DC Councilmember floats 3 percent tax increase on everyone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The individuals teaching the “learn to ride a bike class” offered by DC make $250 an HOUR. I am friends with one.

It will surprise no one that this $250 an hour teacher is an activist with WABA

Most of WABA's annual budget comes from the DC government. If they had to live off contributions from real people, they would have closed a long time ago. The government is basically paying WABA to lobby the government.

That budget is for services provided under contract, like the one mentioned above where kids, seniors and other members of the public are offered free classes where they are taught to ride bikes and ride safely in our streets. Promoting a healthy lifestyle and cheap transportation benefits society as a whole, and this is very well documented. The more people ride bikes, the lower are macro health and mental health costs are, the less public space allocated to parking is needed and the overall societal benefit increases.

So investment in riding is a net positive and is pennies on the dollar in terms of public spend. This isn't the flex you think it is.

Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the hourly rate for showing someone how to ride a bike in a parking lot is $250 an hour. $250. An hour.

It's not $250 an hour, it's $250 a class. That "one hour" also includes all the time and money it took the instructor to develop the curriculum, transport and set up the bikes, keep current on certifications and professional development, pay for a truck, trailer, and gas, etc. Out of curiosity, if it were a private class run by Big Wheel Bikes or whoever and they charged 25 kids $10 each to take it, would you still be outraged?

Let me guess, you're the kind of person who also believes "teachers get paid a full day but only work from 8-2:30!"

Nice try. The WABA guy is compensated for all that time. Which works out to $250/ hr for all the time he spends transferring the bikes, thinking about curriculum, set up, etc.

It’s not a $250 one-time check. It’s a larger, total sum for services rendered. kind of like the billing done by a lawyer. Which not coincidentally, several are/have been.

And it’s outrageous

WABA is one tentacle in the DC nonprofit industrial complex that provides votes to incumbent Democrats and aspiring ANC commissioners in return for our tax dollars. Cut it.

Next is the homelessness industrial complex. DC spends $538 million annually to provide services to about 5,000 individuals. That's $107,000. Those people are definitely not receiving $107,000 in services.

It's time to eliminate all these middle men when handling homeless outreach and services.

who are these middlemen?

I mean, the non-profits that I am aware of that receive city funds are the ones providing the services

Yep. They need to go. DC can do their own work instead of farming responsibility to a nonprofit and ignoring any oversight of those same organizations.

https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237098123

SOME are eating pretty well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The individuals teaching the “learn to ride a bike class” offered by DC make $250 an HOUR. I am friends with one.

It will surprise no one that this $250 an hour teacher is an activist with WABA

Most of WABA's annual budget comes from the DC government. If they had to live off contributions from real people, they would have closed a long time ago. The government is basically paying WABA to lobby the government.

That budget is for services provided under contract, like the one mentioned above where kids, seniors and other members of the public are offered free classes where they are taught to ride bikes and ride safely in our streets. Promoting a healthy lifestyle and cheap transportation benefits society as a whole, and this is very well documented. The more people ride bikes, the lower are macro health and mental health costs are, the less public space allocated to parking is needed and the overall societal benefit increases.

So investment in riding is a net positive and is pennies on the dollar in terms of public spend. This isn't the flex you think it is.

Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the hourly rate for showing someone how to ride a bike in a parking lot is $250 an hour. $250. An hour.

It's not $250 an hour, it's $250 a class. That "one hour" also includes all the time and money it took the instructor to develop the curriculum, transport and set up the bikes, keep current on certifications and professional development, pay for a truck, trailer, and gas, etc. Out of curiosity, if it were a private class run by Big Wheel Bikes or whoever and they charged 25 kids $10 each to take it, would you still be outraged?

Let me guess, you're the kind of person who also believes "teachers get paid a full day but only work from 8-2:30!"

Nice try. The WABA guy is compensated for all that time. Which works out to $250/ hr for all the time he spends transferring the bikes, thinking about curriculum, set up, etc.

It’s not a $250 one-time check. It’s a larger, total sum for services rendered. kind of like the billing done by a lawyer. Which not coincidentally, several are/have been.

And it’s outrageous

WABA is one tentacle in the DC nonprofit industrial complex that provides votes to incumbent Democrats and aspiring ANC commissioners in return for our tax dollars. Cut it.

Next is the homelessness industrial complex. DC spends $538 million annually to provide services to about 5,000 individuals. That's $107,000. Those people are definitely not receiving $107,000 in services.

It's time to eliminate all these middle men when handling homeless outreach and services.

who are these middlemen?

I mean, the non-profits that I am aware of that receive city funds are the ones providing the services

Yep. They need to go. DC can do their own work instead of farming responsibility to a nonprofit and ignoring any oversight of those same organizations.

https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237098123

SOME are eating pretty well.

What makes you think government employees can do it more effectively or efficiently?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We absolutely need to cut the budget of this fluff. People will go ballistic if they get a 3% tax increase.

