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Montrose Park

Tomorrow is election day, and GM wanted to remind you that you can have an impact on one of the few competitive races you’ll see on the ballot. Councilmember Elissa Silverman is facing a strong challenge from a candidate completely beholden to the mayor and her corporate donors. Silverman has been a powerful progressive voice on the council who is holding the mayor and her appointees accountable (hence the unprecedented steps the mayor is taking to oust Silverman and replace her with a rubber-stamping puppet). Here is a great thread of her accomplishments (including getting the public pools to start opening at 10am next year!) Your vote can assure that a truly independent voice stays on the council and we don’t take a step back to the pay-to-play politics of the past.

Here is GM’s full endorsement again:

This election day, there will be few competitive races on your ballot. The Ward 2 seat isn’t up. The mayor is running practically unopposed. And the only federal seat we can vote for, the DC Delegate, is also basically a one horse race. But there is at least one race that is genuinely competitive, and one where there is a clear choice between the respective candidates: the At Large council seat.

This fall, DC will choose two At Large councilmembers. The first will certainly go to the only Democrat in the race, Anita Bonds. But every voter gets two votes for this position and the second seat has to go to a non-Democrat. And the clear choice for that spot is the incumbent, Elissa Silverman.

Four years ago, Silverman successfully ran to take over David Catania’s vacated seat. She brought a hefty resume to bear on the job. She previously worked as a journalist for the Washington Post and served as the fourth Loose Lips columnist for the Washington City Paper from 2002 to 2004. After leaving journalism, she went to work for the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, a locally focused progressive think tank. She has made the governance of DC and the myriad issues it faces the core of her entire career. Continue reading →

Photo by Marc Andre.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• N St. resident reportedly fined $52,000 for illegally pruning magnolias.
• How GU students can vote tomorrow.

Montrose Park

Next Tuesday is election day. And GM has already weighed in on one of the votes you’ll be asked to make (vote for Silverman!). But you’ll also be asked to vote for your next ANC commissioner. And if you’re interested in hearing GM’s thoughts on your choice (or lack thereof), read on.

ANC 2E 01: Burleith-Hillandale: Your Choice

This district is outside GM’s “jurisdiction”, which gives him a convenient excuse not to have to choose. Longtime commissioner Ed Solomon is facing a strong challenge from Kishan Putta. GM thinks highly of both candidates. Ed has served Burleith well since 2005. He has reliably displayed a collaborative and problem-solving attitude. And Kishan is a ball of energy who has already dived into community issues like the renovation of Jelleff with a laser focus. Also as a new father he would bring that perspective to the position.

The Georgetowner endorsed Kishan. But they premised their choice on Ed’s decision to back the K/Water St. reconfiguration. This is an enormously petty reason to criticize Ed and reflect’s the Georgetowner’s outdated obsession with parking. There are great reasons to chose to vote for Kishan, but don’t do it to punish Ed’s vote on making K/Water St. safer for all users.

Burleith/Hillandale, you have two great choices. You can’t make a mistake here.

ANC 2E 02: Upper West Georgetown: Joe Gibbons

Incumbent Joe Gibbons is seeking another term. GM adores Joe and considers him a fantastic neighbor. He is facing no opposition and will continue to serve the community well. Vote for him happily.

ANC 2E 03: Middle West Georgetown: Rick Murphy

Rick Murphy is also seeking another term without opposition. Rick has done a wonderful job in his first term and GM is happy he is returning for another. Pull the lever for him. Continue reading →

Photo by Ehpien.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Tree killer raises ire on N St. (GM covered this last year)
• Speaking of trees, here’s the debate over ginkgoes. (GM personally dislikes ginkgoes. The fruit is terrible, of course, but on top of that, they grow way too slowly and offer hardly any canopy. There are much better trees we can plant.)

1300 33rd St.

Bisnow reported yesterday that Chase bank closed on its purchase of the historic Neam’s market building. The banking behemoth bought the property for $8.2 million. This news crushed GM’s hopes that since Chase is opening yet another branch at 3140 M St., maybe they weren’t going to go forward with their terrible plans to destroy a historic market building. Goes to show you shouldn’t underestimate how awful mega banks can be!

But it could have been different. Back in 2013, the Citizens Association of Georgetown (including GM) put forward a proposal to ban any new banks in Georgetown. The Georgetown Business Association (a lobbying group of Georgetown businesses, which shouldn’t be confused with the Georgetown Business Improvement District) objected to the proposal and the idea died. Continue reading →

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• The last ditch effort to block a condo by landmarking the Exorcist steps is getting national attention.
• Come be GM’s neighbor for under $800k.

3000 block of R St.