DC should abolish ANCs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

ANCs don’t address vacant property issues. That’s DCRA and OTR. Document the issues with photos and write or email at least twice a month with follow up to your Councilmember constituent services staff, the Mayor’s ward representative, and the AG’s office. DC is terrible with vacant properties.

A good ANC can be part of that advocacy force, though. The ANC can also write to DCRA etc. The ANC can also protest any other permits that landlord tries to get. But agree, the ANC is not the only route.

[Anonymous]

My experience is that ANC's are almost invariably young leftist ideologues who ignore their constituents' wishes when it contradicts their own. So, yes, please abolish them.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure the issue with the person who didn't want to run for ANC. Fill out and e311 form and be in touch with your CM. You don't need an ANC rep to address the developer issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My experience is that ANC's are almost invariably young leftist ideologues who ignore their constituents' wishes when it contradicts their own. So, yes, please abolish them.

What ANC is that? We have maybe one commissioner who meets that definition. The rest are diverse and mostly reflect their SMD demographically and politically.

Also - most of what the ANCs do is not political, right or left. It’s quite apolitical to work on, say, potholes, stop signs, or ensuring local restaurants keep their trash stored properly to keep rats away. There are very few opportunities for anything partisan/ideological.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My experience is that ANC's are almost invariably young leftist ideologues who ignore their constituents' wishes when it contradicts their own. So, yes, please abolish them.

What ANC is that? We have maybe one commissioner who meets that definition. The rest are diverse and mostly reflect their SMD demographically and politically.

Also - most of what the ANCs do is not political, right or left. It’s quite apolitical to work on, say, potholes, stop signs, or ensuring local restaurants keep their trash stored properly to keep rats away. There are very few opportunities for anything partisan/ideological.

actually I take that back - I have no idea about the politics of most of the Commissioners because it literally never comes up. I have no way of knowing of they are left or right, because stop signs are not partisan.

[Anonymous]

I would love it if our ANC stuck to nonpolitical things. Instead, he sees his job as declaring war on people who drive and single family homes. He wants everyone to live in a 600 square foot condo and ride bikes everywhere. People are like no thanks but he doesnt care. He thinks he knows better than everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

Go through your ANC Chair then.

There is variation across the city but our ANC works great.

I think you missed the point. There shouldn't be a volunteer interlocutor acting as a docent for the Council and Wilson Building.

they are elected- the statute specifically makes ANCs the voice of the neighborhood. You can also go directly to your Councilmember. If you think abolishing ANCs will give you greater access, you are woefully unclear on the subject.

They serve no point other than to insulate our legislators and city government from individuals. It's really bad structural design to interject a powerless elected volunteer as a mandated go between. It creates a system whereby special interests have a direct line to the policy makers while individuals are separated by a redundant advocate. Structurally it does nothing but enable our real elected officials and paid public officials to avoid accountability. If residents need a sherpa to get constituent services from council members or navigate city services then that means those things aren't being provided properly.

What were we going to do if we got statehood? DC is desperately in need of local government reform.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

Go through your ANC Chair then.

There is variation across the city but our ANC works great.

I think you missed the point. There shouldn't be a volunteer interlocutor acting as a docent for the Council and Wilson Building.

they are elected- the statute specifically makes ANCs the voice of the neighborhood. You can also go directly to your Councilmember. If you think abolishing ANCs will give you greater access, you are woefully unclear on the subject.

They serve no point other than to insulate our legislators and city government from individuals. It's really bad structural design to interject a powerless elected volunteer as a mandated go between. It creates a system whereby special interests have a direct line to the policy makers while individuals are separated by a redundant advocate. Structurally it does nothing but enable our real elected officials and paid public officials to avoid accountability. If residents need a sherpa to get constituent services from council members or navigate city services then that means those things aren't being provided properly.

What were we going to do if we got statehood? DC is desperately in need of local government reform.

So you think having fewer representative bodies is going to increase your representation? you think your Councilmember's constituent services person is going to weigh in on the pothole on your street? And there's nothing stopping you from contacting your Council member (or voting against them).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

Go through your ANC Chair then.

There is variation across the city but our ANC works great.

I think you missed the point. There shouldn't be a volunteer interlocutor acting as a docent for the Council and Wilson Building.

they are elected- the statute specifically makes ANCs the voice of the neighborhood. You can also go directly to your Councilmember. If you think abolishing ANCs will give you greater access, you are woefully unclear on the subject.

They serve no point other than to insulate our legislators and city government from individuals. It's really bad structural design to interject a powerless elected volunteer as a mandated go between. It creates a system whereby special interests have a direct line to the policy makers while individuals are separated by a redundant advocate. Structurally it does nothing but enable our real elected officials and paid public officials to avoid accountability. If residents need a sherpa to get constituent services from council members or navigate city services then that means those things aren't being provided properly.

What were we going to do if we got statehood? DC is desperately in need of local government reform.

