why did Muriel cut DCPS funding?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At any rate, let's not stop talking about how Bowser cut the funding drastically in the wards that didn't vote for her and increased/accelerated projects in the Wards that did.

It's called backing the winning race horse. What she did is no different from all politicians. Had Catania won, he too would have rewarded his base supporters. Politics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At any rate, let's not stop talking about how Bowser cut the funding drastically in the wards that didn't vote for her and increased/accelerated projects in the Wards that did.

It's called backing the winning race horse. What she did is no different from all politicians. Had Catania won, he too would have rewarded his base supporters. Politics.

We don't have to let the Mayor and Deputy Mayor off the hook that easily. Bring in the Chairman, AG, and one or two members of the Council who care about retaining the tax base and we will have something to work with. Toss in the Federal City Council and the Economic Club types who don't live in the burbs and maybe Katherine Bradley, CityBridge, Walton, The Carlyle Group, and others will help out too instead of 1) cheerleading and backroom tweaking plans for DCPS that will fail or 2) allowing the Mayor to talk about how she is fixing potholes or protecting our sovereignty on the pot issue.

The Mayor is getting a free pass from all of the above so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they needed this. This will keep seniors in their homes for longer. As anyone who has tried to buy a house recently knows, inventory is really low. Now seniors will try to stay in their too-large homes, while school budgets are cut and families struggle.

I say to repeal this deduction!

PP was probably joking but he or she shouldn't have been. "Seniors" get goodies because they vote, not because it makes economic sense. We should give tax breaks to residents who start new businesses, not the wealthiest age group in town.

The Mayor has always been clear in her support for our seniors. They have been an important part of her base in Ward 4 and beyond. I don't think we sharpen or further our argument by going after that tax break to fund schools. Let's find something else in the budget (and I don't suggest the streetcar that Ward 6 "neighborhood schools" people see as OK to positive).

The "neighborhood schools" people in high-performing areas of Ward 3, 6 and 2 will have to lead the discussion here. For the most part they don't use, like or understand charter schools but if we link up for both DCPS and high-performing charter schools perhaps the Mayor and her largely silent and unseen Deputy Mayor for Education (former charter leader Jenny Niles) will listen.

Chairman Mendelson and new AG Karl Racine are the other two most important people on the education issue and could be viable Mayoral candidates if they step up where the Mayor and DME do not.

You are mistaken about one thing -- the ward 6 folks DO use, like and understand charter schools (see Latin, BASIS, Two Rivers), due to our screwed-up middle school and high school situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they needed this. This will keep seniors in their homes for longer. As anyone who has tried to buy a house recently knows, inventory is really low. Now seniors will try to stay in their too-large homes, while school budgets are cut and families struggle.

I say to repeal this deduction!

PP was probably joking but he or she shouldn't have been. "Seniors" get goodies because they vote, not because it makes economic sense. We should give tax breaks to residents who start new businesses, not the wealthiest age group in town.

The Mayor has always been clear in her support for our seniors. They have been an important part of her base in Ward 4 and beyond. I don't think we sharpen or further our argument by going after that tax break to fund schools. Let's find something else in the budget (and I don't suggest the streetcar that Ward 6 "neighborhood schools" people see as OK to positive).

The "neighborhood schools" people in high-performing areas of Ward 3, 6 and 2 will have to lead the discussion here. For the most part they don't use, like or understand charter schools but if we link up for both DCPS and high-performing charter schools perhaps the Mayor and her largely silent and unseen Deputy Mayor for Education (former charter leader Jenny Niles) will listen.

Chairman Mendelson and new AG Karl Racine are the other two most important people on the education issue and could be viable Mayoral candidates if they step up where the Mayor and DME do not.

You are mistaken about one thing -- the ward 6 folks DO use, like and understand charter schools (see Latin, BASIS, Two Rivers), due to our screwed-up middle school and high school situation.

