Breakfast links: Banishing the money

Get corporate money out of politics

Bryan Weaver and Sylvia Brown are spearheading a ballot initiative to ban corporate political contributions.  This would make local rules more like federal ones. (Post)

Second Bethesda entrance delayed

Montgomery officials delayed funding a second Bethesda Metro entrance until after 2018. They saying it’s not necessary until the Purple Line comes, but transit activists disagree. (Post)

Orange weeds out cultivation centers

Councilmember Vincent Orange persuaded the DC Council to limit the number of marijuana cultivation centers in any one ward to 6. Ward 5 was initially planned to have 8. (DCist)

Cheh gives Uber love

Councilmember Mary Cheh criticized the sting operation Chairman Ron Linton ran against Uber, instead urging the two sides to work together. Cheh hopes to address Uber’s legality in a hearing later this month. (Examiner)

Caps lock off on signs

DC is replacing its previously all capital letter street signs with mixed-case ones. The easier to read signs comply with a new federal standard. Old signs will be replaced as needed and full conversion should take about ten years. (Post)

Rising sea levels bad for DC

A modest rise of 4 inches in sea level over the next few decades could be disastrous for DC costing billions in damages. (Post)

Size matters

Rents on three-bedroom and studio apartments in the DC area shot up 6.06% and 5.4% respectively. Meanwhile two-bedroom rents went up 1% while one-bedroom rents actually saw a 1.73% decrease. (UrbanTurf)

And…

As expected, the Ward 5 special election will be May 15. (Post) … A Chicago columnist criticizes the Cubs for riding transit. (The Green Miles) … As Americans get wider, so do transit seats. (NYT)