| JANUARY, 2004 | FINANCIAL/OTHER | |
|---|
| 103 | Nakamura | Estimated Loss Under Tax Cap Plan Rises Higher--DC home values cited; up homestead deduction instead? |
| 110 | Nakamura | US Government Agrees to Pay DC Tax for 911 Calls--$.76 per phone/mos (not calls) hope to get $2M+ |
| 114 | Cnclmbr Evans ltr | City Council Needs to Address Surging Taxes--gotta cap property tax growth, asdd to homestead deduction |
| 122 | Nakamura | DC Approves Real Estate Tax Relief--cap on annual increase set at 12%, plus $38K homestead deduxn |
| 122 | Editor | Mortgaging Maryland--Governor Erlich's flimsy budget looks OK based on gambling, but not really honest |
| 129 | Staff | City Balances Books for 7th Straight Year--$32M surplus, going for another one as revenues rise |
| 130 | Editor | The Property Tax Tilt--real estate boom in VA raises revenues unevenly for counties, cities |
| MARCH, 2004 | FINANCIAL/OTHER | |
|---|
| 302 | Wiggins | Cnty Exec Johnson Wants Pr. George's Cut from Slots Bill--doesn't want to be gambling mecca of metro area |
| 312 | Leonnig | DC Commuter Tax Case Thrown Out--fed judge agrees law 'obviously, regrettably unfair' but up to Congress |
| 314 | Editor | Lawful but Still Unfair--failure to tax commuters drains $500M-$1.4B from city's treasury with giant structural deficit |
| 321 | Editor | Mr. Duncan's Budget (Montgomery Cnty)--free-spending days gone, belt-tightening good |
| 324 | Hsu | Mayor's DC Budget Would Boost Taxes to Meet Social Services Costs--fees, fines, user taxes to rise |
| 330 | Hsu | Mayor's Budget Draws Few Attacks--use of affordable housing trust fund worries some Council members |
| MAY, 2004 | FINANCIAL/OTHER |
|---|
| 505 | Rivlin/Smith | Fair Plan for DC's Deficit--get Congress to provide $800M, indexed only to improve infrasturx, lower debt |
| 505 | Hsu | Bipartisan Support for Federal Payment to DC--MD/VA reps co-sponsor bill w/EH Norton, DeWine hearings? |
| 505 | Sherwood | Commuter Tax Alternative--Congress might give DC up to $800M/yr for infrastructure: anything would help! |
| 511 | Editor | No Slots for DC--Bd of Elex/Ethics to hear referendum for slots on NY Ave--say no to more social problems |
| 514 | Editor | DC Budgeting Backfire--needed $60M cut comes out of nowhere--public excluded from negotiating process |
| 514 | Staff | Counties Disagree Over WSSC Budget--Montgomery, Pr. George's bicker over providing new local service |
| 515 | Montgomery | Council Sends Budget to Mayor with Strings Attached--OKs $4.16B, but withholds some for proof of need |
| 518 | Editor | The Region Responds--first time since home rule, Dems and Reps, VA and MD reps agree to DC aid bill...... |
| 518 | Editor (cont) | --asserts that structural imbalance unimpeachable based on GAO study, extra services provided |
| 520 | Barr | Montgomery Cnty Raises Taxes on Energy, Movies--increases more than offset by drop in real estate rate |
| JUNE, 2004 | FINANCIAL/OTHER |
|---|
| 611 | Staff | Slots Proposal Clears Hurdle--city officials agree to publish second DC Register special supplement |
| 612 | Editor | Gambling's 'Crack Cocaine'--DC gov't's approach to video lottery terminals unsavory, shameful |
| 622 | Montgomery | Suite Filed to Halt Slots Bid in DC--opponents attack 'monopoly contract', halt referendum process: too sleazy? |
| 623 | Hsu | Senate Panel Recognizes DC 'Structural Deficit'--DeWine, Landrieu want feds to make city best, secure |
| 625 | Montgomery | Mayor Urges Slowing on Slots--backers want plan on November ballot: 10-yr deal could yield DC $200M p.a. |
| 630 | Nakamura | Added Revenue Will Let DC Restore Tax Cuts--top inc tax rate to go 9.3%>9.0%; title tax 1.5%>1.1% |
| 630 | Kovaleski | DC Slots Proponents Win Ruling--judge allows 5-day drive for 17.5K signatures (@$6 ea.) to put issue on ballot |
| JULY, 2004 | FINANCIAL/OTHER |
|---|
| 630 | Wiener (Curr) | Extra DC Revenue Brings Decision to Cut Taxes--bring income taxes down to 9% frm 9.3%, deed tax to 1.1% |
| 701 | Kovalesji | DC Slots Initiative Loses PR Advisor--firm's president cites discomfort with shady outsider financing |
| 702 | Kovaleski | DC Slots Proponents Launch Petition Blitz--trying to collect 17,600 signatures in 120 hours |
| 703 | Kovaleski | Non-DC Residents Petitioning for Slots--law restricts task to city dwellers: are they faking witnesses? |
| 703 | Editor | Don't Sign the Petition--shady proponents, too few DC revenues,:too many questions re 'social health of city' |
