Councilmember Anita Bonds Update June 7

District of Columbia sent this bulletin at 06/07/2013 01:11 PM EDT

Dear Friends,

I want to wish all my friends of the District’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community a Happy Pride Day! This year the Capital Pride Alliance Inc. has assembled a week filled with diverse events and activities for all to celebrate. Highlights of the festival include the Saturday afternoon parade and Sunday’s street festival on Pennsylvania Ave., NW. It is reassuring to know that from my early days in support of rights for the LGBT community, the District and our nation’s laws have steadily advanced to provide the equal treatment and respect that each citizen deserves.

Of course, these civil rights must be upheld, protected and expanded. Many states are far behind in tolerance and in extending LGBT rights, but here in the District, I am proud to have publicly supported marriage equality and, as a member of the Council, I co-sponsored this year’s "JAPARKER DEONI JONES BIRTH CERTIFICATE EQUALITY AMENDMENT ACT OF 2013,” which will allow members of our Transgender community to more easily alter their certificate of birth. In keeping with the spirit of this year’s theme, I encourage you all to “Be True and Be You!”

I also want to wish the NAACP-DC Branch a Happy Centennial Anniversary! 100 years ago this week the premier civil rights organization incorporated a chapter in the Nation’s Capital. Continuously since, they have labored to promote political, educational, social, and economic equality of all persons and eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. I commend the NAACP for the indelible changes they have made to benefit the people of the District. Included in this update is information on their official Centennial celebration.

As always, if you have any concern or issue you wish to discuss, please contact me at abonds@dccouncil.us or call 202-724-8064.

Warm regards,

Anita

LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS

At Tuesday’s Legislative meeting, I introduced along with Councilmembers Evans, Orange, Barry, Bowser, Alexander, McDuffie, Graham, and Grosso, the “Senior Citizen Real Property Tax Relief Act of 2013”, which will exempt seniors from real property taxes if they are 75 years or older, maintained District residency for 25 years or more, and earn no more than $60,000 annually.

One of my top priorities that I have spoken about for the past 6 months is the eradication of poverty and strengthening our city’s safety net to meet the needs of the District’s most vulnerable residents. According to the most recent census data, seniors 65 and older comprise approximately 11% of the total District population. Currently there are 19.7% people living below the poverty line in the District compared to 15.1% nationally---DC poverty has risen 2.5% in the last year. Likewise, according to the Urban Institute a whopping 17% of our senior residents live in poverty. Over the past 6 or 7 months I have held discussions and meetings with countless senior residents, many of whom live on fixed incomes and struggle to make ends meet. Our long term residents who have supported the District through dire times and time of prosperity deserve the opportunity to age in place gracefully and with dignity, this legislation aims to make this sentiment a reality.

According to the OCFO, the estimated fiscal impact for this measure is approximately $3.8 million in FY14 and about $4 million for FY(s) 15-17. The total cost for the four-year financial plan is $16 million. This Act will ease the financial burdens of thousands of the District’s low to moderate income aging population. Feel free to contact Legislative Director, Brittney Madison (bmadison@dccouncil.us) or me with questions or concerns.

Also during Tuesday’s legislative meeting, Councilmember Anita Bonds voted in support of the following bills, which have been submitted to Mayor Vincent C. Gray for approval.

(Bill 20-64) Teachers’ Retirement Amendment Act of 2013

This bill amends the DC Code to allow for involuntary retirement for all excessed permanent status teachers without regard to whether a teacher chose to reject other options available to him or her.

(Bill 20-72) Attendance Accountability Amendment Act of 2013

This bill requires compulsory school attendance, the taking of a school census in the District of Columbia, the Office of Attorney General to submit an annual truancy status report, and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to submit to the Mayor and the Secretary to the Council recommendations for eliminating out-of-school suspensions and expulsion and establishes truancy procedures with inter-agency coordination.

