DCentric

Good morning, DCentric readers! On weekdays that end with “y”, we like to serve up links. Let’s get to it:

The Straight Dope – Bill Moyers interviews David Simon “The Wire”-creator David Simon on the drug war: “The people most affected by this are black and brown and poor. It’s the abandoned inner cores of our urban areas. As we said before, economically, we don’t need those people; the American economy doesn’t need them. So as long as they stay in their ghettos and they only kill each other, we’re willing to pay for a police presence to keep them out of our America. And to let them fight over scraps, which is what the drug war, effectively, is.” (Guernica)

Homeless Families: not a part of Mayor Gray’s “One City” “There are 858 homeless families in the District, including more than 1,600 children. This represents an astounding 46 percent increase in homeless families since 2008, or 271 new families. Stacked against these families is a FY 2012 budget proposal that would shrink the homeless services budget by up to a quarter and dramatically cuts other services needed to help these families back to their feet, including cash assistance and affordable housing.” (dcfpi.org)

Nonresidents get a pass on DCPS tuition Last month, a child who brought cocaine to Thomson Elementary was found to be a Marlyand, not D.C. resident: “”I am deeply concerned that District tax dollars are being spent on a significant number of students that are not eligible to attend our schools,” at-large D.C. Councilman Sekou Biddle told De’Shawn Wright, deputy mayor for education, in a letter. Wright agreed that the Student Residency Office was understaffed and that “challenges” include the collection of nonresident tuition. DCPS does not employ a collection agency.” (Washington Examiner )

Bittersweet memories of “Chocolate City” “”Surveys show that when asked, blacks, on average, say the ‘ideal’ neighborhood racial composition would be about 30 to 35 percent black,” said Roderick J. Harrison, an associate professor of sociology and anthropology at Howard University. Why? Because blacks derive significant benefits from living among middle-class white people, such as better city services, better schools and higher-quality stores. Moreover, 30 percent is large enough for blacks to create a comfort zone that blunts the effects of white prejudice but small enough not to trigger white flight.” (The Washington Post)

D.C. eyes ‘jock tax’ on nonresident pro athletes Tennessee is making $1.1 million off a similar tax. One issue, though–tax could affect athletes who don’t make as much as Ovechkin: “Council member Jack Evans, Ward 2 Democrat, introduced a bill Tuesday to collect taxes from professional athletes who earn money in the District, but do not live in the city – a common yet controversial practice across the country. Mr. Evans said the District could gain as much as $5 million a year from the levy.” (Washington Times)