Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Times have changed - People aren't shopping retail, it's all online. Post covid, eating out at lunch isn't as much of a thing. I live in Virginia and we have amazing restaurants here, so i almost never go to dc, and it's not because of the crime.

DC reminds me of the Yogi Berra quote…nobody goes there, it’s too popular.

I am shocked how mobbed downtown is on any weekend.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Times have changed - People aren't shopping retail, it's all online. Post covid, eating out at lunch isn't as much of a thing. I live in Virginia and we have amazing restaurants here, so i almost never go to dc, and it's not because of the crime.

DC reminds me of the Yogi Berra quote…nobody goes there, it’s too popular.

I am shocked how mobbed downtown is on any weekend.

This is just untrue and it’s obviously untrue due to the sheer number of closed store fronts.

The Wharf and is very popular on weekends, but that’s not downtown. And fun

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does RTO for feds appreciably increase DC revenue? WMATA is doing ok. Most federal offices are owned by feds so I don’t think they pay DC taxes. Is it just downtown retail she’s concerned with?

"Just downtown retail"

You get that DC is a major city, right? People spending money in the city on food, entertainment, transportation, and consumer goods is a huge part of the revenue base. It's not like we make our money off of local factories. Yes property taxes play a big role too and federal properties don't pay that. But the trade off is bring thousands of people into the city every single day who will spend money.

RTO doesn't just mean more sandwich shops for lunch and retail in the downtown core dues better. It means boosting restaurants and bars across the city even in the evening as workers who come into the city are more likely to go out in the city after work. This also helps event planners, caterers, and entertainment venues. Yes it helps retail. But the bigger point is that it provides a population of consumers in the city 5 days a week and gives the city lots of opportunities to capture their interest and money. Someone working 9-5 in the city is more likely to head to a Nats game after work, plus grab dinner and drinks in Navy Yard and maybe stop in the team store and buy a cap. With WFH that worker might decide the commute into the city isn't worth it, watch the game in TV, order take out from a nearby restaurant in VA, and order that cap online-- DC gets nothing.

Federal RTO would be a huge boon to DC's economy and accelerate the existing shift towards RTO for law, consulting, and lobbying firms as well as other white collar jobs that bring plenty of consumer dollars with them.

meh. show me some actual dollar amounts here about how federal RTO somehow turns around DC’s economy. I know I’m not paying $25/day for lunch in L’Enfant Plaza if they force me back 5 days/week.

DC’s revenue issues are not due to telework. They are due to DC policies that make it unattractive & unaffordable for businesses and families to move to or stay in DC. Burdensome zoning and building codes that raise housing costs. The continuous erosion of MS and HS programs in DCPS appropriate for college-bound kids and the DC policy commitment to apparently tank the existing well-functioning schools in the name of (fake) equity. Business licenses that are impossible to obtain. All that stuff. Fed schmoes schlepping 5 days/week to their dark and brutalist GSA office isn’t going to achieve any of that.

The reason Bowser is concerned about retail is not because of sales tax revenue, it’s because commercial real estate taxes are determined as a function of revenue. Every CRE owner in the city is getting their taxes cut through reappraisals based on lower revenue. That lower revenue means lower real estate taxes levied which means that, god forbid, DC may actually have to cut spending.

How does that relate to forcing federal workers back? I worked in Lenfant for 5 years and I can count on one hand the number of times I left the building to buy lunch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does RTO for feds appreciably increase DC revenue? WMATA is doing ok. Most federal offices are owned by feds so I don’t think they pay DC taxes. Is it just downtown retail she’s concerned with?

"Just downtown retail"

You get that DC is a major city, right? People spending money in the city on food, entertainment, transportation, and consumer goods is a huge part of the revenue base. It's not like we make our money off of local factories. Yes property taxes play a big role too and federal properties don't pay that. But the trade off is bring thousands of people into the city every single day who will spend money.

RTO doesn't just mean more sandwich shops for lunch and retail in the downtown core dues better. It means boosting restaurants and bars across the city even in the evening as workers who come into the city are more likely to go out in the city after work. This also helps event planners, caterers, and entertainment venues. Yes it helps retail. But the bigger point is that it provides a population of consumers in the city 5 days a week and gives the city lots of opportunities to capture their interest and money. Someone working 9-5 in the city is more likely to head to a Nats game after work, plus grab dinner and drinks in Navy Yard and maybe stop in the team store and buy a cap. With WFH that worker might decide the commute into the city isn't worth it, watch the game in TV, order take out from a nearby restaurant in VA, and order that cap online-- DC gets nothing.