I was overly broad in what I said about Ward 6. Sorry about that. It's the group around Tommy and Charles Allen who are annoyed by good charters in other Wards. I get it but I don't get it if it's education we care want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tax cuts for seniors?
http://otr.cfo.dc.gov/page/homesteadsenior-citizen-deduction

This has been around for decades. It was in place when we bought our first house in 1996 from a senior citizen, for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they needed this. This will keep seniors in their homes for longer. As anyone who has tried to buy a house recently knows, inventory is really low. Now seniors will try to stay in their too-large homes, while school budgets are cut and families struggle.

I say to repeal this deduction!

Word just can not express the disgust I feel for you right now

I work as an urban planner and trying to keep one senior in a 3k sq ft house is actually horrible Plannin and use of resources. Family sized housing is critically short supply in DC. One person living In two rooms of a row house is wasteful. It's a normal cycle of housing we learned in first semester Housing Policy. DC should incentive shared senior housing (golden girls) or more high rise apartments that cater to seniors. No I don't hate old people but most folks I meet who are obsessed with "aging in place" are nutty and have no idea how cycles of housing should work to maintain appropriate levels of supply and demand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they needed this. This will keep seniors in their homes for longer. As anyone who has tried to buy a house recently knows, inventory is really low. Now seniors will try to stay in their too-large homes, while school budgets are cut and families struggle.

I say to repeal this deduction!

Word just can not express the disgust I feel for you right now

I work as an urban planner and trying to keep one senior in a 3k sq ft house is actually horrible Plannin and use of resources. Family sized housing is critically short supply in DC. One person living In two rooms of a row house is wasteful. It's a normal cycle of housing we learned in first semester Housing Policy. DC should incentive shared senior housing (golden girls) or more high rise apartments that cater to seniors. No I don't hate old people but most folks I meet who are obsessed with "aging in place" are nutty and have no idea how cycles of housing should work to maintain appropriate levels of supply and demand.

Thank you.

Old people don't need a tax break which keeps them in giant houses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they needed this. This will keep seniors in their homes for longer. As anyone who has tried to buy a house recently knows, inventory is really low. Now seniors will try to stay in their too-large homes, while school budgets are cut and families struggle.

I say to repeal this deduction!

Word just can not express the disgust I feel for you right now

I work as an urban planner and trying to keep one senior in a 3k sq ft house is actually horrible Plannin and use of resources. Family sized housing is critically short supply in DC. One person living In two rooms of a row house is wasteful. It's a normal cycle of housing we learned in first semester Housing Policy. DC should incentive shared senior housing (golden girls) or more high rise apartments that cater to seniors. No I don't hate old people but most folks I meet who are obsessed with "aging in place" are nutty and have no idea how cycles of housing should work to maintain appropriate levels of supply and demand.

+1

I live in a five bedroom house, which makes sense on some levels b/c we have four kids. But thirty years from now when there are just two of here, why should the city subsidize (encourage) us to live in a too big house? They should subsidize (encourage) us to move into an apartment or condo so that another family can live in our house or at least on this lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why they needed this. This will keep seniors in their homes for longer. As anyone who has tried to buy a house recently knows, inventory is really low. Now seniors will try to stay in their too-large homes, while school budgets are cut and families struggle.

I say to repeal this deduction!

Word just can not express the disgust I feel for you right now

I work as an urban planner and trying to keep one senior in a 3k sq ft house is actually horrible Plannin and use of resources. Family sized housing is critically short supply in DC. One person living In two rooms of a row house is wasteful. It's a normal cycle of housing we learned in first semester Housing Policy. DC should incentive shared senior housing (golden girls) or more high rise apartments that cater to seniors. No I don't hate old people but most folks I meet who are obsessed with "aging in place" are nutty and have no idea how cycles of housing should work to maintain appropriate levels of supply and demand.

+1

I live in a five bedroom house, which makes sense on some levels b/c we have four kids. But thirty years from now when there are just two of here, why should the city subsidize (encourage) us to live in a too big house? They should subsidize (encourage) us to move into an apartment or condo so that another family can live in our house or at least on this lot.

