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Articles
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| No vote for you … ! |
VOICE writes, "No vote for you … !
BY TOM SHERWOOD
They voted. You lost.
If ever a District citizen thought that he or she were part of America, make no mistake — you're not.
Pay your taxes, let your sons and daughters go off to fight wars and don't forget to have a hot dog on the Fourth of July.
Tuesday's 57-42 decision against D.C. voting rights is not all that surprising.
Even supporters had held their breaths because the goal of 60 filibuster-proof votes was ephemeral at best.
Republicans voted against the bedrock right to vote because many quietly believe that if the city gets a voting member of the House, it would only be some time before we clamor for two voting senators, most likely Democrats. That wouldn't help the GOP regain control of the Senate. "
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The supporters of D.C. voting rights vowed to fight on.
Congress and President Bush are searching for democracy around the world and especially in Iraq. It can be had here in the District without firing one bullet or risking the life of one soldier.
We'll see.
• D.C. General reborn? As one of its final acts, the federal control board overseeing the District decided to close the city's money-losing general hospital in 2001.
The closing was supported by then Mayor Tony Williams, who set about creating a community health-care network to replace it. At the time, however, all 13 council members rallied against the closing, saying it left a gaping hole in health care despite its costs.
This week, Mayor Adrian Fenty — who was one of those 13 council members — reached agreement for the District to fund about $80 million of the sale and operation of Greater Southeast Community Hospital near the Prince George's County line.
He said it would help ensure "that access to high-quality care is available to every District resident."
Under the plan that must gain council approval, the city will loan $20 million to the new owner, Specialty Hospital of Washington at Greater Southeast, for operating expenses. The firm will have 10 years to pay it back.
The city will also pay off $29 million in hospital debts. The owners will have 30 years to pay that back with taxes generated by the hospital. If the taxes aren't generated, the hospital won't pay it back.
And finally, the District will invest an additional $30 million in the renovation of the building and purchase of additional equipment. The agreement calls for performance measures. If the hospital is ever sold, the city gets 50 percent of any proceeds.
The new owners of Greater Southeast pledged to keep its emergency operations going (they've closed a lot lately) and to offer more community involvement and education partnerships with Southeastern University.
The Greater Southeast property is a sprawling site that could use commercial development, a senior citizens home, medical offices and all kinds of other community resources. Let's hope it doesn't become — or stay — just another marginally operating hospital that's of no real use to either the patients or the people who work there.
• Chief Ramsey clarified. The Notebook got a nice note this past week from former Police Chief Charles Ramsey.
The chief was at least mildly grumpy that we said — in an online version of this column on nbc4.com — that he was "fired" by Mayor Fenty so Fenty could appoint his own chief. Of course, Ramsey wasn't actually "fired" from his job. He resigned once Fenty told him that he wasn't going to be kept on.
"I retired on 31 December 2006," the chief wrote to us.
The Notebook accepts the clarification.
Ramsey is still in the running to become chief of the Baltimore police department. Fenty said on a recent radio program that he would recommend Ramsey for that job. But our sources say Ramsey hasn't asked for such a recommendation. And doesn't need it.
• Trees, Don't forget the trees. Casey Trees is offering new courses on how to care for the city's street trees. During recent hot weather we passed along appeals from the city's Transportation Department to help water street trees in your area.
The Casey group, which has a $50 million endowment to care for city trees, is looking to train more "Citizen Forester" recruits. The free classes, which will begin Tuesday, include one five-hour classroom session and one four-hour field trip.
There's also a Casey Trees booth planned for the "Green Festival" at the Washington Convention Center Oct. 6 and 7.
To become a volunteer forester, register online at caseytrees.org. It couldn't be any simpler. You'll learn about tree-planting sites and maintenance and how to help the Casey folks plant and care for trees throughout the city. Maybe a tree will hug you.
Tom Sherwood is a political reporter for NBC 4.
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Posted on Sep 26, 2007 06:52am.
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