Tom Howell Jr.

D.C. Council clashes on Gray’s tax increases

The D.C. Council should scrap seven of the 13 tax and fee initiatives proposed in Mayor Vincent C. Gray's spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year, a council member with oversight of D.C. finances said Monday. Published May 16, 2011

Cheh: Green’s testimony ‘implausible’

Vincent C. Gray's campaign chairman says she never gave money or promised a job to the minor 2010 mayoral candidate who says he got both to furtively act as a Gray campaign operative last year. Published May 15, 2011

Gray confidante denies allegations of wrongdoing

Vincent C. Gray's campaign chairman testified Friday that she did not give payments or the promise a job to a minor mayoral candidate who says he got both those perks to furtively act as a Gray campaign operative last year. Published May 13, 2011

‘Yes’ pile will bring D.C. $127M in revenue

When Mayor Vincent C. Gray's budget team sifted through revenue-generating ideas for the coming fiscal year, they placed them in "yes" or "no" piles and let the executive choose among concepts "on the bubble," his budget director said. Published May 12, 2011

Issa proposes path to greater D.C. budget autonomy

The chairman of a U.S. House committee with oversight of D.C. affairs proposed a plan on Thursday that allows the District to spend its local funds on its terms by insulating it from federal budget squabbles on Capitol Hill. Published May 12, 2011

D.C. council chairman, mayor to testify on budget

Mayor Vincent C. Gray is "not going to speculate" on a U.S. House oversight committee's request to hear testimony Thursday on the District's budget - a move that raised the specter of the congressionally imposed financial control board. Published May 11, 2011

Orange rejoins D.C. Council; grateful for his ‘resurrection’

When the D.C. Democratic State Committee passed him over to temporarily fill a vacant at-large spot on the D.C. Council in January, Vincent B. Orange tuned his ear to the next Sunday's sermon. Published May 10, 2011

Business leaders balk at Gray’s tax plan

D.C. business and trade leaders sounded the alarm Monday about Mayor Vincent C. Grays call to increase or create 13 taxes to close a $322 million budget gap in the upcoming fiscal year. Published May 9, 2011

DYRS hearing probes agency’s internal friction

Recent violence at the New Beginnings Youth Development Center in Laurel illustrates a fundamental problem with the District's approach to juvenile offenders placed in residential treatment facilities, where "the youths are the boss" and "every kid knows this and acts accordingly," D.C. Council member Jim Graham said on Saturday. Published May 7, 2011

City State: Sulaimon Brown challenges mailed-subpoena rule

Sulaimon Brown, a key witness sought by a D.C. Council committee exploring Mayor Vincent C. Gray's hiring practices, is not happy with the method used to summon him to a hearing next Friday. Published May 6, 2011

Lululemon killing suspect indicted

A D.C. woman accused of brutally killing her co-worker at a yoga clothing boutique in Bethesda has been indicted. Published May 6, 2011

More suspicious letters retrieved from D.C. schools

The FBI is investigating six additional letters containing a white powdery substance that were sent to D.C. schools and received Friday morning, after at least 29 similar letters were recovered on Thursday. Published May 6, 2011

Youth fund told it needs ‘vision’ to regain money

D.C. Council member Tommy Wells on Wednesday challenged leaders of a nonprofit fund for D.C. youth programs to work with Mayor Vincent C. Gray on their vision for the city after program leaders and parents testified that budget cuts will have a dramatic effect on their children's progress. Published May 5, 2011

Subpoenas for reluctant witnesses sent by mail

A D.C. Council member took a new approach to reeling in a pair of elusive witnesses to testify at hearings on Mayor Vincent C. Gray's hiring practices: the mail. Published May 5, 2011

D.C.’s Cheh goes postal over hearing subpoenas

A D.C. Council member has taken a new approach to reeling in a pair of elusive witnesses to testify at hearings on Mayor Vincent C. Gray's hiring practices: the mail. Published May 5, 2011

Graham targets child agency salaries

A D.C. Council member rebuked the District's child welfare agency for failing to identify what positions could be cut among the dozens of "memo writers" and "meeting attenders" making more than $100,000 per year, arguing it could free up money for key priorities facing the budget ax. Published May 4, 2011

McDonnell asks Gray to intervene on Metro station

D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray says he will speak with the three D.C. appointees to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority about their votes to build a Metrorail stop under Washington Dulles International Airport instead of an above-ground option $300 million cheaper. Published May 4, 2011

City State: Farewell Sekou

The D.C. council sent off at-large member Sekou Biddle through gift and song at his last legislative meeting. Published May 3, 2011

Council tables study of police staffing

D.C. Council members batted away a proposal Tuesday that would pair the Metropolitan Police Department and its labor union to study retention and recruitment of D.C. officers, but they agreed that staffing is a key priority ahead of a potentially violent summer. Published May 3, 2011