Posts by Matt Rumsey — Guest Contributor
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Project Aura: a gorgeous take on bicycle lighting
Ethan Frier and Jonathan Ota, two industrial design students at Carnegie Mellon University, noticed a problem with night time bicycle safety. Specifically, how do you ensure side visibility when your lights are angled forward and back? Their solution is both unique and beautiful. Keep reading…
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No 2:00 am budget surprises please, Kwame Brown
DC Council Chairman Kwame Brown should release his final budget proposal at least 24 hours before the final vote scheduled for Wednesday, May 25. Greater Greater Washington has joined 40 organizations and individuals in a letter asking Chairman Brown to take this step toward greater transparency and accountability in the DC government. Recent budgets haven’t been… Keep reading…
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Printed voter guides are a necessary service
While the DC Board of Elections and Ethics’ efforts to cut costs in the April 26th election were logical, they may have been detrimental to those without Internet access or extensive knowledge of the long slate of candidates. In an effort to cut costs for the low-turnout special election, DCBOEE decided to forgo their usual practice of mailing an election guide to registered… Keep reading…
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Create an independent ethics commission for DC Council
The DC Council can take a strong step toward addressing its recent ethics issues by appointing a strong and independent ethics commission. The council’s small size and unavoidable conflicts of interest mean that no credible ethics body can have sitting councilmembers on it. An independent commission will also take a burden off members, who will no longer have to sit in… Keep reading…
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Does DC need more councilmembers?
When candidates for the at-large DC Council seat were quizzed on amending DC’s Home Rule Charter at a Tuesday night forum, some local journalists deemed their answers unsatisfactory. However, Patrick Mara, Bryan Weaver, and Sekou Biddle all gave some variation on an answer that deserves much more credit: Enlarge the DC Council. After the Pew Charitable Trust released… Keep reading…