February 27, 2015  |  Volume 1, Issue 6

Dear Washingtonians,

When I was growing up in North Michigan Park, I learned that when someone tries to bully your neighbors you have to speak out and defend them. This week that lesson came to mind when Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01) antagonized DC by threatening to put me, other elected officials and staff members in jail for implementing the will of the people.

The threat came after we prepared guidance on Initiative 71 – the new, duly enacted law that defines what adults over 21 years old can and cannot do regarding marijuana, its possession and places of use. You can read all about the District’s marijuana law here, but what I said on Thursday bears repeating: I am the duly elected Mayor of the District of Columbia. The residents of DC spoke loud and clear when they voted to legalize small amounts of marijuana in Washington, DC. I will stand with the voters and make sure their voices are heard.

Let’s continue to work together as we take on the big issues we face and build the future we want. We are in the middle of presenting our next budget. If you have not attended a Budget Engagement Forum yet, join me today (Saturday, February 28) at 1 pm at Anacostia High School, 1601 16th Street, SE (about 1 mile from the Anacostia Metro Station).

Thank you to everyone who helped make Fresh Start February a success. I look forward to seeing you soon.

Sincerely,

Mayor Muriel Bowser

HERE'S A RECAP

“All Hands on Deck” Trash Collection

Earlier this week, my Administration, with the support of union leaders from American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) announced an “All Hands on Deck” effort to catch up on trash collection that has been delayed due to hazardous conditions on weather-impacted alleys.

Additional trash collection crews will hit the roads tomorrow and throughout the weekend to collect trash that has not been collected. As part of the effort, the District has allocated the following resources:

●       additional crews from the leaf team will be activated for trash collection;

●       additional crews from private companies will be engaged to add capacity; and

●       an unprecedented effort to salt alleys to make them passable for trash collectors.

Due to public health concerns, crews will co-mingle trash and recycling to ensure that all cans are emptied as quickly as possible. Some winter precipitation may occur early next week; therefore, the start of the weekly residential street sweeping program will be postponed to Monday, March 9, 2015.

Fresh Start February Engagement Forums

Woodroow Wilson High School & Dunbar Senior High School 

Budget Engagement Forums

This month has been focused on dollars and good sense. We reached out to you and you responded. One thing is for sure, District residents are more than informed. They are concerned and committed. I want you to know that I am with you. We are on the same page. My final budget will reflect many of the priorities we’ve discussed over the last few weeks.

The last Budget Engagement Forum will take place tomorrow at Anacostia Senior High School. You can still register to attend tomorrow’s forum here.

District Government Employee Tele-Townhall Engagement Forum

On Tuesday, I hosted the first-ever District government Employee Telephone Townhall. About 800 DC government employees called in and joined the conversation. They provided input from their point of view—on the front lines – about how to create efficiencies and collaborate in order to cut costs and provide better services to DC residents.

Student Assignment Plan Tweaks

Last year, the District of Columbia undertook the first comprehensive review of student assignment and DCPS school boundaries since 1968. The DC Advisory Committee on Student Assignment worked to engage numerous education stakeholders and agencies, and the community at large in order to develop the comprehensive policy, boundary, and feeder pattern recommendations. At the time, however, I expressed concerns about cutting off current cross-park and cross-river school access. In order to correct the plan, I announced tweaks to the recommendations provided by DC Advisory Committee on Student Assignment. These two tweaks include:

●       Extending the phase-in policy (or grandfathering policy) for families assigned to a new middle school until 2022.

●       Establishing dual rights for 8th graders at Kelly Miller MS to have the right to attend Eastern HS (by feeder right) or Woodson HS (by geographic right).

This Week In Review

University of the District of Columbia

 Founder’s Day Convocation and Awards Ceremony

I was proud to join the UDC family in celebrating 2015 Founder’s Day. I highlighted UDC Founder Myrtilla Miner’s fight many decades ago for public education for all children in the District and for the District’s young adults to have access to post-secondary school education. Education remains the key, then and now, to improving our quality of life. It takes a village to make change happen.

Bus Tour with US Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx

I joined US Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx on the last stop of his “Grow America” bus tour at Union Station. Secretary Foxx launched a four-day tour across five states to build a broad consensus on the need to revitalize the nation’s infrastructure systems.  I stand with mayors across the nation in agreement with President Obama and Secretary Foxx that strengthening America’s transportation infrastructure is critical to the nation's economic future. I am committed to improving pedestrian and bicycle transportation safety in our city. With that, I announced the District’s participation in the US Department of Transportation’s Mayors’ Challenge for Safer People and Safer Streets.

New Education Team Members

On Friday, I announced the appointment of Hanseul Kang to serve as the State Superintendent for Education and Steve Bumbaugh as a member of the Public Charter School Board. We continue to build an education team that and accelerate education reform for all of our public schools.

Kang, a seasoned leader and former high school teacher, served as Chief of Staff for the State of Tennessee’s Department of Education since 2011.  Bumbaugh, serves as a manager of Breakthrough Schools: DC. at CityBridge Foundation, which is a grant competition focusing on whole-school design and redesign with the intention to create up to 18 new or redesigned traditional public and public charter schools serving low-income students in DC.

In the Community

LeDroit Park Civic Association Meeting

LeDroit Park residents welcomed me during my first visit to their neighborhood since becoming Mayor. We discussed ideas to close our city’s quarter billion dollar budget gap while improving schools, making our streets safe, and helping our most vulnerable neighbors. I introduced Ben Case and Gabriel Rojo, from the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS), who are my eyes and ears in Ward 1. I will count on them to keep me and our team up-to-date with the happenings in the community.

Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade

I joined the Asian and Pacific Islander community and celebrated ushering in a Lunar New Year with the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) at its Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade in historic Chinatown.  The CCBA has organized this parade for 40 years with more than 40,000 residents participating each year. The Lunar New Year is a time for celebration and reunion with family and loved ones, and to strive for good health, happiness, and fortune. Xin Nian Kuai Le!

What's Next?

Today, I will host our last Fresh Start February Budget Engagement Forum at Anacostia Senior High School, RSVP here. Also this weekend, I plan to visit the Satchel Paige Fitness Clinic and the Solidarity of St. Gabriel’s Church Annual Prayer Breakfast.

Next week, I plan to attend Read Across America at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. I will deliver remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Monday. On Wednesday and Thursday, I plan to travel to New York City to discuss the District’s bond rating, the credit quality of the city’s government bonds. On Friday, we will celebrate the late Mayor Marion S. Barry by announcing a commission in his honor.

Stay in contact with me and my Administration online. Like us on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter @MayorBowser to get behind the scenes engagement as I serve as your Mayor. Follow DC Mayor’s Office on Twitter as well @TeamMuriel, for the latest news and information from the John A. Wilson Building and District Government agencies. Follow me on Instagram @Mayor_Bowser to see pictures from District events and graphics on a variety of District topics.  Lastly, find our online picture albums on Flickr.