Breakfast links: Work work work work work
Employeepalooza
The DC Council declined to act on a bill aimed at giving food and retail workers more predictable schedules. Meanwhile, advocates are pushing the Council to pass the family leave bill, which would give DC workers 16 weeks of paid time off when they have a child. (WCP, WTOP)
New taxi routes
Taxis are hard to come by in parts of Wards 4, 7, and 8, many of which have mostly black residents. A new DC pilot program will run vans along fixed routes in each ward, charging customers a flat $5 fee or less. (WAMU)
End of the line no more
For the first time, Montgomery County’s Ride On bus service will run through Tobytown, linking residents to Metro and other transit. Route 301 will offer daily service and free rides during October. (Bethesda Beat)
Disclose your purchase
When people who buy foreclosed homes in Mongtgomery County don’t register their purchases, it’s hard to tax the properties. One council member wants big fines for anyone who doesn’t register within 30 days. (Post)
No driver? Green light
Federal safety guidelines for driverless cars just came out. Along with an approving (but cautioning) op-ed from President Obama, the rules are a green light for the technology to grow. (CityLab)
Judging gun control
DC has strict laws about who can get a permit to carry a concealed weapon, requiring residents to demonstrate a “good reason” to have a gun. Federal judges are currently weighing whether those laws are constitutional. (Post)
Our economy is slacking
Among the nation’s 15 biggest metro areas, Washington ranked last in economic growth for 2015, growing by only 1.3%. When it comes to the size of the economy, our region ranked 6th overall. (BizJournal)
Baltimore bus problems
A number of bus routes in Baltimore recently underwent schedule changes that mean fewer buses with longer waits in between. Riders say the changes are harmful and weren’t publicized enough in advance. (Baltimore Sun)
And…
Amazon’s probable store location in DC means residents will have to pay sales tax on purchases (DCist)… A dozen bars in DC have TransitScreens that display real time Uber, train, bus and bike share info (Washingtonian)… DC isn’t in the top 10 when it comes to metro areas that need more single-family housing. (NAR)