Chairman Phil Mendelson

The Incredible Shrinking Stadium-Deal Benefits – “If you look at it you realize the only profit center in the entire project is the hotel,” Mendelson told [the author] recently. “That’s not to say we shouldn’t do the stadium. But the executive’s first line is, this is going to bring all this money to the city.” [Washington City Paper]

DC Residents and Businesses Will Face Fines for Not Shoveling Snow – Council Chair Phil Mendelson said, “This is about maintaining public policy that walks should be cleared when there’s a snowstorm.” [WJLA]

Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Passes DC Council – During Tuesday’s hearing, DC Council chairman Phil Mendelson amended the bill to clarify that the legislation would only apply to property sought for forfeiture, not for property that police are holding as evidence. [The Washington Times]

Little Chance DC Council Acts on Marijuana Sales by Year’s End – “The council needs to look very carefully at what the economic factors are,” Mendelson said, also expressing concerns about the “political acceptability of a licensing and taxing scheme.”  Mendelson said he is also in no rush to send the initiative itself for congressional review. There is no sense, he said, in transmitting the bill before the new Congress gavels to order because the 30-legislative-day review period resets when a congressional term ends. [The Washington Post]

Chairman Mendelson’s statement on the Passing of Councilmember Marion S. Barry can be viewed here.

                I speak for all members of the Council in stating our sadness at the passing of Marion Barry, and expressing our condolences to his family.  Mr. Barry was a member of the Council – dating back to the 1970s – as long as he was Mayor.  But his efforts on behalf of District residents lasted much longer.

                Mr. Barry was a voice on the Council for human rights and civil rights.  He championed policies to help Continue Reading

Own Goal: The DC United Stadium Faces a Skeptical Council – At a Council hearing last week on the plan, Chairman Phil Mendelson told City Administrator Allen Lew, who negotiated the deal on the city’s behalf, that he was “offended” to hear Lew dismiss the report’s contention that the city was overpaying.  Mendelson was frustrated by Lew’s implication that the deal was good enough to merit swift approval without amendment.  “I think it’s thumbing the nose at the legislative branch,” he told Lew. [Washington City Paper]

Norton Will Defend Initiative 71 to House of Representatives Today – Regardless, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said he plans to submit the initiative to Congress in January. [DCist]

DC Council Ponders Removing Reeves Center Swap from Soccer Stadium Deal – “It’s increasingly clear that the combining of two different projects makes this very difficult,” said Chairman Phil Mendelson (D), who acknowledged “conversations” about alternate ways to finance the stadium. [The Washington Post]

DC Faces Statehood, Marijuana Challenges with Republican Congress – When Congress gave us Home Rule they kind of walked away from the District, but they didn’t give everything to us, as we know, so it’s always a challenge how we can get their attention, get them to work with us because they haven’t delegated everything,” said D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, who was easily re-elected for another four-year term. With a new Congress, the challenge is building new relationships, he said. [Roll Call]

Will new financial estimates be enough for D.C. Council to approve a soccer stadium deal? – The cost-benefit analysis commissioned for council raised plenty of questions from Mendelson and other members of council, including how the District will pay for its portion of the costs, whether the District’s roughly $150 million cap for site acquisition and prep work have been set high enough to avoid unexpected overruns, and if the city is getting a good enough value for swapping 2000 14th St. NW in exchange for part of the land it needs to build the new stadium. [Washington Business Journal]

DC Council Chairman Urges Bowser, Gray to Set Aside Differences During Transition – “I think so, and they’d better,” Mendelson said. “I mean, this is important. This is about government, and government should not stall or suffer because of a transition between one mayor and the next mayor.  “But (in) my conversations with the mayor recently, he wants to work with her and work with the transition.” [WJLA]

DC Council Looks to Streamline Statehood Efforts – Each one has no members, according to D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson.  [Not] one of the four have been functioning for years, “if ever,” he said Monday at a briefing previewing the council’s Tuesday legislative agenda. [Roll Call]