D.C. Council members saluted themselves earlier this week for approving emergency legislation in response to the controversy surrounding contracts awarded by the D.C. Housing Authority to companies headed by friends of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty. But the bill, halting payments to DCHA and requiring advance reporting on transfers from the Department of Parks and Recreation exceeding $75,000, misses the mark.

It doesn’t resolve the fundamental problem of a constipated contracting and procurement system, which lead Fenty and his predecessor to circumvent the process using DCHA as a conduit. The system is so sluggish and ineffective many managers have sought and received separate powers.