| 706 | Leonnig | DC Slots Backers Like Their Chances--no trouble collecting signatures, but foes cry foul on petitions |
| 708 | Kovaleski | DC Elections Bd Adds Weight to Slots Foes' Concerns--100 paid outside workers helped get 50K signatures |
| 710 | Editor | Mockery of DC Law--scandalous, galling, that paid operatives came to nation's capital to inflate signature count |
| 712 | Staff | Arlington Raises Cigarette Tax from 5 to 20 cents--bring in $1.4M, use to offset property assessment rise |
| 713 | Hsu | Lawmakers Say Congress Won't Allow Slots in DC--inappropriate for nation's capital--get $190M elsewhere! |
| 715 | Hsu | $8B DC Budget Advances in House--Majority Leader keeps bill separate from same-sex marriage amendment |
| 718 | Kovaleski | Widespread Irregularities Seen in DC Slots Petitions--bogus names, addresses and witnesses abound |
| 718 | Perlstein | National Harbor Builder Unfazed by Slots Issue--project to go ahead anyway: not sure they'd go for license |
| 718 | Thompson ltr | Las Vegas professor says 'With Slots, Budget Wins, Economy's a Loser'--$ must come from outside, stay |
| 720 | Montgomery | Elections Board Pushed to Reject Slots Bid--opponents say laws violated re out-of-town circulators |
| 721 | Hsu | House Backs DC Budget with $560M in Fed Aid--$8.2B bill now goes to Senate where no action scheduled |
| 722 | Kovaleski | DC Bd of Ethics/Elections Investigates Slots Drive--testimony to begin on signatures: many circulators missing |
| 722 | Editor | Flouting Laws for Slots--outside interests abuse process, provide affront to all DC residents |
| 724 | Kovaleski | Residents Say Their Names Were Forged--17 slots petitions tossed out over fake signatures |
| 725 | Murphy | Slots Petitioners Say They Acted Properly--opponents say 3 witnesses unlikely to have seen improprieties |
| 727 | Kovaleski | DC Elections Board Rules on Workers--non-DC residents can assist on slots, but with DC circulator nearby |
| 728 | Kovaleski | Slots Workers Can't Be Found--subpoena servers can't locate 45 DC petition circulators for hearings |
| 728 | Nakamura | Slots vs Doyen of Civic Activism--Dorothy Brizill leads opposition in DC as 'super-activist', gov't watchdog |
| 730 | Kovaleski | DC Slots Sponsors Withdraw Petitions--389 of the 3869 petition sheets found unverifiable, faulty |
| 731 | Nakamura | DC Property Tax Relief Inequitable, Study Says--DC FPI finds wealthier wards to benefit more than poorer! |
| AUGUST, 2004 | FINANCIAL/OTHER |
|---|
| 801 | Montgomery | Financing Behind Slots Murky--dealings of slots backers elsewhere raises questions of fraud, etc |
| 803 | Editor | Gambling on DC--oversight rules laid out by proponents would be most lenient in US--draw gamblers |
| 803 | Mosk | Gov Erlich, MD Delegates at Impasse On Slots on Ballots--no closer after talks, special session unlikely |
| 804 | Montgomery | DC Slots Initiative Dealt Blow--Elections Bd rejects well over half of signatures, ballot unlikely to survive |
| 805 | Kovaleski | Backers of Slots in DC Plan Appeal--court will review Bd ruling to strike thousands of signatures |
| 806 | Montgomery | Slots Barred from Ballot--DC calls petition drive flaws 'monumental': appeal is planned |
| 815 | Barras Op Ed | Ripe for Another Rip-Off--DC leaders ought to make sure others places ready for scam artists, mercenaries |
| 817 | Staff | MD's Gov. Erlich Won't Give Voters A Say on Slots--says 'simply not a responsible proposal' |
| 827 | Wagner | Surplus in MD Exceeds Forecasts--$310M extra in ended fiscal year may soften cuts, not continue |
| SEPTEMBER, 2004 | FINANCIAL/OTHER |
|---|
| 905 | Lipscomb | Gentrification Is Not a Dirty Word--can help bring in desired amenities, but gotta satisfy local neighbors |
| 909 | Montgomery | Ruling on DC Slots May Come This Week--Court of Appeals may send case back to BoEE for revisions |
| 914 | Irwin | DC Hotel Workers Vote to Authorize Strike--3800 employees' contract expires 9/15: could impact 7300 rooms |
| 914 | Montgomery | DC Election Board to Clarify Slots Ruling--court thinks panel erred by banning signatures from those deceived |
| 920 | Staff | Slots Backers Say DC Board is Stalling--trying to run out the clock on putting initiative on ballot |
| 922 | Hsu | $8.2 Billion DC Budget Advances in Senate--call for city to aid rising costs of tuition program fails: $21.2M OK'd |
| 929 | Montgomery | Slots Campaign in DC Crumbles--DC Court of Appeals Panel rules Election Bd did no wrong: issue dead |
