Bad news in the Examiner

Just as a reminder, just because you're a democrat or a republican doesn't necessarily mean that all Democrats are good, or that all Republicans are bad. For cities, the real issue is whether or not the politico is progressive and pro-civic engagement and pro-grassroots.

Mike Turner, former mayor of Dayton, Ohio, isn't so bad, even though he's a Republican. Meanwhile a former mayor of Syracuse, who is (or was) a high-level official at HUD, another Republican, is pro-suburban, and for the most part, anti-city, just like the Bush Administration, which sees its base of support as in the exurbs and rural parts of the country. One's good, the other not. (See this press release about the Turner-led Republican urban agenda "Saving America's Cities Task Force Launched.")

Mary Landrieu, Senator from Louisiana, is a Democrat and has been particularly solicitous of DC's charter school movement, and has passed federal legislation requiring that (1) charter schools have first right of refusal when DC government-held assets are sold or leased; and (2) that charter schools get a 25% discount from the sale price. (See "Charter School Measure Slips Into District Law," from the Washington Post in 2004, and "City Mayors Turn to Charter Schools," from Education Week, which quotes Sen. Landrieu.)

What happens when a charter school isn't necessarily the best use for the property?

Who cares, Congress knows better!

So just because Mary Landrieu expects to chair the Senate Appropriations subcommittee for DC, see "Sen. Landrieu anticipates heading D.C. committee," from the Examiner, don't expect that progressive politics or sound stewardship of public assets is necessarily on the agenda.

Fortunately, she lives on the 400 block of East Capitol Street SE, so her place is convenient for pro-DC demonstrations...
Her house isn't the Dry Cleaner shop...

Index Keywords: public-assets; education