It's beginning to look like DDOT's Gabe Klein and National Capital Planning Commission ("NCPC") 's L. Preston Bryant Jr. might come to blows on this one. After Bryant wrote a letter opposing the overhead wires and sent it to the Federal Transportation Administration ("FTA") Klein accused him of "blackmailing" local officials to get his way. In fact, here's the money section:
"This use of apparent blackmail is troublesome since NCPC appears to be attempting to sidetrack a rare funding opportunity for a key transportation project that lies beyond its authority and jurisdiction," Klein wrote. "It also appears that you are seeking to inappropriately expand your strictly advisory role related to projects in the District."
Ouch!
5 comments:
I really, really like Gabe. He seems like a bit of a loose cannon, but he gets shit done.
Given that most of DC government is utterly dysfunctional and doesn't seem to care about progress or not, it is a breath of fresh air.
Keep it up.
That's why I'm voting for Fenty. He's not perfect, but I like the people he puts in place. I'm still pissed about Gray's attempt to pull funding in the middle of the night.
Anacostia already has overhead wires, and so does upper Northwest above Florida Ave. I think that Klein is correct, this is merely a power grab.
Textbook blackmail, no doubt... Trying to sabotage a grant if NCPC doesn't get additional powers over areas where they've never had any interest before.
Gabe isn't being "whiny," he's doing his job.
Strongly agree that the tone of Klein's letter is appropriate and even obligatory given the audacious and inappropriate NCPC power-grab.
Who says we have to lie down as a relic like the NCPC tells us what we can and can't do in our own town. NCPC never stood up for anything in this part of town before.
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