So far, in this thread, there is about 50,000 of "fluff" that has been identified. That isn't going to get to where the budget needs to be.

Also, the OP of this tread, the tax floated was only floated and isn't going anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The individuals teaching the “learn to ride a bike class” offered by DC make $250 an HOUR. I am friends with one.

It will surprise no one that this $250 an hour teacher is an activist with WABA

Most of WABA's annual budget comes from the DC government. If they had to live off contributions from real people, they would have closed a long time ago. The government is basically paying WABA to lobby the government.

That budget is for services provided under contract, like the one mentioned above where kids, seniors and other members of the public are offered free classes where they are taught to ride bikes and ride safely in our streets. Promoting a healthy lifestyle and cheap transportation benefits society as a whole, and this is very well documented. The more people ride bikes, the lower are macro health and mental health costs are, the less public space allocated to parking is needed and the overall societal benefit increases.

So investment in riding is a net positive and is pennies on the dollar in terms of public spend. This isn't the flex you think it is.

Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the hourly rate for showing someone how to ride a bike in a parking lot is $250 an hour. $250. An hour.

It's not $250 an hour, it's $250 a class. That "one hour" also includes all the time and money it took the instructor to develop the curriculum, transport and set up the bikes, keep current on certifications and professional development, pay for a truck, trailer, and gas, etc. Out of curiosity, if it were a private class run by Big Wheel Bikes or whoever and they charged 25 kids $10 each to take it, would you still be outraged?

Let me guess, you're the kind of person who also believes "teachers get paid a full day but only work from 8-2:30!"

Nice try. The WABA guy is compensated for all that time. Which works out to $250/ hr for all the time he spends transferring the bikes, thinking about curriculum, set up, etc.

It’s not a $250 one-time check. It’s a larger, total sum for services rendered. kind of like the billing done by a lawyer. Which not coincidentally, several are/have been.

And it’s outrageous

WABA is one tentacle in the DC nonprofit industrial complex that provides votes to incumbent Democrats and aspiring ANC commissioners in return for our tax dollars. Cut it.

Next is the homelessness industrial complex. DC spends $538 million annually to provide services to about 5,000 individuals. That's $107,000. Those people are definitely not receiving $107,000 in services.

It's time to eliminate all these middle men when handling homeless outreach and services.

who are these middlemen?

I mean, the non-profits that I am aware of that receive city funds are the ones providing the services

Yep. They need to go. DC can do their own work instead of farming responsibility to a nonprofit and ignoring any oversight of those same organizations.

https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237098123

SOME are eating pretty well.

What makes you think government employees can do it more effectively or efficiently?

The same reason they I believe private prisons are a cash grab, i.e., cream skimming. Private corporations, nonprofit or otherwise, focus on treating the easy cases and ignore the difficult, expensive cases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The individuals teaching the “learn to ride a bike class” offered by DC make $250 an HOUR. I am friends with one.

It will surprise no one that this $250 an hour teacher is an activist with WABA

Most of WABA's annual budget comes from the DC government. If they had to live off contributions from real people, they would have closed a long time ago. The government is basically paying WABA to lobby the government.

That budget is for services provided under contract, like the one mentioned above where kids, seniors and other members of the public are offered free classes where they are taught to ride bikes and ride safely in our streets. Promoting a healthy lifestyle and cheap transportation benefits society as a whole, and this is very well documented. The more people ride bikes, the lower are macro health and mental health costs are, the less public space allocated to parking is needed and the overall societal benefit increases.

So investment in riding is a net positive and is pennies on the dollar in terms of public spend. This isn't the flex you think it is.

Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the hourly rate for showing someone how to ride a bike in a parking lot is $250 an hour. $250. An hour.

It's not $250 an hour, it's $250 a class. That "one hour" also includes all the time and money it took the instructor to develop the curriculum, transport and set up the bikes, keep current on certifications and professional development, pay for a truck, trailer, and gas, etc. Out of curiosity, if it were a private class run by Big Wheel Bikes or whoever and they charged 25 kids $10 each to take it, would you still be outraged?

Let me guess, you're the kind of person who also believes "teachers get paid a full day but only work from 8-2:30!"

Nice try. The WABA guy is compensated for all that time. Which works out to $250/ hr for all the time he spends transferring the bikes, thinking about curriculum, set up, etc.

It’s not a $250 one-time check. It’s a larger, total sum for services rendered. kind of like the billing done by a lawyer. Which not coincidentally, several are/have been.

And it’s outrageous

WABA is one tentacle in the DC nonprofit industrial complex that provides votes to incumbent Democrats and aspiring ANC commissioners in return for our tax dollars. Cut it.

Next is the homelessness industrial complex. DC spends $538 million annually to provide services to about 5,000 individuals. That's $107,000. Those people are definitely not receiving $107,000 in services.

It's time to eliminate all these middle men when handling homeless outreach and services.

who are these middlemen?