Federal RTO would be a huge boon to DC's economy and accelerate the existing shift towards RTO for law, consulting, and lobbying firms as well as other white collar jobs that bring plenty of consumer dollars with them.

meh. show me some actual dollar amounts here about how federal RTO somehow turns around DC’s economy. I know I’m not paying $25/day for lunch in L’Enfant Plaza if they force me back 5 days/week.

DC’s revenue issues are not due to telework. They are due to DC policies that make it unattractive & unaffordable for businesses and families to move to or stay in DC. Burdensome zoning and building codes that raise housing costs. The continuous erosion of MS and HS programs in DCPS appropriate for college-bound kids and the DC policy commitment to apparently tank the existing well-functioning schools in the name of (fake) equity. Business licenses that are impossible to obtain. All that stuff. Fed schmoes schlepping 5 days/week to their dark and brutalist GSA office isn’t going to achieve any of that.

The reason Bowser is concerned about retail is not because of sales tax revenue, it’s because commercial real estate taxes are determined as a function of revenue. Every CRE owner in the city is getting their taxes cut through reappraisals based on lower revenue. That lower revenue means lower real estate taxes levied which means that, god forbid, DC may actually have to cut spending.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Times have changed - People aren't shopping retail, it's all online. Post covid, eating out at lunch isn't as much of a thing. I live in Virginia and we have amazing restaurants here, so i almost never go to dc, and it's not because of the crime.

DC reminds me of the Yogi Berra quote…nobody goes there, it’s too popular.

I am shocked how mobbed downtown is on any weekend.

Anonymous wrote:Times have changed - People aren't shopping retail, it's all online. Post covid, eating out at lunch isn't as much of a thing. I live in Virginia and we have amazing restaurants here, so i almost never go to dc, and it's not because of the crime.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does RTO for feds appreciably increase DC revenue? WMATA is doing ok. Most federal offices are owned by feds so I don’t think they pay DC taxes. Is it just downtown retail she’s concerned with?

"Just downtown retail"

You get that DC is a major city, right? People spending money in the city on food, entertainment, transportation, and consumer goods is a huge part of the revenue base. It's not like we make our money off of local factories. Yes property taxes play a big role too and federal properties don't pay that. But the trade off is bring thousands of people into the city every single day who will spend money.

RTO doesn't just mean more sandwich shops for lunch and retail in the downtown core dues better. It means boosting restaurants and bars across the city even in the evening as workers who come into the city are more likely to go out in the city after work. This also helps event planners, caterers, and entertainment venues. Yes it helps retail. But the bigger point is that it provides a population of consumers in the city 5 days a week and gives the city lots of opportunities to capture their interest and money. Someone working 9-5 in the city is more likely to head to a Nats game after work, plus grab dinner and drinks in Navy Yard and maybe stop in the team store and buy a cap. With WFH that worker might decide the commute into the city isn't worth it, watch the game in TV, order take out from a nearby restaurant in VA, and order that cap online-- DC gets nothing.

Federal RTO would be a huge boon to DC's economy and accelerate the existing shift towards RTO for law, consulting, and lobbying firms as well as other white collar jobs that bring plenty of consumer dollars with them.

meh. show me some actual dollar amounts here about how federal RTO somehow turns around DC’s economy. I know I’m not paying $25/day for lunch in L’Enfant Plaza if they force me back 5 days/week.

DC’s revenue issues are not due to telework. They are due to DC policies that make it unattractive & unaffordable for businesses and families to move to or stay in DC. Burdensome zoning and building codes that raise housing costs. The continuous erosion of MS and HS programs in DCPS appropriate for college-bound kids and the DC policy commitment to apparently tank the existing well-functioning schools in the name of (fake) equity. Business licenses that are impossible to obtain. All that stuff. Fed schmoes schlepping 5 days/week to their dark and brutalist GSA office isn’t going to achieve any of that.

Anonymous wrote:I would want Trump to pleasantly surprise DC by improving its livability which clearly dems can't do.

Anonymous wrote:They won’t find 100k new loyalists.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does RTO for feds appreciably increase DC revenue? WMATA is doing ok. Most federal offices are owned by feds so I don’t think they pay DC taxes. Is it just downtown retail she’s concerned with?

