JackEvans@DCCouncil.US

202.724.8058

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue • NW • Room 106 • Washington • DC • 20004

www.JackEvans.org

For those not familiar with the appeals process, staff from the Real Property Tax Administration handles first level appeals. If you are not pleased with the outcome of the first appeal, you must file your next one with the Board of Real Property Assessments and Appeals (BRPAA) by September 30, 2006. If you still feel you have been unfairly assessed, you may file a claim with the DC Superior Court. Assessments are based on the property's market value, so appeals must show why an individual or entity would not pay the open market price.

Four conditions may result in a successful appeal:

• Market Value: Evidence such as a recent written appraisal, a recent settlement statement and/or property insurance documents can prove an assessment is in error;
• Equalization: Providing a list of comparable properties may show the assessment is inaccurate. All property assessments are available online. It is helpful to look at other properties on your "square". Remember, to compare properties with the same "tax use code" for the most accurate comparisons;
• Classification: This appeal may be used when an error has occurred in the classification of properties: residential, commercial, mixed-use or exempt; or
• Property Damage or Condition: Sometimes sales increase when a number of properties have been renovated. This may reflect the value of the improved properties not those that have not been renovated. Also, damaged properties may not be worth as much as recent sales would otherwise indicate.

While this information will be needed for your appeal, it is not necessary to include it with your initial appeal form. For more information about the appeal process, visit the Chief Financial Officer's website or contact Evans' Director of Constituent Services, Michele Molotsky.

http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/EVANS/newsletter/Week.of.03.24.06.htm#APPEALS

Budget hearings highlight DC Council's calendar of events
The Fiscal Year 2007 budget season officially began this week with Mayor Williams presenting his proposed budget to the DC Council for review. Over the next several weeks, the DC Council will hold budget hearings on the proposed budgets for DC agencies.

Each District government agency will provide testimony to DC Council committees which have oversight. In Councilmember Evans' case, as Chair of the Committee on Finance and Revenue, he will hear from: the DC Lottery and Charitable Games; Board of Real Property Assessments and Appeals; Office of the Chief Financial Officer; Office of Tax and Revenue; Office of Revenue Analysis; Office of Financial Operations and Systems; and the Office of Finance and Treasury. All budget oversight hearings are open to the public and are held in the John A. Wilson building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Below is a list of the remaining oversight hearings:

Committee on Health - March 22, 2006, 10:00 am - Council Chamber
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Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs - March 22, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412
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Committee on the Judiciary - March 23, 2006, 10:00 am - Council Chamber
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Committee on Public Works and the Environment - March 23, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412
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Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation - March 24, 2006, 9:00 am - Council Chamber
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Committee on Health - March 24, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412
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Committee of the Judiciary - March 27, 2006, 10:00 am - Council Chamber
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Committee on Human Services - March 27, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412
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Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation - March 28, 2006, 10:00 am - Council Chamber
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Committee of the Whole - March 28, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412
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Committee on Public Works and the Environment - March 29, 2006, 10:00 am - Council Chamber
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Committee on Economic Development - March 29, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412

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Committee on Human Services - March 30, 2006, 10:00 am - Council Chamber
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Committee on the Judiciary - March 30, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412

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Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs - March 31, 2006, 10:00 am - Council Chamber
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Committee on Health - March 31, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412
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Committee on Human Services - April 3, 2006, 10:00 am - Council Chamber
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Committee on Government Operations - April 3, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412
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Committee on Economic Development - April 5, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412

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Committee on Finance and Revenue - April 5, 2006, 11:00 am - Council Chamber

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Committee on Government Operations - April 6, 2006, 10:00 am - Council Chamber
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Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation - April 6, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412
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Committee of the Whole - April 7, 2006, 10:00 am - Council Chamber
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Committee on Human Services - April 7, 2006, 10:00 am - Room 412
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For more information, contact Evans' Committee Clerk, Eric Goulet.

http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/EVANS/newsletter/Week.of.03.24.06.htm#BUDGET

"Giving and receiving gifts is a part of our culture and the thousands of cherry trees across our city continue to provide a sense of well being. I am happy to participate in such a festival," Evans said. "It is astounding after 94 years, people visiting DC for the first time schedule their trips when the cherries are in full bloom - spread the word, come visit DC in the spring when the scenery is the most historic."