So you think having fewer representative bodies is going to increase your representation? you think your Councilmember's constituent services person is going to weigh in on the pothole on your street? And there's nothing stopping you from contacting your Council member (or voting against them).

Also plenty of other cities have neighborhood advisory boards - NYC has Community Boards mandated by law. They basically seem to do the same thing as ANCs with the only difference is that they are appointed not elected.

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/cau/community-boards/about-commmunity-boards.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

Go through your ANC Chair then.

There is variation across the city but our ANC works great.

I think you missed the point. There shouldn't be a volunteer interlocutor acting as a docent for the Council and Wilson Building.

they are elected- the statute specifically makes ANCs the voice of the neighborhood. You can also go directly to your Councilmember. If you think abolishing ANCs will give you greater access, you are woefully unclear on the subject.

They serve no point other than to insulate our legislators and city government from individuals. It's really bad structural design to interject a powerless elected volunteer as a mandated go between. It creates a system whereby special interests have a direct line to the policy makers while individuals are separated by a redundant advocate. Structurally it does nothing but enable our real elected officials and paid public officials to avoid accountability. If residents need a sherpa to get constituent services from council members or navigate city services then that means those things aren't being provided properly.

What were we going to do if we got statehood? DC is desperately in need of local government reform.

So you think having fewer representative bodies is going to increase your representation? you think your Councilmember's constituent services person is going to weigh in on the pothole on your street? And there's nothing stopping you from contacting your Council member (or voting against them).

That's the point. They aren't representatives. They're semi-glorified docents that perpetuate the problem and function to cut residents out of the decision making loop. Making the Council more like a proper legislature by expanding it and creating smaller districts would provide better services and more representation.

OP's insider description is accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love it if our ANC stuck to nonpolitical things. Instead, he sees his job as declaring war on people who drive and single family homes. He wants everyone to live in a 600 square foot condo and ride bikes everywhere. People are like no thanks but he doesnt care. He thinks he knows better than everyone else.

Easy to figure out who your commissioner is!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1, I was hoping no one would run in my ANC boundary because we have a vacant property issue (developer basically abandoned a project that is now constantly full of water, bugs, trash, and crime) and every time I try to get it addressed I'm instructed to talk to my ANC rep. I'd take to the ANC rep who was like "I have zero power to do anything except alert our council member, plus I have a full time job and this gig is unpaid and I'm burned out, best of luck to you." Was hoping no one would run so the next time I call my council member's office, if they told me to go through the ANC rep I could just say we don't have one and they'd have to deal with me.

But then last minute someone decided to run. So now once she's elected, she's going to have to deal with me complaining about this and asking her to help me get it addressed. I hope she's ready.

Like 10 people told me to just run for the position myself. I don't want it! You have to go to trainings and meetings and do all this admin. I don't have time for that, I have a job and a kid. I just want this giant safety and health hazard a block away to finally get addressed.

I hate the ANC system.

Go through your ANC Chair then.

There is variation across the city but our ANC works great.

I think you missed the point. There shouldn't be a volunteer interlocutor acting as a docent for the Council and Wilson Building.

they are elected- the statute specifically makes ANCs the voice of the neighborhood. You can also go directly to your Councilmember. If you think abolishing ANCs will give you greater access, you are woefully unclear on the subject.

They serve no point other than to insulate our legislators and city government from individuals. It's really bad structural design to interject a powerless elected volunteer as a mandated go between. It creates a system whereby special interests have a direct line to the policy makers while individuals are separated by a redundant advocate. Structurally it does nothing but enable our real elected officials and paid public officials to avoid accountability. If residents need a sherpa to get constituent services from council members or navigate city services then that means those things aren't being provided properly.

What were we going to do if we got statehood? DC is desperately in need of local government reform.

So you think having fewer representative bodies is going to increase your representation? you think your Councilmember's constituent services person is going to weigh in on the pothole on your street? And there's nothing stopping you from contacting your Council member (or voting against them).

That's the point. They aren't representatives. They're semi-glorified docents that perpetuate the problem and function to cut residents out of the decision making loop. Making the Council more like a proper legislature by expanding it and creating smaller districts would provide better services and more representation.

OP's insider description is accurate.

They are literally elected to be your representative with a statutory mandate to hold public meetings. There's nothing "insider" about that. You feel they are not representing you the way you want. Which means you should elect a different one.

[Anonymous]

The council need to be more local. Cut out the at larges and make the individual districts smaller. You shouldn't need a designated Karen to sign off on anything

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The council need to be more local. Cut out the at larges and make the individual districts smaller. You shouldn't need a designated Karen to sign off on anything

Advisory Neighborhood Caren rofl

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The council need to be more local. Cut out the at larges and make the individual districts smaller. You shouldn't need a designated Karen to sign off on anything

I honestly think this is the solution. There needs to be way more wards to ensure better local representation. But of course the council has no reason to dilute their power with more council members. It should be something DC thinks hard about as it continues to advocate for statehood.