Comments on: Another D.C. surplus? How about tax relief?

By: Jon Larimore

Jon Larimore — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 04:18:20 +0000

D.C.'s public schools are its single greatest embarrassment known nationwide. Why are they not the highest priority item on this surplus wish list? Let's compare D.C. schools with Kenmore Middle School here in Arlington. How many of them feature electronic whiteboards in each classroom connected to the Internet? How many use essentially paperless tests and homework submitted by each student's laptop or tablet (loaned by the school to students who can't afford them)? How many teach music? Art? Drama? How many nurses in each school? How many Teacher's Aides? How many classes with less than 25 students? Even more basic … how many schools have inadequate air conditioning or often none at all? If Hizzoner really wants to improve his city's business environment, there's certainly no better place to invest these funds than in making his public schools attractive magnets for prospective business people with families.

By: Dave Edmondson

Dave Edmondson — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 01:54:38 +0000

So the District is booming right now (in what is likely a bubble inflated by unsustainable federal spending). Does that mean that there is no room for improvement? Of course it doesn't. One might as well argue that because business is booming and so many people are moving into DC, despite the state of the public schools, clearly the state of the public schools isn't an issue to them, so let's not worry about it.

By: peter rosenstein

peter rosenstein — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:40:52 +0000

Some people are continually asking for tax relief as if the public is clamoring for it and they aren’t. Business is booming in DC, over 1,100 people a month are moving in to the City. Clearly the tax rate isn’t an issue to them. There are much more important things to do with the money than lower taxes. The $100 million for affordble housing is a great start as well as the $15 million fund for non-profit grants. Time to stop constantly calling for tax relief everytime government runs efficiently.