The National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., in conjunction with the National Park Service (NPS), Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the District organizes this annual two-week, citywide festival featuring daily cultural performances, sporting events, arts & crafts demonstrations and other special events.

Rob DeFeo, NPS Chief Horticulturist, predicts the blooming period will be March 26-28. The NPS maintains a Bloom Watch website to keep everyone updated regarding the status of the cherry tree blossoms.

The planting of cherry trees originated in 1912 as gift of friendship to the United States from the people of Japan. The famous trees signal the coming of spring with an explosion of life and color surrounding the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin in a sea of pale pink and white. First Lady Mrs. William Howard Taft and the Vicountess Chinda of Japan planted the first two of these trees on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park.

Today more than 3,700 cherry trees of several varieties grow around the Tidal Basin, at East Potomac Park and on the Washington Monument Grounds.

For more information about tickets, visit the official Cherry Blossom Festival website. Ticket proceeds go to the Downtown Jaycees, a non-profit organization of young professionals who are dedicated to community service, particularly education programs for disadvantaged children.

East Potomac Park and the Southwest Waterfront promenade are the best viewing locations for the fireworks show on Saturday, April 1 at 8:15 p.m.

http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/EVANS/newsletter/Week.of.03.24.06.htm#CB

"The FY 2007 budget completes the commitment the DC Council made in the Tax Parity Act of 1999 to make DC's income tax rates more equitable with our surrounding jurisdictions," Councilmember Evans said. "Overall, I believe Mayor Williams did a tremendous job with his budget proposal, however, I remain concerned about growing the recurring spending of the government at a rate of 6.6% (above the rate of inflation). We continue to balance additional spending through tax increases while DC's residents and businesses remain the most overtaxed in the country."

Additionally, two tax increases were included in this year's budget. The first increases the 911 fee from 76 cents to $1.45 per month per phone line in order to generate $15 million. The second tax increase involves raising the residential deed recordation and transfer tax from 1.1 to 1.5 percent in order to generate $47.2 million.

For more information, contact Evans' Committee Clerk, Eric Goulet.

http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/EVANS/newsletter/Week.of.03.24.06.htm#AAW

The DC Fire/EMS Department is seeking 1,500 qualified applicants to take the Firefighter/EMT Entry-Level Exam on May 20, 2006. To be considered as a test taker, representatives from Fire/EMS and DC Office of Personnel (DCOP) must receive applications on March 25. Qualified applicants for the Firefighter/EMT Entry-Level Exam will be notified by mail by DCOP and will receive study materials in their notification package.

Applications must be submitted in person on March 25 only at one of the nine DC locations listed below - only one application may be submitted per person.

• Ward 1- Banneker Recreation Center, 2500 Georgia Avenue, NW
• Ward 2 - Kennedy Recreation Center, 1401 7th Street, NW
• Ward 3 - Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601 Connecticut Avenue, NW
• Ward 4 - Emery Recreation Center, 5701 Georgia Avenue, NW
• Ward 5 - Turkey Thicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Avenue, NE
• Ward 6 - Sherwood Recreation Center, 640 10th Street, NE
• Ward 7 - Hillcrest Recreation Center, 3100 Denver Street, SE
• Ward 8 - Bald Eagle Recreation Center, 100 Joliet Street, SW
• DC Fire/EMS Training Academy, 4600 Shepherd Parkway, SW

All applicants must take the written firefighter/EMT entry-level examination, pass a physical abilities test, pass psychological and medical examinations and, submit to urinalysis before being eligible to join a recruit class at the DC Fire/EMS Training Academy.

The following list will help those interested in becoming a DC Firefighter/EMT

• Applications for Firefighter: EMT Entry-Level Exam
• Submitting Completed Applications: March 25, 2006
• Application Submission Locations: March 25, 2006
• Minimum Requirements: Firefighter/EMT
• Salary: Firefighter/EMT
• Exam Day Information: May 20, 2006
• Official DC Fire/EMS 2006 Firefighter/EMT Entry-Level Exam Flyer

For more information, contact Evans' Director of Constituent Services, Michele Molotsky or the DC Fire/EMS Recruiting Officer at 673-3330.

http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/EVANS/newsletter/Week.of.03.24.06.htm#FEMS

"I want to thank GROW for contributing to the greening of DC," Councilmember Evans said. "It doesn't quite feel like spring yet, but it will soon!"

