember Bowser and Executive Director Marc Loud.)
On Thursday, Councilmember Kwame R. Brown completed his final of 9 DC Main Streets tours by visiting Gateway Georgia Avenue Main Street (GGAMS). Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser and GGAMS Executive Director Marc Loud joined him for the tour. Councilmember Brown responded to the feedback of dozens of business owners by introducing new legislation and securing funding for local business projects. “Local businesses create local jobs and it’s essential that government is responsive to their needs,” said Councilmember Brown. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done. This Council session, I’m fighting for a new commercial tax relief strategy, increased safety in our neighborhoods, and new measures to help restore blighted areas in the District.” “One of my priorities is to make Georgia Avenue a destination point for shopping and dining in the District,” said Councilmember Bowser. “Washington, DC loses about $4,000 per household in retail spending by residents who shop outside of the city. Recapturing this spending is one of my top priorities because it will create greater conveniences for residents, more job creation in our city, and increased tax revenues,” she added. “Marc Loud and the Gateway Georgia Avenue program are doing a great job to create a Georgia Avenue where residents can live, shop, work, dine and play.” “Good things are happening on Georgia Avenue,” said Executive Director Marc Loud. “We celebrate the many small businesses that have been here during our transformation and the many new businesses that are coming to the Gateway corridor. We look forward to continuing a strong relationship with Chairman Brown and Councilmember Bowser and their support for small business retention and recruitment along the corridor.” The Neighborhood Commercial Corridor Tax Relief Strategy Act of 2007: On the first day that the Council was back in session, Councilmember Brown introduced the Neighborhood Commercial Corridor Tax Relief Strategy Act of 2007. The purpose of the tax relief act is to require the Mayor to create a tax relief strategy for all D.C. neighborhood businesses within a commercial corridor that are economically impacted by the road infrastructure construction performed by the District Department of Transportation. Councilmember Brown has strong support for the legislation from 12 of his colleagues, including co-introducers Councilmembers Thomas, Schwartz and Evans and cosponsors Chairman Gray, Councilmembers Alexander, Barry, Bowser, Catania, Cheh, Graham, Mendelson, and Wells. P Street is an example of a business corridor that needs relief due to ongoing city infrastructure improvements. During a previous Main Street tour, members of the Historic Dupont Main Street spoke with Brown about the construction on P Street, NW. To take action on his conversation with the owners, Councilmember Brown pushed to secure a $56,000 grant to fund a valet service while construction is underway. The funding will be available during the month of October and will help owners tackle customer parking issues. With DC Main Streets in mind, Councilmember Brown allocated $725,000 to help bring brooms and trashcans, like we see downtown, to other corridors such as Georgia Avenue, MLK, Brookland and Minnesota Avenue. He also fought to allocate $800,000 in Neighborhood Investment Fund (NIF) dollars to bring the first Main Street to Ward 7 and additional Main Streets to Wards 4 and 8. “My goal is to make sure that local businesses thrive,” said Councilmember Brown. “City infrastructure projects intended to revitalize neighborhoods should be economic stimulants, not inhibitors of growth. I want to provide solutions to potential problems before they occur.” Rejuvenating Blighted Areas in Our Neighborhoods: At the meeting of the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs on Tuesday, Councilmember Brown successfully fought to amend Bill 17-86, the Nuisance Properties Abatement Reform and Real Property Classification Amendment Act of 2007. Councilmember Brown is a cosponsor of the bill. Brown’s amendment, which was approved by the committee, doubles the penalty applied to homeowners of vacant properties from $5 to $10 per $100 of assessed value. This is a result of Brown’s commitment to alleviate neighborhoods of blighted areas. The Nuisance Properties Act would also require property owners to register property as “vacant” with Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. Safer Neighborhoods to Shop In: Councilmember Brown is dedicated to reducing violent crimes, which are a danger to families and a deterrent to economic growth. He supported funding that added 350 additional officers to the force and is committed to doing more to ensure we have safer streets. “As we move forward this Council session, I’m going to continue fighting for strategies and funding that tackle our toughest economic problems,” said Councilmember Brown. “We need comprehensive solutions that prepare us for millions of dollars in investments over the next decade. There’s more work to be done.”
_______________________________________________________________ COUNCILMEMBER BROWN ON NEW CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL AGREEMENT
Good to see progress “It’s critical to the economic vitality of the Convention Center and the surrounding businesses, that firm progress is made on plans for a hotel. I’m encouraged that new plans have been drawn up but there’s still much more work to be done. We need to see shovels in the ground and DC residents hard at work in new construction jobs. I look forward to hearing more from the administration about the status of this project and others on October 15th during my public oversight hearing.” Councilmember Brown, Chair, Committee on Economic Development; Public Oversight Hearing: TOPIC: Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development; Update on McMillan Sand Filtration Site and the Convention Center Hotel
WHEN: Monday, October 15, 2007 at 12 Noon
WHERE: Council Chamber, John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20004
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BROWN ON THURSDAY’S SCHOOL MODERNIZATION HEARING
Expressed concern that basic necessities are met
On Thursday, Councilmember Kwame R. Brown attended the Public Oversight Roundtable by the Committee of the Whole on the Department of Education and the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization. He expressed support for new leadership and planning but he cautioned that children need to have basic resources at their disposal and a streamlined process should be in place to provide them with any tools they lack. “This is a great opportunity,” said Councilmember Brown. “Anyone who has accepted the challenge of moving the school system in a positive direction should be commended. When I drop my kids off at school there’s nothing like hearing from parents directly that progress is being made but we need to ensure that children have basics such as dictionaries and schoolbooks. If children don’t have these basic tools at the beginning of the school year, we need a procurement process that provides them in a timely manner. During the school year, it shouldn’t take 30 days to get a dictionary for a school.”
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DON’T MISS A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN FIESTA DC 2007
COUNCILMEMBER BROWN SECURES $100,000 FOR FIESTA DC 2008
Councilmember Kwame R. Brown encourages District residents to participate in Fiesta DC 2007. Fiesta DC is a full week of activities that observe Hispanic Heritage Month. According to Fiesta DC, the activities are “designed to showcase the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the District of Columbia's Latino community, these activities will provide entertainment and educational opportunities for the entire family, while promoting and strengthening community-based networks and partnerships.” Councilmember Brown secured a $100,000 grant for Fiesta DC 2008 to help ensure the program takes place next year. “I’m proud of the cultural diversity in the District of Columbia,” said Councilmember Brown. “Diversity promotes the ideas we hold dear as Americans…inclusion, freedom and democratic values. Bring your family out and have a great time.” Fiesta DC 2007 started earlier this week but will not end until Sunday, September 30th with a celebration and parade. Tomorrow, Fiesta DC celebrates Latino youth with an all-day concert and block party. Stage attractions include musical performers, dancers, poetry slam, pupusa-eating contest, skateboarding competitions and other activities by and for youths. Open to the public and free of charge. The program includes rock music by Machetrés, Reggaeton by Jancy, and rock en espa–ol by Deep Dreams and others. YOUTH CONCERT AND BLOCK PARTY
15th Street, NW, between Irving and Columbia Road.
2:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Info: Millie Perez, 202 319-0443
Organizing partners: Latin American Youth Center, Bell Multicultural Senior High School, Alcanzando Metas Foundation and Woodrow Wilson Senior High School. ALSO ON SUNDAY, SEPT. 30 – Music- Food -Parade - Folkloric Dances - Children's Games - Science
Fair - Arts and Crafts - Public Education
Mt. Pleasant Street from Park Road to Argonne Place, NW, Washington, DC 11:00 a.m - 7:00 p.m.
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