Initially, I planned to slam the move to decriminalize marijuana in the District. There isn’t a drug in existence that doesn’t have some kind of harmful side effect — ask the pharmaceutical industry.

Then, I thought I might salute Mayor Vincent C. Gray for his decision to lease some empty D.C. Public Schools buildings to charters. But the idea of waiting for nonprofit groups to express interest isn’t good enough. The mayor has to be more proactive. He may want to invite specific groups to blighted neighborhoods as part of an economic development strategy.

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