"Just downtown retail"

You get that DC is a major city, right? People spending money in the city on food, entertainment, transportation, and consumer goods is a huge part of the revenue base. It's not like we make our money off of local factories. Yes property taxes play a big role too and federal properties don't pay that. But the trade off is bring thousands of people into the city every single day who will spend money.

RTO doesn't just mean more sandwich shops for lunch and retail in the downtown core dues better. It means boosting restaurants and bars across the city even in the evening as workers who come into the city are more likely to go out in the city after work. This also helps event planners, caterers, and entertainment venues. Yes it helps retail. But the bigger point is that it provides a population of consumers in the city 5 days a week and gives the city lots of opportunities to capture their interest and money. Someone working 9-5 in the city is more likely to head to a Nats game after work, plus grab dinner and drinks in Navy Yard and maybe stop in the team store and buy a cap. With WFH that worker might decide the commute into the city isn't worth it, watch the game in TV, order take out from a nearby restaurant in VA, and order that cap online-- DC gets nothing.

Federal RTO would be a huge boon to DC's economy and accelerate the existing shift towards RTO for law, consulting, and lobbying firms as well as other white collar jobs that bring plenty of consumer dollars with them.

meh. show me some actual dollar amounts here about how federal RTO somehow turns around DC’s economy. I know I’m not paying $25/day for lunch in L’Enfant Plaza if they force me back 5 days/week.

DC’s revenue issues are not due to telework. They are due to DC policies that make it unattractive & unaffordable for businesses and families to move to or stay in DC. Burdensome zoning and building codes that raise housing costs. The continuous erosion of MS and HS programs in DCPS appropriate for college-bound kids and the DC policy commitment to apparently tank the existing well-functioning schools in the name of (fake) equity. Business licenses that are impossible to obtain. All that stuff. Fed schmoes schlepping 5 days/week to their dark and brutalist GSA office isn’t going to achieve any of that.

Oh also forgot to add - high crime that deters people from coming to DC for night time entertainment. I live in DC and often decide to stay in because I don’t want to be walking hom from the metro too late. So I stay in and my entertainment $$ go to Netflix.

Depending on what neighborhood you live in, you should see someone about that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does RTO for feds appreciably increase DC revenue? WMATA is doing ok. Most federal offices are owned by feds so I don’t think they pay DC taxes. Is it just downtown retail she’s concerned with?

"Just downtown retail"

You get that DC is a major city, right? People spending money in the city on food, entertainment, transportation, and consumer goods is a huge part of the revenue base. It's not like we make our money off of local factories. Yes property taxes play a big role too and federal properties don't pay that. But the trade off is bring thousands of people into the city every single day who will spend money.

RTO doesn't just mean more sandwich shops for lunch and retail in the downtown core dues better. It means boosting restaurants and bars across the city even in the evening as workers who come into the city are more likely to go out in the city after work. This also helps event planners, caterers, and entertainment venues. Yes it helps retail. But the bigger point is that it provides a population of consumers in the city 5 days a week and gives the city lots of opportunities to capture their interest and money. Someone working 9-5 in the city is more likely to head to a Nats game after work, plus grab dinner and drinks in Navy Yard and maybe stop in the team store and buy a cap. With WFH that worker might decide the commute into the city isn't worth it, watch the game in TV, order take out from a nearby restaurant in VA, and order that cap online-- DC gets nothing.

Federal RTO would be a huge boon to DC's economy and accelerate the existing shift towards RTO for law, consulting, and lobbying firms as well as other white collar jobs that bring plenty of consumer dollars with them.

meh. show me some actual dollar amounts here about how federal RTO somehow turns around DC’s economy. I know I’m not paying $25/day for lunch in L’Enfant Plaza if they force me back 5 days/week.

DC’s revenue issues are not due to telework. They are due to DC policies that make it unattractive & unaffordable for businesses and families to move to or stay in DC. Burdensome zoning and building codes that raise housing costs. The continuous erosion of MS and HS programs in DCPS appropriate for college-bound kids and the DC policy commitment to apparently tank the existing well-functioning schools in the name of (fake) equity. Business licenses that are impossible to obtain. All that stuff. Fed schmoes schlepping 5 days/week to their dark and brutalist GSA office isn’t going to achieve any of that.

Oh also forgot to add - high crime that deters people from coming to DC for night time entertainment. I live in DC and often decide to stay in because I don’t want to be walking hom from the metro too late. So I stay in and my entertainment $$ go to Netflix.