Capital Commonsense was launched on a whim in May given my frustration with the lack of conversation about important issues facing the District and after weeks of trying—unsuccessfully—to place an op-ed on areas overlooked in local political coverage.
In the weeks leading up to the primary election we were able to put together a range of content on housing to crime to education, and now that I’m back from vacation and have had time to think about building this community over the long-term, I wanted to share what’s next for Capital Commonsense.
We are formally launching this week with a roster of contributors that I’m thrilled about. They have deep backgrounds in a range of issues from economics to education and we hope to build this bench of contributors over time. We will be publishing a couple times a week, prioritizing how the District works and important policy debates.
There’s a real desire for content that helps District residents understand their government and how it works in our community. We’re going to explore basic questions that have an outsized impact on the lives of District residents, and whether the District is going to be a city that supports growth and opportunity and remains a place where families want to live and raise their children. These are the types of questions we’re going to explore:
Where does the District get its money and how does it spend it?
What are the differences between the DCPS and charter school system and how does the lottery work?
Who is covered under the District’s health care programs?
How does the District’s social safety net compare to neighboring states?
What was the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Act and how does it impact us today?
One of the things I’ve observed through ANC work is how the policy debates are made worse by a general lack of awareness of the policy baseline, how District government functions, and how both of these factors impact our day-to-day lives. For example, in discussing revenue and spending, is there a general understanding of what we tax and spend today and how that compares to our neighbors? The answer I often find is “No.”
In another example, I’ve been struck in recent months by coverage in my neighborhood of the community’s dismay about the struggles of Barracks Row in Southeast and closure of many long-time independent restaurants. But why are independent restaurants struggling? What are the policy choices and broad economic factors at play? How can District leaders address the issue? These are the types of questions we’re going to seek to answer.
Looking ahead to the many important policy conversations expected to take place this fall and under a new Council and Mayor in Janeese Lewis George next year, we want to help root the discussion in an improved understanding of the status quo and what it takes to change it for the better.
We’re glad to have you with us as Capital Commonsense enters its next chapter. Later this week, we’re going to kick off a conversation about taxes.
Great way to frame the discussion, Ashley, and agree this level of local dialogue and debate is sorely lacking and much needed. Looking forward to reading subsequent posts and being part of the discussion!
It was so awesome when you got this started and so awesome that you are continuing it forward. I am sure you are on top of this but the single biggest thing my restauranteur friends are complaining about - I think rightly - was the sudden and objectless decision to throw a big wrench into streeteries that had been functioning perfectly well along an arbitrary and unpredictable timeline, imposing likewise arbitrary and unpredictable costs. Happy to see if there’s anyone willing to be interviewed!