Welcome to Assorted Links, a collection of interesting media relevant to the DMV.
- Local food banks are under a great amount of pressure during the government shutdown. This story details how Maryland Food Bank is helping the communities it serves.
- The already struggling Metro is losing $400k a day during the shutdown.
- Furloughed workers are starting to file for unemployment benefits.
- Chevy Chase residents filed a third lawsuit against the Purple Line, arguing that the work violates the Clean Water Act. They say that the Army Corps of Engineers “should have required the state to demonstrate that it couldn’t improve east-west transit in other ways, such as by supplementing bus service, that would have avoided streams and wetlands.” The lawsuit clearly demonstrates that the plaintiffs haven’t taken a bus.
- Country Clubs pay a fraction of the property taxes that they should. Some lawmakers are working to change that. (This episode of Revisionist History also touches on Country Clubs and property tax.)
- DC Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018 which ensures that the city will user 100% renewable energy by 2032, as well as several other initiatives that impact sustainability and emissions in the area. The bill also emphasizes that DC will work with Maryland and Virginia to reduce carbon emissions in the DMV.
- Lee Carter discusses how he’s trying to make Virginia more worker friendly with the New York Times. Currently, Virginia is one of the most pro-business states–a deal was struck with Micron that would hand over $70 million in state grants for the company to expand.
- Vaughan Stewart sits down with Current Affairs and discusses how he became a politician.
- MoCo Councilman Will Jawando introduced the Law Enforcement Trust and Transparency Act.