(Bill 20-244) Saving D.C. Homes from Foreclosure Enhanced Temporary Amendment Act of 2013

This bill provides a borrower the same rights for a defective notice of default on residential mortgage as the law provides for a defective notice of intention to foreclose on a residential mortgage, that a foreclosure sale of a property secured by a residential mortgage shall be void if a lender files a notice of intention to foreclose on a residential mortgage without a mediation certificate, and for a new definition of residential mortgage and amends the Foreclosure Mediation Fund provisions to allow mortgage-related or foreclosure-related settlement funds to be transferred into the fund.

(Bill 20-31) District of Columbia Fire and Casualty Amendment Act of 2013

This bills amends “the District of Columbia Fire and Casualty Act” in order to require homeowners and renters insurance companies to notify applicants and provide a one-time notice to existing policy-holders that homeowners and renters insurance does not cover losses from flood or sewer-line backup, and to explain how these policies may be obtained.

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

DC SOLAR UNITED NEIGHBORHOODS

Councilmember Bonds met with representatives of DC Solar United Neighborhoods (DC SUN). DC SUN shared information on some of their accomplishments which include helping over 300 families, nonprofits, and churches go solar; establishing a Solar Bulk-Purchase program enabling local business, homeowners and community based non-profits to save money; and pushed DDOE and DC SEU to develop low-income solar programs.

DC SUN is an umbrella organization for 11 solar co-ops throughout DC that is dedicated to cultivating a greater solar presence in the city. Over the years they have assisted DC Councilmembers in crafting legislation such as Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008, Distributed Generation Amendment Act of 2011, and Community Renewables Act of 2013.

When DC SUN was founded in 2008, there were no solar installer companies in the District. Currently, there are 10 installation companies and over 500 solar projects have been completed. Thanks to DC SUN and the DC Council, the District is one of the hottest solar markets in the country!

DEPT. OF SMALL AND LOCAL BUSINESS

On Tuesday, June 4th Robert Summers, Interim Director of the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) met with Councilmember Bonds to present an agency overview and update on their initiatives. Director Summers indicated that the DSLBD’s mission is to support the development, economic growth, and retention of District-based businesses, and promote economic development throughout the District’s commercial corridors. The DSLBD facilitates several small business development programs such as the “Bond Your Business: Road Map to Success” Bonding Program, FastTrac DC, and Get Your Business Online. During this meeting Councilmember Bonds expressed the need for DSLBD to strengthen its programs for smaller firms by updating its processing, rating, and title designations so that smaller companies are no longer at a disadvantage. Councilmember Bonds will continue to engage DSLBD on these issues.

UPCOMING EVENTS

FRIENDSHIP PLACE HELP THE HOMELESS KICKOFF

It’s time for BBQ, music and fun as Friendship Place kicks off the 2013 Help the Homeless Program!

Everyone can play a role in helping us end homelessness in DC. Come learn the exciting ways you can support Friendship Place through your involvement in the 2013 Help the Homeless program.

Saturday, June 8th
12pm - 2pm
St. Luke’s Mission Center
3655 Calvert Street NW
Washington, DC 20007

* The Benefits of Partnering with Friendship Place through the Help The Homeless Program
* How to Plan and Coordinate Community Events with Friendship Place
Free and open to the public, but kindly RSVP: rsvp@friendshipplace.org or (202) 503-2967.

SOURCE FESTIVAL 2013! June 7- 30th

Source Festival combines the forces of rising talents with established artists. Driven by creativity, collaboration and invention, artists from across the nation present 25 new works over a three week period. The relationships built will lay the path for the next generation of outstanding performing artists.

This year marked Source Festival’s 6th Anniversary. In just six short years, the Festival has built a reputation as a vital launching pad for new work and a proving ground for the city’s directors and designers.

2013 SOURCE FESTIVAL features…

· Eighteen 10-Minute Plays selected from over 650 submissions from across the country;

· Three Full-Length Plays by some of the country’s most inventive playwrights;

· Three Artistic Blind Dates in which nine artists from different creative disciplines collaborate over six months to create original work, and

· Talent Show — One night only featuring the weird, wild and wonderful talents of both Source Festival artists and the general public. $100 cash prize for the winner!

Visit the Source Festival Calendar of Activities here- Calendar