Chairman Mendelson hopes you and your family had a wonderful 4th of July weekend!  Here are some news stories from the past week involving the Chairman:

Meet the Democrat in DC Who is Cutting Taxes for the Rich – And For Everyone Else – In truth, the District’s most powerful politician you’ve probably never heard of is in the middle of a once-in-a-generation campaign to cut taxes for almost every D.C. resident. A council vote Tuesday could be a litmus test, not only for Mendelson’s power as chairman, but also for the mayor’s — and for the identity of a rapidly gentrifying city.  [The Washington Post]

DC Council to Consider Income Tax Cuts Opposed by Mayor – The accelerated tax cuts would also benefit poor and middle-income households. Mendelson has said it’s important to move forward with the commission’s recommendations, which the council first approved last year. Bowser voted for the cuts before becoming mayor.  [ABC7]

DC Council Questions Progress on Truancy Reforms – “I feel like you’re identifying problems but criticizing us for not having solved those problems,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said to Okonkwo. “Which is what we’re trying to do, and at some schools the problem is overwhelming… The goal is not court prosecutions, but you have to have court at the end of the process as a stick while we try to improve the carrot.”  [Washington City Paper]

DC United Stadium Takes a Key Step Forward – Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said at the time that legislators would move quickly to approve all of those measures, and they did. The documents set the parameters for the stadium project going forward, including timelines, cost caps and each party’s responsibilities.  [Washington Business Journal]

DC Traffic Camera Contracts Under Review After CEO Pleads Guilty to Bribing Officials – “This is the first I’m hearing of this,” said Phil Mendelson, the Chairman of DC City Council – a position he held in 2012 when the city entered into this three-year, $4.5 million contract with Redflex.  Mendelson doesn’t recall any red flags when the contract was issued. But says it’s time to revisit it, especially since Finley was CEO at the time.  “I think the government should look at the contract,” added Mendelson.  [ABC 7]

DC Takes Final Step Toward Sweeping Tax Reforms, Accelerates Cuts – The District’s chief financial officer on Tuesday revised the revenue estimate for fiscal 2015 upward by $117 million. The estimate came after the council had voted on the compromise date for tax cuts, but Mendelson said it “completely reinforces the point that I was making that we can afford this, and the District government’s financial situation is very healthy.”  [The Washington Post]