You may have read that piece in yesterday's Washington Post about Tommy Wells. . I've gotten some reader feedback expressing the opinion that the Post really shortchanged Councilmember Wells and downplayed his hard work in Ward 6. Biggest complaint I'm hearing? The Post neglected to mention important stuff like getting Eastern Market up and running quickly after a devastating fire, or the fight over streetcar funding. I've said it before, but the Post really needs to step up its local reporting. So, I'm going join others in displaying some photos of Tommy Wells around the neighborhood. Photos by Andrew Lightman. You can do the same if you like. Feel free to steal the code, just make sure that you credit Andrew.
Here's a link that you can use if you prefer. pass it around if you like.
http://www.photoshelter.com/swf/CSlideShow.swf?feedSRC=http%3A//www.lightmanphotos.com/gallery/Tommy/G00003f6GjmbRI54%3Ffeed%3Djson
18 comments:
Personally I found DeBonis' article to be spot on. It may not have been a glowing endorsement of Wells, but it didn't paint Robinson as some amazing alternative either.
T.W. is a greedy selfpromoting developer!
For three years, we, the residents of the Eastern Market area have been fighting his idea of redeveloping Penn Avenue and SLOWING the traffic on it. His big plans to redesign EM Metro stop area are hurting our neighborhood and shall create chaos and traffic jams.
T.W. - we do NOT want you to be reelected!
Speak for yourself sekica.
Of all the city councilmembers Tommy Wells is by far the most dedicated, progressive and accessible. We are extremely lucky to have him as OUR councilmember.
One need look no further than Harry Thomas to realize what a great advocate we have in Tommy Wells.
When the streetcars were cut out of the budget by Gray in the dead of the night before the council budget vote, Tommy stood up and fought it along with the rest of us. Meanwhile, Harry Thomas meekly went along with Gray and the Mayor for Life himself, Marion Barry.
In general, this upcoming election comes down to two choices: either voting for people who want to go back to the do-nothing government days of Marion Barry (see: Gray, Harry Thomas) or people like Tommy Wells who actually get up in the morning and get &$%^! done.
You do realize it's not the Post's job to write a puff piece on the candidate you happen to prefer.
@serica
Out of curiosity, why is it a bad idea to slow down traffic in the middle of a residential/commercial area of a city?
Personally, I think that is currently the only good thing about the ongoing H St. construction. Cars are actually traveling the speed limit and not breaking it by at least 10mph.
The only reason Tommy helped with the street cars is that it's an election year. After the election, he will forget NE even exists.
Wells is a developer?
I'm pretty sure he'd be surprised to find that out.
From what I understand he has no finacial interest in anything in his ward.
If you have evidence to the contrary, please go ahead and share it.
As for development of the Eastern Market area, that was open to ridiculous amounts of public comment before any decisions were made.
I don't agree with Wells on everything, but to say he's a greedy self-promoting developer is simply, well, a lie.
Unless, that is, you've got actual proof of him personally having a stake in any of any development deals in Ward 6.
Should we just wait patiently for that proof?
I am skeptical about the amount of money going into the streetcars, the non-strategic planning and lack of transparency that went into them, and the disruptive and lengthy process to get the tracks down. I think free vehicle like the green and orange Old Town trolleys would have been better and much cheaper. I think the traffic on H with the streetcar, the buses and the cars will be a disaster. And, the streetcar does not go very far toward where people work. What is the point? I live 4 houses off H, and am dreading the noise. I have traveled to countries with working streetcars and it is loud.
Wells replaced Sharon Ambrose and since then, much more has happened in the H st corridor when Ambrose was focused on Barracks Row. Since i've lived near 7th and K NE, we've had a fantastic community driven renovation of the JO Wilson outdoor space which is now a centerpiece of this neighborhood. Wells was part and parcel of this project and many more in the H St neighborhood. He's genuine, accessible, reasonable, and get this, he actually listens and cares. I've never witness a public servant be as involved as he has been. I've live in SE and NE for the last 12 years, what progress we've seen that benefits everyone...
I live in Penn Quarter, the western-most edge of Ward 6. Tommy Wells is a terrific city council member. I have contacted him several times and he has responded promptly and taken action on every issue I've raised, so high marks on constituent service. He worked hard (if unsuccessfully) to find a grocer to open a store in PQ. He is a real leader in the livable city movement here. And he's a very nice guy. I love him, don't know him personally, just a citizen.
just read the article, not exactly a ringing endorsement for robinson. i think i'll stay with wells.
another election thought, i can't believe how bad fenty is doing with the african american population (based on this post article: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/debonis/2010/08/dc_poll_finds_gray_holds_slim.html#more
how can a mayor who is almost solely focused on fixing schools be so unpopular with the demographic that suffers the most from the tragedy that is DC's schools?
this is an honest question, not trying to start any hostile conversations
dc
Wow Jim Graham is on the Kojo show bragging about having the police move gang members out of his ward 1 to NE. What a jerk.
Out of curiosity, why is it a bad idea to slow down traffic in the middle of a residential/commercial area of a city?
^ penn ave is a major thoroughfare from downtown to SE/southern maryland. i don't know what these traffic slowing proposals are, but it sounds like a potential traffic nightmare. if anything, we should try to be opening up penn ave adjacent to the white house (closed after a shooter *walked* up to the white house and shot at it)
also, i think the article was fair to wells. he is a progressive, concerned with transportation alternatives, etc, nothing seemed like a caricature
did seem like the reporter could have investigated richardson's anc accomplishments more, if there are any
i think wells has failed to be responsive on the wylie substation issue, but he is responsive in other areas. the streetcar process is disorganized as well, but i don't know what share of the blame he holds there
Wylie,
the article just seemed strange to me. I typically love most stuff written by Mike DeBonis. I think he's a terrific writer, and I truly admire his work a lot. Truth be told, he's one of my favorite local writers. That's why I wonder if it wasn't editing that made this article just seem off. One major omission: Kelvin Robinson wants to strip away gay marriage. It's one thing to oppose marriage equality (I won't vote for any candidate who does that), it's another to seek to strip gay people of a civil right. Gay people pay taxes in DC, and deal with all the same issues as everyone else. Robinson wants to take away some of their rights. That just isn't fair. I won't support that.
I'm sorry Sekica -- I couldn't disagree with you more.
I understand PA Ave is a major commuting route, but the traffic moves too fast for the residential neighborhood it cuts through.
I'm glad to have a Councilmember like Tommy Wells who represents my interests rather than the commuters from Maryland.
I'm glad to have a Councilmember like Tommy Wells who represents my interests rather than the commuters from Maryland.
^ penn ave is also the major thoroughfare for people trying to get from downtown to ward 8. it's not just for marylanders.
That'w all well and good, but Well's job is to look out for the interests of his constituents who live there, not the people from elsewhere who use it as a shortcut to commute. It isn't a highway and shouldn't be treated like one.
From what I have seen most of the cars coming down Pennylvania have Maryland tags and are trying to get to the BW Parkway.
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