Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what is the DC council going to do about this disgrace? Doesn't somebody have to provide answers or at least a plan?

The DC Council isn't really at fault, because they were not consulted at all, as this article concerning the audit makes clear:

http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/thedish/audit-details-cost-overruns-ellington

If the DC agencies responsible for this boondoggle were not REQUIRED to consult the DC Council for approval, well one thing the Council could do is pass legislation requiring oversight in the future. Oversight should not be "optional." If the agencies WERE required to consult, but chose not to, then that would have to be justification for hearings at the Council, and possibly firings and criminal actions taken.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what is the DC council going to do about this disgrace? Doesn't somebody have to provide answers or at least a plan?

The DC Council isn't really at fault, because they were not consulted at all, as this article concerning the audit makes clear:

http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/thedish/audit-details-cost-overruns-ellington

If the DC agencies responsible for this boondoggle were not REQUIRED to consult the DC Council for approval, well one thing the Council could do is pass legislation requiring oversight in the future. Oversight should not be "optional." If the agencies WERE required to consult, but chose not to, then that would have to be justification for hearings at the Council, and possibly firings and criminal actions taken.

Anonymous wrote:So what is the DC council going to do about this disgrace? Doesn't somebody have to provide answers or at least a plan?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, the outrage is plain and real.

But let's focus on "now what?" How do we as residents:

1) Get the school built with a reduced budget?
2) Hold those accountable accountable?

What actual, tangible steps can we take?

We can't do anything as citizens other than vote out the councilmembers that passed this. And the mayor too.
Grosso should have put a hold on the entire boondoggle. Just cut it out. But instead, he's in favor of a shrine to the arts.

Anonymous wrote:So what is the DC council going to do about this disgrace? Doesn't somebody have to provide answers or at least a plan?

Anonymous wrote:Ok, the outrage is plain and real.

But let's focus on "now what?" How do we as residents:

1) Get the school built with a reduced budget?
2) Hold those accountable accountable?

What actual, tangible steps can we take?

Anonymous wrote:

Thank you, had no idea. She should have opened a charter school, not suck DCPS resources. But, yes, I get the point about political influence. This is the kind of deal that Trump would be proud of...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, the outrage is plain and real.

But let's focus on "now what?" How do we as residents:

1) Get the school built with a reduced budget?
2) Hold those accountable accountable?

What actual, tangible steps can we take?

I think you would have to consult a law firm with public sector construction experience. There must be some way to threaten the contractors with halting the work in exchange for a price certain. Or, just let the money keep bleeding until it is done, and push for reforms from the DC Council to prevent this from ever happening again, which would be far-fetched because this the same government that keeps burning tax dollars, year after year, project after project. The city is simply incapable of managing all of its finances.

Anonymous wrote:Ok, the outrage is plain and real.

But let's focus on "now what?" How do we as residents:

1) Get the school built with a reduced budget?
2) Hold those accountable accountable?

What actual, tangible steps can we take?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So basically DC taxpayers are paying through the nose to build a Taj Mahal in a non-central location, with sub-par academics for a lot of Maryland students -- and with limited transparency and zero governance accountability?! This is so messed up on so many levels.

beautifully succinct.

I'll add 3 irrebuttable words:

1. Peggy
2. cooper
3. cafritz

Who's that lady?

Google her. She is a black woman with an activist past who married an extremely wealthy guy named cafritz, scion of a local real estate dynasty. Together they did a lot of philanthropy which she continued after his death. DE is her baby, she started it as a non profit in her activist days in a temporary space, similar to Sitar if you're familiar. It grew and at some point she somehow convinced DC to take it on and incorporate it into DCPS.

Spend some time on google, it's quite a story. When people in this thread are talking about political influence (for good or ill), she would be the main focus of attention.

Anonymous wrote:To put this discussion in perspective: the DC Council increased (for example) public parking rates across the City (to $2.30 an hour) in order to generate an extra $2 million in revenue, which will assist the WMATA/METRO repairs. In comparison, this Ellington school is 100 million over-budget, and counting. How much of that $100 million could have helped rescue WMATA, which is literally killing people with accidents? THE DC government is doing whatever it can to scrounge up a couple of extra mill to pay for public works, while Ellington is a money pit. Honestly, the waste, fraud, and abuse with respect to Ellington's "oversight" boggles the mind. What the hell is going on with our government?