Breakfast links: As the shutdown lingers on, the region is losing millions
Maryland and Virginia are losing millions in tax revenue during the shutdown
The federal shutdown has cost the two states an estimated $82 million in lost income taxes from the many furloughed federal workers in the state. Both the states and the federal workers will be paid when the shutdown ends, but there is no sign of when that will be. (Robert Terry / WBJ)
The shutdown has cut down on local traffic and changed some commutes
With fewer federal workers driving into DC, commute times for drivers have gotten shorter in the morning, but longer in the afternoon. The volume of cars on the road is more comparable to July or August rather than a normal January. (Jordan Pascale / WAMU)
Millenials in the greater Washington region want to stay
An Urban Land Institute survey of millenials, defined as people between 23 and 40 years old, found that half of the respondents wanted to stay in the Washington region forever, and only 20% said they wouldn't want to raise children here. (Michele Lerner / Post)
Bowser tells the DC Council the new “Airbnb bill” may be unconstitutional
Mayor Muriel Bowser didn't sign new restrictions on short term rentals like Airbnb, saying that based on a New York court case where a judge struck down similar regulations on Fourth Amendment grounds, DC's bill might not survive a challenge in court. (Robert McCartney / Post)
A new proposal could make ADUs easier to build in Montgomery County
The County Council is considering a bill to remove restrictions on accessory apartments (a.k.a. accessory dwelling units), like minimum distance requirements and prohibtions on basement ADUs, in the hopes of encouraging more residents to build them. (Dan Schere / Bethesda Beat)
Arlington County closed a section of unsafe sidewalk on Four Mile Run bridge
The county found that the supports under the west sidewalk of the bridge were deteriorating. It closed that sidewalk, redirecting pedestrians to the east side of the bridge. So far there is no timeline for repairs or reopening the path. (Alex Koma / ARLnow)
In the 60s, the Secretary of the Interior fought against statues in DC
Stewart Udall, an Arizona Congressman and Secretary of the Interior, thought the city had too many statues and used every opportunity to remove and relocate them during road construction. Udall said the “DC jungle” would be more inviting if it were torn down and replaced with grass. (John Kelly / Post)
Why couldn’t DC stop a teardown inside a historic building?
DC Coucil Chairman Phil Mendelson is trying to figure out why the city didn't act sooner to stop the destruction of historic material inside the Franklin School during renovations. The developer has apologized and will rebuild some of the interiors, but DCRA hasn't responded to the council. (Natalie Delgadillo / DCist)
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