And, not only that, but why should the city coffers suffer if you decide to stay, by losing the revenue from your house's property taxes?

[Anonymous]

TOTALLY AGREE!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tax cuts for seniors?
http://otr.cfo.dc.gov/page/homesteadsenior-citizen-deduction

This has been around for decades. It was in place when we bought our first house in 1996 from a senior citizen, for example.

Just because it has been around for decades doesn't make it right. There is a shortage of houses in DC at present, and it makes no sense to encourage older folks to stay in their homes. My neighbors and I live in identical four bedroom houses. I have three kids, and they have a cat. Just about every other month an ambulance comes to help them as they frequently fall down the steep and narrow steps. I don't know what they're doing with the extra three bedrooms and finished basement. In contrast, my best friend is squeezing in a 2 bedroom condo with 4 kids because she keeps losing out in bidding wars over homes.

My neighbors paid off their house years ago and are stuck inside all winter because they're afraid of falling on the steps outside their house. they would be better off moving to a condo, but won't move because their housing taxes will go up. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

^^ I meant squeezing in a 2 bedroom condo with 2 kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tax cuts for seniors?
http://otr.cfo.dc.gov/page/homesteadsenior-citizen-deduction

This has been around for decades. It was in place when we bought our first house in 1996 from a senior citizen, for example.

Just because it has been around for decades doesn't make it right. There is a shortage of houses in DC at present, and it makes no sense to encourage older folks to stay in their homes. My neighbors and I live in identical four bedroom houses. I have three kids, and they have a cat. Just about every other month an ambulance comes to help them as they frequently fall down the steep and narrow steps. I don't know what they're doing with the extra three bedrooms and finished basement. In contrast, my best friend is squeezing in a 2 bedroom condo with 4 kids because she keeps losing out in bidding wars over homes.

My neighbors paid off their house years ago and are stuck inside all winter because they're afraid of falling on the steps outside their house. they would be better off moving to a condo, but won't move because their housing taxes will go up. Ridiculous.

Did they tell you that they are not moving because their taxes would go up? Maybe they are not moving because it is the home where they raised their children. It is the home that their children come home to. Maybe if they sold their house they would not be able to buy something else. You really have no idea and your wants do not trump their rights. I doubt itheir desire to remain in the family home has little to do with the loss of a homestead and senior tax exemption. They would receive the same credits if they purchased a condo in the city.

BTW, since you are so concerned about tax breaks, have you told the city to remove your homestead exemption because you are concerned that home owners need not have this break. After all, why should the city lose out on this tax revenue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tax cuts for seniors?
http://otr.cfo.dc.gov/page/homesteadsenior-citizen-deduction

This has been around for decades. It was in place when we bought our first house in 1996 from a senior citizen, for example.

Just because it has been around for decades doesn't make it right. There is a shortage of houses in DC at present, and it makes no sense to encourage older folks to stay in their homes. My neighbors and I live in identical four bedroom houses. I have three kids, and they have a cat. Just about every other month an ambulance comes to help them as they frequently fall down the steep and narrow steps. I don't know what they're doing with the extra three bedrooms and finished basement. In contrast, my best friend is squeezing in a 2 bedroom condo with 4 kids because she keeps losing out in bidding wars over homes.

My neighbors paid off their house years ago and are stuck inside all winter because they're afraid of falling on the steps outside their house. they would be better off moving to a condo, but won't move because their housing taxes will go up. Ridiculous.

And there are homes in DC for sale. They might not be in the neighborhoods you want to live, but there are homes for sale.

[Anonymous]

Wow. I grew up here and my senior parents still live in my childhood home. It never occurred to me that their neighbors hate them and want to segregate them into senior living facilities.

I'm sure they probably will move eventually, but it's not going to turn back the clock to when their house would have been affordable to the vast majority of families. And they love their neighborhood. They're not moving up to Leisure World or down to Florida. So where are they supposed to go?

How much does the deduction cost the city, anyway?