Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Your Taxpayer Dollars at Work

ANC3C passed a resolution last night authorizing up to $5,000 of OUR tax dollars to go to zoning attorneys to fight the Wardman project in Woodley Park.

ANC3C 02 Commissioner Deborah Lindeman proposed the resolution at the meeting (after having posted about it a scant few hours before the meeting on a narrowly read listserv). There was no adequate announcement beforehand that the Advisory Neighborhood Commission would be taking this action (as we have grown accustomed to such non-actions by various ANCs). The resolution said that the ANC would appeal all future permits and would take whatever legal action is necessary. ANC 3C Chair Nancy MacWood had clearly not read the resolution and it was after midnight when it was proposed. Some commissioners tried to get it deferred; but MacWood and Lindeman plowed it through. After one commissioner noted to Nancy MacWood what the resolution actually said, MacWood offered an amendment to eliminate any reference to future permits and future legal actions. It is too bad. It would have been really funny to watch ANC 3C bankrupt itself because of this hasty action.

Given that the total ANC budget is about $26,000, the $5,000 approved along with the $1,300 already spent on this account for about 26% of the total.

Ironic that Commissioner Lindeman abstained on a vote earlier this year, approving a grant for a playground at 39th & Porter for 6 to 12 year olds, an age that really needs to get out of the house, away from computers and TV, and onto the playground. The minutes say: "Commissioner Lindeman stated that she planned to abstain from the vote and encouraged the ANC to demonstrate fiscal responsibility."

I wonder how many of the folks in Woodley Park, and the broader ANC 3C area who support the Wardman project feel about this action?

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