Demographic and Economic illiteracy: Part 1

Today's Examiner blares about the latest Census data on DC: "Wealth gap widens as whites hit $89K, blacks take in $34K."

And Dennis Moore, Chairperson, District of Columbia Independents for Citizen Control (DCICC), responds:

DC Disparity & Fiscal Incompetence

The headline blasts the newest revelation that many of us already know and live as a reality in the District: ''Wealth gap widens as whites hit $89K, blacks take in $34K'' Of course, as our city's fiscal foundation continues to sink in debt and more families quietly flee, our mayor and D.C. Council grin, spin and photo-op their way through another year of third rate governance. We, as supported by recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, are not amused.

Anyone who hasn't made the connection between the ongoing fiscal incompetence, brain dead District governance, act like you know leadership, and the true economic state of D.C. is either insane or purposely in denial. A budget busting baseball stadium, a failing convention center, more condos, and the usual slate of shortsighted economic initiatives that benefit the few over the many are coming home to roost. Once again our dirty socioeconomic laundry is hanging high for all to see.

The dream of a family-friendly city is a genuine nightmare for nearly 80% of D.C. residents, according to the report. Promises made are often promises never kept by most of the taxpayer-funded incompetents we keep electing. As more of us become economically bruised and broken, the able among us leave our school system, shop more outside the District, seek jobs there, and eventually move out altogether. That's the true tale of our city, and our elected local officials are the authors.

Urban Economics 101: supporting and expanding a mixed-income family friendly city generates exponential revenue and other socioeconomic benefits that strengthen the city's fiscal foundation.

The next time you stroll D.C. after the suburban commuters and tourists have left for the day, beyond the occasional sound of gunfire, ask why does so much of our city have this dead-dull quiet feeling in the late afternoon and weekends. Where have all the families, rhythm, energy and future of the city gone? According to the U.S. Census Bureau the answers are in the better-governed counties of Maryland, Virginia, and beyond.

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My response:

Urban Economics 101 is that families cost lots of money to service and households without children do not. It costs at least $10,000/year to educate a child in the public schools. You need a lot of property and income tax revenue to make that up... Most households as you describe the ideal are revenue negative.

I am not saying blow off such households, just that we need to recognize the reality. It's not about either-or, but and-and, and making sure all the policies, tax and otherwise, work together to achieve the optimum goals.

I think the vision paper on equity for the Comp. Plan process was very good (Planning a City for Social Equity). Whether or not we really follow through on that vision is something else.

But adding housing that appeals particularly to DINKs isn't bad, and it reduces competition for housing attractive to families.

Furthermore, given the economic reality, people will have to begin rethinking how families are domiciled. In NYC, hundreds of thousands of families live in multiunit dwellings, not single family households. Same thing with Vancouver, BC. In turn, they create a wide variety of amenities, public facilities, and "outdoor rooms"--great public spaces to make familial living in multiunit dwellings attractive.