The Voice of DC Cab Drivers, May 29, 2011: DCTC Locks Drivers Out

Posted on May 29, 2011 by admin

LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF DC CAB DRIVERS, MAY 29:

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The DCTC locked its doors Friday rather than accept a petition with more than 900 taxicab driver signatures

A little before 1:00 p.m. on Friday, a dozen individuals attempted to present Interim D.C. Taxicab Commission Chair Dena Reed with a petition signed by more than 900 licensed D.C. taxicab drivers.

The signatories oppose Ms. Reed’s attempt to rewrite the taxicab industry’s legal framework, or Title 31. If approved by the Taxicab Commission, Ms. Reed’s proposed changes will do many things including: require drivers to buy a new car every five years; grant greater authority to Hack Inspectors; and allow for cab drivers to have their licenses suspended, not renewed or even revoked for having tires that are over- or under-inflated. Continue reading →

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Chair K. Brown Stands for Democracy for D.C., Sometimes

Posted on May 25, 2011 by admin

LISTEN TO JIM GRAHAM SPEAK AT THE SAVE OUR SAFETY NET RALLY:

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The District of Columbia is divided into two groups: the 85 percent who prioritize holding the line on safety net services over holding the line on taxes vs. the 15 percent who favor the reverse.

The D.C. Council consists of thirteen members, all of whom oppose the District’s lack of statehood and voting rights. Recently, several councilmembers went so far as to be arrested in the struggle to achieve democracy for D.C., including Council Chair Kwame Brown.

Wednesday, the Council votes on the 2012 budget. In order to avoid ever more cuts to needed services Mayor Vincent Gray proposed a tax increase of 8.5 to 8.9 percent on income earned in excess of $200,000. Continue reading →

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Pepco(al)

Posted on May 24, 2011 by admin

Jamie Trowbridge writes a message - in coal - to Pepco

LISTEN TO VOICES FROM THE PEPCO PROTEST:

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“Pepco(al) sources a fair amount of coal from mountaintop removal coal mining sites,” said Jamie Trowbridge, an activist with DC Rising Tide. Trowbridge took part in a May 20 protest outside Pepco’s headquarters while the region’s main utility company conducted its annual shareholder meeting.

Midway through writing a polite note in coal in front of the Pepco building – “Stop blowing up mountains. (Please. Thanks.)” – he said, “We in the D.C. area are getting our electricity by blowing up mountains in West Virginia. There have been a number of scientific reports that have spoken directly to how devastating to the environment and to communities mountaintop removal coal mining is.”
Continue reading →

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The Voice of DC Cab Drivers, May 22, 2011

Posted on May 22, 2011 by admin

LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF DC CAB DRIVERS, May 22, 2011

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Title 31 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations offers the legal framework that governs the taxicab industry. Wednesday, May 11, Interim DC Taxicab Commission Chair Dena Reed held a hearing on her proposed amendments to Chapters 6 and 8 of Title 31.

Ms. Reed’s many suggested changes include forcing drivers to buy a new vehicle every five years, as well as giving hack inspectors much greater authority, including the ability to levy a $1,000 fine and even revoke a driver’s license for tires that are over- or underinflated. Continue reading →

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Protesters Push Back Against Right-Wing Voucher Movement

Posted on May 19, 2011 by admin

LISTEN TO VOICES AT THE RALLY AGAINST VOUCHERS:

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“We come down to D.C. today to protest the national campaign for vouchers,” said William Browning, legislative and education director of Action United, a social justice group in Pennsylvania.

“Wisconsin has had the voucher system for twenty years and has had no success,” Browning said last week outside the Washington Marriott where the right-wing American Federation for Children’s (AFC) education conference was taking place. Continue reading →

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Tenants Fight Displacement at JBG’s Mark Center Apartments

Posted on May 18, 2011 by admin

LISTEN TO VOICES FROM THE JBG PROTEST

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“We want JBG to stop this utility craze that they’re going on,” said Tahseen Hamid, a tenant in JBG’s apartments at Mark Center in Alexandria, Virginia.

April 11, Hamid and dozens of other JBG tenants disrupted the regional meeting of developers at the Hilton in order to voice their concern about being pushed out of their homes.

The Pentagon’s Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process is shifting 6,400 jobs to Mark Center. At least that’s the goal. Continue reading →

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The Medallion Bill is Bad for Drivers and Passengers

Posted on May 17, 2011 by admin

Several councilmembers recently sponsored legislation that would bring taxicab medallions to the District of Columbia. If passed, the medallion bill will cause more than 4,000 drivers to lose their jobs. Continue reading →

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UMD Students Drop by President’s Office to Say Drop Daycon

Posted on May 17, 2011 by admin

Students from the Drop Daycon Coalitition conducting a "study-in" at the president's office

LISTEN TO STUDENTS DEBATE THE UMD ADMINISTRATION:

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“We need more pplz like yall in the world.. Or maybe I should be pplz like yall.”  – “Naod”

A dozen University of Maryland students with the Drop Daycon Coalition took a break from studying for finals and occupied UMD President Wallace Loh’s office at noon on Friday. More than six hours later the students left on their own accord having won a major concession. By the end of this week the university will decide whether to cut its ties with Daycon, a cleaning supplies contractor which has violated federal labor laws.

“I will clear my calendar,” Interim Vice President for Administrative Affairs Director Frank Brewer told the students, who are scheduled to continue discussions with him Tuesday at 1 p.m. “It may take more than one meeting… [but] by the end of the week we will make a decision,” said Brewer. Continue reading →

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The Voice of DC Cab Drivers, May 15, 2011

Posted on May 16, 2011 by admin

LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF DC CAB DRIVERS, MAY 15, 2011:

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Welcome to The Voice of DC Cab Drivers brought to you by the Dominion of Cab Drivers, here on WUST 1120 AM. I’m Pete Tucker with TheFightBack, TheFightBack.org , where this show will be archived, as are past shows.

The recently introduced medallion legislation has the potential to cause thousands of D.C. taxicab drivers to lose their jobs. And now there is another major threat. At Wednesday’s hearing of the D.C. Taxicab Commission, Interim Chair Dena Reed proposed changes to Title 31 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations.

Title 31 is supposed to offer the legal framework that governs the taxicab industry. Nathan Price, chairman of the D.C. Professional Taxicab Drivers Association, said, “Title 31 was the bible that the industry used for the operation of taxicab service within the District of Columbia. However because of lack of proper revision and not following the D.C. Code it is merely a collection of opinions or desires of politicians or bureaucrats.”

Continue reading →

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On “NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt” Pete and Harry Jaffe Discuss D.C. Budget

Posted on May 13, 2011 by admin

Wednesday, Pete joined Examiner columnist Harry Jaffe on NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt on TBD/Ch8 to discuss the D.C. budget. 85 percent of District residents support higher taxes on the District’s highest income earners in order to avoid cuts to services, according to a recent study commissioned by DC Fiscal Policy Institute and conducted by Hart Research Associates.

April 1, Mayor Vincent Gray submitted his budget to the D.C. Council. Two-thirds of Gray’s $190 million in proposed cuts comes from human services, which account for just one-fourth of the budget. Gray’s budget also calls for a slight (8.5 to 8.9 percent) tax increase on household income in excess of $200,000.

May 25 the D.C. Council will vote on the 2012 budget. Today, the Council appears to be evenly split (or possibly even one vote short) on whether to approve Gray’s slight tax increase.

Watch Pete debate Harry Jaffe:
Part 1 (16:38 – 25:00)
Part 2 (32:46 – 43:37)


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