Can someone explain the "low-numbered license plates" to me?

[Anonymous]

There are sometimes references to people with "low-numbered DC plates" on various threads, suggesting that this means politically connected people. Are those the license plates that DC government officials use? I sometimes see cars with them and am just curious what these plates mean.

[Anonymous]

http://dcplates.com/Mayoral.htm

[Anonymous]

Friends of the Mayor. That's all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://dcplates.com/Mayoral.htm

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://dcplates.com/Mayoral.htm

Thanks!

You’re welcome! I remember wondering about this a few times over the years and my dad muttering that it had something to do with Marion Barry, but some of the people I knew who had these were Republicans, so it clearly wasn’t just friends of the mayor. Glad you asked and I finally looked it up.
- native

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Friends of the Mayor. That's all.

I would use the word 'cronies.' Oleaginous hangers-on who like to pretend that they're important. Several of the out-of-boundary families at our NW elementary school sport these low-numbered plates. Of course, their kids got in through the lottery like everyone else.

[Anonymous]

1 and 2 in most states are the governor then the Lt. Governor but sometimes the state senators have snapped them up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://dcplates.com/Mayoral.htm

Thanks!

You’re welcome! I remember wondering about this a few times over the years and my dad muttering that it had something to do with Marion Barry, but some of the people I knew who had these were Republicans, so it clearly wasn’t just friends of the mayor. Glad you asked and I finally looked it up.
- native

The mayor couldn't have friends who were Republicans?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://dcplates.com/Mayoral.htm

Thanks!

You’re welcome! I remember wondering about this a few times over the years and my dad muttering that it had something to do with Marion Barry, but some of the people I knew who had these were Republicans, so it clearly wasn’t just friends of the mayor. Glad you asked and I finally looked it up.
- native

The mayor couldn't have friends who were Republicans?

My recollection is that roughly the first 1600 numbers are given out by the mayor and council members. I think each council member gets about 100 and the mayor gets about 300. Until Democrats figured out how to run as Independents there were always two Republican council members, congressional Republicans put it into the Home Rule Charter as a minority set-aside of sorts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://dcplates.com/Mayoral.htm

Thanks!

You’re welcome! I remember wondering about this a few times over the years and my dad muttering that it had something to do with Marion Barry, but some of the people I knew who had these were Republicans, so it clearly wasn’t just friends of the mayor. Glad you asked and I finally looked it up.
- native

The mayor couldn't have friends who were Republicans?

My recollection is that roughly the first 1600 numbers are given out by the mayor and council members. I think each council member gets about 100 and the mayor gets about 300. Until Democrats figured out how to run as Independents there were always two Republican council members, congressional Republicans put it into the Home Rule Charter as a minority set-aside of sorts.

What tree did you fall out of? They've always been friends of the Mayor. It used to be a much bigger deal. Now, no one really cares except the people who have them. I've never been interested b/c I don't want people to know who I am friends with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Friends of the Mayor. That's all.

I would use the word 'cronies.' Oleaginous hangers-on who like to pretend that they're important. Several of the out-of-boundary families at our NW elementary school sport these low-numbered plates. Of course, their kids got in through the lottery like everyone else.

This. When I see OOB parents with low-numbered plates dropping off their kids when it's very hard to get a lottery spot at our school, I figure that their political connections get them more than license plates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://dcplates.com/Mayoral.htm

Thanks!

You’re welcome! I remember wondering about this a few times over the years and my dad muttering that it had something to do with Marion Barry, but some of the people I knew who had these were Republicans, so it clearly wasn’t just friends of the mayor. Glad you asked and I finally looked it up.
- native

The mayor couldn't have friends who were Republicans?

My recollection is that roughly the first 1600 numbers are given out by the mayor and council members. I think each council member gets about 100 and the mayor gets about 300. Until Democrats figured out how to run as Independents there were always two Republican council members, congressional Republicans put it into the Home Rule Charter as a minority set-aside of sorts.

What tree did you fall out of? They've always been friends of the Mayor. It used to be a much bigger deal. Now, no one really cares except the people who have them. I've never been interested b/c I don't want people to know who I am friends with.

Councilmembers can definitely dole out low number plates. The first thing I wonder when I see one is who their patron is.

[Anonymous]

Like a known slum lord who drives a low-numbered Range Rover, courtesy of Mary Cheh. Yucky.