How to fix D.C.’s budget problem: Spend less
Re: “Council grills Fenty over proposed budget,” April 13
It’s outrageous that the government should even consider drawing down $264 million of the District’s savings — more than a quarter of the total — to close this year’s budget gap. D.C.’s lavish FY2010 budget amounts to nearly $16,800 for each city resident. It is inconceivable that we need or even receive anything like that amount in local government service.
The $1.74 billion education budget comes out to more than $24,500 per pupil. Many parents would happily accept $7,500 vouchers instead. And do we need $36 million for teacher raises? Give out 2,118 vouchers, consolidate expenditures on the remaining students, and there you have it. Repeat as needed.
The largest portion of the budget — $3.36 billion — goes to human services, which amounts to nearly $31,560 per resident per year, or $126,200 per each family of four. But the D.C. Fiscal Policy Initiative estimates that 106,500 people in the District live at or below the poverty line, which is $21,800 for a family of four. If the money were efficiently distributed, there would be no poor people in D.C.
Merrill Smith
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One city’s problem would be another’s salvation
Re: “Economic, demographic shifts threaten diversity,” April 20
Why is it a problem that, during the last decade, Alexandria’s white population climbed to almost 58 percent? That should be welcome news if Mayor Euille is truly concerned about maintaining the city’s racial diversity, since non-Hispanic whites represent about 66 percent of the overall U.S. population.
The rise in Alexandria’s median household income and the concurrent decline in the city’s affordable housing stock is a valid cause for concern. However, while city officials see a problem with the growing number of successful individuals choosing to live and pay taxes in Alexandria, it’s a problem Detroit would love.
Ashmar Cupper
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Blame Congress for the Civil War
Re: “Virginia governor concedes slavery mention omitted in Confederate History Month decree, apologizes,” April 8
Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell was unfairly criticized for not mentioning slavery in his original “Confederate History Month” proclamation. The mainstream media, political pundits, Democrats and some black leaders chastised the governor for his lack of sensitivity and knowledge of the Civil War. Like most of us, I am certain the governor recognizes the evil connected to slavery and condemns all aspects of it.
Everybody knew President Lincoln opposed slavery, even though his First Inaugural address on March 4, 1861 said that “I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists….” and made it clear that any escaped slaves would be returned. Yet the war started anyway one month after this speech. Four of the eleven states that seceded proclaimed in their own state resolutions that slavery was the issue.
Northern industrial leaders persuaded Congress to levee unfair tariffs on English goods being shipped to the South to force Southerners to buy their more expensive products. If Congress had abandoned the tariffs and allowed each state to decide for itself on the slavery issue (which was slowly being abolished throughout the world), we many not have had a Civil War.
Larry Flinchpaugh
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