I mean, the non-profits that I am aware of that receive city funds are the ones providing the services

Yep. They need to go. DC can do their own work instead of farming responsibility to a nonprofit and ignoring any oversight of those same organizations.

https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237098123

SOME are eating pretty well.

What makes you think government employees can do it more effectively or efficiently?

The same reason they I believe private prisons are a cash grab, i.e., cream skimming. Private corporations, nonprofit or otherwise, focus on treating the easy cases and ignore the difficult, expensive cases.

Sorry, no. equating GEO Group with SoOthersMightEat is a fools game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The individuals teaching the “learn to ride a bike class” offered by DC make $250 an HOUR. I am friends with one.

It will surprise no one that this $250 an hour teacher is an activist with WABA

Most of WABA's annual budget comes from the DC government. If they had to live off contributions from real people, they would have closed a long time ago. The government is basically paying WABA to lobby the government.

That budget is for services provided under contract, like the one mentioned above where kids, seniors and other members of the public are offered free classes where they are taught to ride bikes and ride safely in our streets. Promoting a healthy lifestyle and cheap transportation benefits society as a whole, and this is very well documented. The more people ride bikes, the lower are macro health and mental health costs are, the less public space allocated to parking is needed and the overall societal benefit increases.

So investment in riding is a net positive and is pennies on the dollar in terms of public spend. This isn't the flex you think it is.

Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the hourly rate for showing someone how to ride a bike in a parking lot is $250 an hour. $250. An hour.

It's not $250 an hour, it's $250 a class. That "one hour" also includes all the time and money it took the instructor to develop the curriculum, transport and set up the bikes, keep current on certifications and professional development, pay for a truck, trailer, and gas, etc. Out of curiosity, if it were a private class run by Big Wheel Bikes or whoever and they charged 25 kids $10 each to take it, would you still be outraged?

Let me guess, you're the kind of person who also believes "teachers get paid a full day but only work from 8-2:30!"

Nice try. The WABA guy is compensated for all that time. Which works out to $250/ hr for all the time he spends transferring the bikes, thinking about curriculum, set up, etc.

It’s not a $250 one-time check. It’s a larger, total sum for services rendered. kind of like the billing done by a lawyer. Which not coincidentally, several are/have been.

And it’s outrageous

WABA is one tentacle in the DC nonprofit industrial complex that provides votes to incumbent Democrats and aspiring ANC commissioners in return for our tax dollars. Cut it.

Next is the homelessness industrial complex. DC spends $538 million annually to provide services to about 5,000 individuals. That's $107,000. Those people are definitely not receiving $107,000 in services.

It's time to eliminate all these middle men when handling homeless outreach and services.

who are these middlemen?

I mean, the non-profits that I am aware of that receive city funds are the ones providing the services

Yep. They need to go. DC can do their own work instead of farming responsibility to a nonprofit and ignoring any oversight of those same organizations.

https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237098123

SOME are eating pretty well.

What makes you think government employees can do it more effectively or efficiently?

The same reason they I believe private prisons are a cash grab, i.e., cream skimming. Private corporations, nonprofit or otherwise, focus on treating the easy cases and ignore the difficult, expensive cases.

Sorry, no. equating GEO Group with SoOthersMightEat is a fools game.

Sorry, all private organizations engage in cream skimming. Nonprofits don't get a pass just because "they help people."

[Anonymous]

Sorry, but the books on city grants are open for review, sure there would be admin fees, because there is stuff like insurance, legal, HR, and, you know, admin.

But for the most part, the money going to these non-profits fills the mission of the grant or contract.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but the books on city grants are open for review, sure there would be admin fees, because there is stuff like insurance, legal, HR, and, you know, admin.

But for the most part, the money going to these non-profits fills the mission of the grant or contract.

You have no idea what I am talking about.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure you do, either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has the worst unemployment problem in the country. The number of people who've been out of work for a year plus is appalling. It would be great if our elected leaders could focus on that. They seem incapable of adapting to changed circumstances. Instead they go back to their go-tos, which are raising taxes to finance questionable spending

So many of those unemployed were trained for very specific government jobs that are not transferrable to the private sector. What exactly would you have them do?

What a weird, stupid, condescending question. We have one of the most highly educated workforces in the entire world, and you think people here are incapable of doing anything more than what they used to do? Fortunately it's not up to cretins like yourself and the idiots who run our government to figure out what jobs they can do. They just have to give businesses a reason to set up shop here, and they'll do the rest. We'll see if the business-hating robots who run our government can figure out how not to be complete *ssholes to employers.

The unemployment problem in DC is so, so bad, and yet the mayoral race completely ignores it.

[Anonymous]

McDuffie has spent a lot of time talking about job creation and attracting businesses.

[Anonymous]

Must be the Ozempic talking.

Between that and the gummies Nadeau is a mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McDuffie has spent a lot of time talking about job creation and attracting businesses.

Good for him. Someone should be talking about our appalling unemployment problem.