Is this a Redskins town or what? The ‘Skins still own the news cycle days after their devastating defeat at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks.
Is this a Redskins town or what? The ‘Skins still own the news cycle days after their devastating defeat at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. Front page articles, stories that lead newscasts, an explosion of comments on Twitter. The inauguration? What inauguration? I exaggerate, but not that much.
It's been one crazy political season. We have, up to now, endured an onslaught of ads from political parties, candidates, PACs and other "for and against" groups.
It's been one crazy political season. We have, up to now, endured an onslaught of ads from political parties, candidates, PACs and other "for and against" groups; we have watched as the candidates have risen or fallen in the polls as the result of debate performances. But then along came Gallaudet University.
What would you do if you had $1 billion? Start your own cable network? Buy a Hawaiian island? Or maybe buy yourself an NFL franchise?
What would you do if you had $1 billion? Start your own cable network? Buy a Hawaiian island? Or maybe buy yourself an NFL franchise? What if you decided to give back to your community, to have a decade's long impact on the quality of life.
If you are truly objective, it would be hard to argue that charter schools haven't been one of the most effective ways to elevate academic achievement.
If you are truly objective and you place the interests of the students of the District above all the politics surrounding public education, it would be hard to argue that charter schools haven't been one of the most effective ways to elevate academic achievement.
The 2012-2013 school year in the District will feature 58 schools, all with populations under 300 students, opening their doors without the compliment of a school library and librarian.
The 2012-2013 school year in the District will feature 58 schools, all with populations under 300 students, opening their doors without the compliment of a school library and librarian. We are talking about schools that serve around 17,000 students.
When reporters sought comment from D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray about the illegal shadow campaign that helped him win the election, here's what he said: "This is not the campaign that we intended to run."
When reporters sought comment from D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray about the illegal shadow campaign that helped him win the election, here's what he said: "This is not the campaign that we intended to run." I'd say that is a gross understatement.
Monday, November 19 2012 8:23 PM EST2012-11-20 01:23:17 GMT
A report released recently by the D.C. Department of Public Health stated that the HIV infection rates among D.C. residents dropped to 2.7 percent in 2010 from 3.2 percent in 2008.
A report released recently by the D.C. Department of Public Health stated that the HIV infection rates among D.C. residents dropped to 2.7 percent in 2010 from 3.2 percent in 2008.
To many in the District, Chief Financial Officer, Natwar Gandhi, who oversees the Office of Tax and Revenue, is one of several people who have been given credit for the financial turnaround that the district has experienced. The transformation from a city on the financial brink in the early and mid-nineties to a city that has produced balanced budgets, surpluses and top bond ratings, is remarkable.
To others, Gandhi is a manager who can't fix the problems that have plagued his tax office for years, problems that, one way or another have cost the city millions in tax revenue.
No one who has lived in the region since 2007 can forget the colossal fraud perpetrated by Tax Office Manager Harriette Walters who ripped off the tax office to the tune of $48 million dollars.
That monster scam preceded a case uncovered in 2011 that involved a tax examiner who generated phony refunds totaling more than $400 thousand dollars.
Recently, a third case of fraud has come to light. An ex-employee of the office of tax and revenue pleaded guilty to filing 282 false D.C. tax returns and 973 false federal returns that netted tax refunds of more than $14.7m.
Then there is the issue of transparency, or the lack of it. Gandhi's scheme to leave internal audits in draft form so that he was not required to release the audit results smacks of someone who is more concerned about his reputation and job security than serving the city. This lack of transparency has now triggered a "confidential, informal inquiry" by the securities & exchange commission who is concerned that there may have been a failure to disclose material findings from internal audits at the time of bond offerings. What a mess.
Why would D.C. think it can afford to keep someone like Nat Gandhi in control of the Office of Tax and Revenue much longer?
That's my Take. Let me know what you think. Send me an email at tmt@wttg.com.
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