Breakfast links: New legislation

A slew of new laws

Starting today, the “rain tax” is gone and toll rates are lower in Maryland, DC’s minimum wage is a dollar higher, and new regulations for ride-hailing companies in Maryland and Virginia are in effect, among many other legislative changes. (Post)

Montgomery goes private

The Montgomery County Council voted to convert its Department of Economic Development into a private nonprofit. The organization will receive public funding, but have a more agile approach to development. (Post)

Council calls

The DC Council signed off on land-sale agreements, a developer agreement, and a ground lease for the DC United stadium. (WBJ) … The Council won’t move forward with a study on a city-owned power company, a move Mary Cheh claims is the result of Pepco lobbying. (City Paper)

Place matters

Lack of visibility can hamper the success of public amenities like parks, plazas, and public art. Bethesda’s growth plan will work to make new public spaces larger and more accessible than older spots. (Post)

Bike’s share of a commute

Sometimes biking all the way to a destination can seem intimidating. WABA shares tips on how to incorporate biking into a multimodal commute that includes Metrorail, buses, or Capital Bikeshare.

What shall we call you, Uber

Earlier this year, the Associated Press said journalists should call services offered by companies like Uber and Lyft ride-hailing rather than ride-sharing. But is “ride-sourcing” a more appropriate term? (Washingtonian)

Test drive your digs

Realtor.com will now display AirBnB rentals from neighborhoods where buyers are searching for homes, marketing the ads as an opportunity for people to test drive their potential new neighborhoods. (Urban Turf)

And…

According to a Harvard study, 46% of DC area renters are burdened by housing costs. (UrbanTurf) … Montgomery County Council President George Leventhal says the county can’t start looking for additional money for the Purple Line until it has more details about the cuts. (WAMU) … Monday was a hard day for Metro’s Red Line. One reporter documented her harrowing commute. (Post)