Comments on: What the 2010 D.C. Budget Will Probably Look Like

By: Teens Job Search

Teens Job Search — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:32:52 +0000

Nice post. We were really interested on this.

By: dbrighthaupt

dbrighthaupt — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:16:46 +0000

@downtown rez - from your response am I to understand that the only summer job participants are government offices?
Surely private entities participate and if so, my thinking was solicit more to help eleviate ...shucks use guilt filled please if need be.

Have the workload planned well ahead of teens' arrival (spring)--don't think of what to give them every morning. It is my experience that training an adult temp for a day wastes just as much resource.
Gosh I'm a big idea person and have plenty more to keep our teens off the street, i.e., ROTC Seniors to 'test drive' the armed forces boot camp or administrative functions (or peel potatoes while learning why this task is so important) ROTCs incentive would be travel to another state's base and a stipend when over.
Band members placed in orchestra theatre type places = half the pay but all the cultured shows free (Kennedy Center/Wolf Trap)
The summer months are usually sparse because of vacationers so students could idealistically float around a business for 10 weeks which is the best way to know most aspects of a company/agency.

I know I'm not the first to think of these things and it is quite discouraging to believe the powers that be aren't implementing broader possibilities for the youth.

Thank you so much for responding diplomatically. I'm sure you can imagine I hesitate to engage.

By: downtown rez

downtown rez — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:42:33 +0000

dbrighthaupt-
I agree on the summer jobs thing- it does provide a potential boost to future success. My sole real problem with the program is that, in practice, 30,000 DC gov employees have little real ability to MANAGE 20,000 summer youth. Not if said government workers are to keep doing the work that they are paid to do in the first place. And I don't see a way to get around that.
None the less, it only makes sense that (going back to my first point) better schools + practical on-the-job experience = less TANF in the future. And since TANF in DC has been perpetual & expensive (in many ways), it should be a priority to dig ourselves out of that hole.

By: dbrighthaupt

dbrighthaupt — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:43:43 +0000

@DowntownRez -
You are reading a lot of parents minds. Summer Employment is a proven catalyst toward goal setting and independence.
This being a goverment/war town there are no shortages in summer youth employment OPPORTUNITIES.
Could there be reps/coachs/cheerleaders to sell the program throughout the year as an opportunity value in itself? School clothes/supplies and IPod money would be great, though where I see value is getting up every morning, commuting to familiarize themselves with public trans but also to explore the city outside their comfort zones (with a purpose and not to loiter);
to see the city differently than they had throughout the school year along with exposure and access to business etiquette.
And dare I say a trade that may turn into a career along with a growing diverse rolodex is absolutely priceless.

My pontificated point is - how can Fenty, this agency and parents work together to find other incentives to expand or sustain this valuable resource - maybe more weeks, less money and a 1/3 credit grading process through their Life Skills course?

Maybe more pay for the A and B grade earners?

I guess all I could have said is less summer employment for our youth will in fact turn into the need for more TANF in the near future.

@Q - I MISS SCHWARTZ!!! She dared to question and confront where noone dared.

By: 2010 census–what grantmakers and nonprofits need to know [News, 7.30.09] « Washington Grantmakers Daily

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:10:22 +0000

[...] BUDGET - What the 2010 D.C. Budget Will Probably Look Like (CityDesk, 7/29) - D.C Council tentatively agreed to increase the sales, gas and cigarette [...]

By: Q™

Q™ — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:10:27 +0000

Tom, you are correct. The Council is missing Schwartz in this case. Neither Catania (a former Republican), Mike Brown, nor Evans are footing the bill in conservative spending.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:54:07 +0000

This is where DC really misses Carol Schwartz, these guys have no sense of fiscal conservation. I wish i could spend and spend and spend, and then tell my employer to pay me more money! After reviewing the budget and past years budget, it is completely bloated. This city is in no one concerned with saving the taxpayer money.

By: Q™

Q™ — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:09:06 +0000

Downtown Rez, somebody needs to call Kojo Nnamdi and get you a spot on the show. I don't think the right amount of people are listening. It seems that only a few of the bloggers see this ruse of a Budget Cut.

Angry Al, like was said before the luxury boxes at the Verizon Center and Nationals Field are only scratching the surface. Those two items deal with the APPEARANCE of frivolous spending. As citizens, we need to deal with the ACTUAL Spending. Skipper is right about the other perks too, like parking. If the Councilmembers, AG, etc. were subjected to the same draconian parking enforcement citizens are, we'd be well on the way of closing the gap by 2%. LOL!

By: Downtown Rez

Downtown Rez — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:45:09 +0000

Half a percent here ($3.3 Mil), almost half a percent there ($2.261mil), pretty soon you'll almost be 1% of the way toward closing the 2010 budget gap!

By: Angry Al Gonzales

Angry Al Gonzales — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:11:26 +0000

Let's send Moten, Skinner, & Jannarone to the Carribean to steal some more money. There must be a few hundred towns with > 50,000 in population. 300 towns x $11,000 = $3,300,000.

By: Downtown Rez

Downtown Rez — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:20:46 +0000

Cutting back on summer school and jobs, but perpetuating TANF?
Those are our priorities?

By: Skipper

Skipper — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:18:26 +0000

So all DC gov't employees get to pay more for their parking (which is perfectly fine by me) EXCEPT that Councilmembers - who are already exempt from all parking laws - don't have to pay for their free parking outside the Wilson Building?

WTF?

Would it really be too much to ask the Councilmembers making well over $100k to fork over $160 a month for parking?

By: AngryER than Al

AngryER than Al — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:07:15 +0000

So the Council lets the Mayor come in and spend RECKLESSLY making EVERY agency in the city go over it's budget in a matter of minutes and now here we are, two years later and you think WE, THE TAXPAYERS have to pay because you can't control him? Well I already knew Iwasnt voting for Fenty again. Now I can add more names to the list. You all are no better tha the fool... otherwise you woud have been able to keep him under wraps.

By: DC taxpayer

DC taxpayer — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:36:42 +0000

EXACTLY Angry Al

Start the petition...

By: Angry Al Gonzales

Angry Al Gonzales — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:47:11 +0000

New revenue sources: luxe box Verizon Center - $1.5 million; luxe box Nats park - $750,000. Stealing from poor towns in the DR - $11,000.

Total additional revenue: $2,261,000.