Emmaus Seniors Services (1426 9th Street, NW) will receive $700 to continue its indoor and outdoor garden project started last year in their seniors' day center. The funds will go to the purchase of houseplants, flower boxes, container plantings and perennials.

St. John's Episcopal Preschool (3240 O Street, NW) will receive $900 to expand their learning gardens that were started in 2004. The Preschool will use their grant to buy edible plants, trees, shrubs and perennials.

The mini-grants program operated by GROW is funded by the TKF Foundation, the Band Foundation and the Acorn Garden Club. GROW encourages neighborhood revitalization, environmental stewardship, youth development and local organic food production through community and youth gardens in the District of Columbia.

For more information, contact Evans' Economic Development liaison, Windy Abdul-Rahim.

http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/EVANS/newsletter/Week.of.03.24.06.htm#GROW

"The two mailings are confusing, but the most important thing to remember is your taxes cannot be more than 10% higher than last year," Evans said. "This is the fifth year in a row we will experience double digit increases making the tax cap even more important."

Legislation passed by the DC Council last year, which Councilmember Evans spearheaded, places a 10% cap on your property tax bill -- not on the assessment itself. In other words, your Tax Year 2006 bill cannot go up more than 10% over your Tax Year 2005 bill.

Your 2007 assessment, if done accurately, should reflect the market value of your house as of January 1, 2006. If you believe your assessed value is higher than what you believe is the market value of your home, you should consider filing an appeal of the assessment, which is outlined on your assessment notice. Property owners who disagree with the proposed assessment must file an appeal with OTR by April 1, 2006. For more information about the appeal process, visit OTR's website.

Real property values and assessments can be found online at OTR's Real Property Tax Database. Information in the database may be helpful for formulating appeals.

There are also several tax relief programs available for DC residents:

• In addition to the 10% cap on increased property tax bills, the DC Council also increased the Homestead Deduction to $60,000. Both the cap and the Homestead Deduction apply to owner-occupied properties only, and are effective this year.
• The Senior Citizen Deduction allows property owners 65 or older, and with a household income of less than $100,000, to reduce their property tax bill by 50%.
• The Lower Income Home Ownership Tax Abatement program allows eligible property owners a five-year tax abatement and exemption from recordation and transfer fees. The property must be owner-occupied by a first time homebuyer, the owner must meet the income level requirement and the property must be less than $264,000 in value.

OTR's Real Property Tax Administration conducts a citywide outreach effort to provide information on how the assessment process is conducted, what to expect when the new assessments are mailed and how to appeal a property assessment by the April 3 due date. If you would like to invite an OTR representative to your next community meeting, contact Thomas Branham, Chief Assessor at 442-6740.

For assistance with specific questions about tax assessments or bills, contact Evans' Director of Constituent Services, Michele Molotsky. For information regarding tax legislation, contact Evans' Committee on Finance and Revenue Clerk, Eric Goulet.

http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/EVANS/newsletter/Week.of.03.24.06.htm#PTAX

Wiebenson playground receives dedication
After two years of hard labor, supporters of the Ross Elementary School gave birth to a new, beautiful playground and celebrated at a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, March 22. Nearly 100 students, teachers, parents, residents and DC/School Board representatives came together to christen the John Wiebenson playground.

Two years ago, Ross Parent and Teacher Association members Dawn Dickerson, Maureen Diner and Noreen O'Connor decided the school's playground was a disgrace and unsafe, so, they set about to renovate it hoping to finish within one year. Many bureaucratic obstacles, fundraising frustrations, permit problems and neighborhood complaints have come and gone since then, but it was all worth it when the ribbon was cut.

During the program, there were the usual speeches, but it was also filled with special moments. The Ross Choir, led by Vice Principal Kenneth Rogers, sang, "America the Beautiful" and "You've got a friend". Mayor Williams' Interim Director of the Department of the Environment, Elizabeth Berry gave an Environmental Excellence award to the General Contractor, David Cantwell who donated his time and labor costs. Sam Smith eulogized his friend John Wiebenson for whom the park is named due to his dedication to Ross Elementary School. And, of course, Gloria Smith, Ross' beloved principal addressed the assembled crowd.

It is amazing to behold the number of people who contributed to the success of this playground Who else attended? Well, who didn't!

• ANC Commissioners: Mark Bjorge, Darren Bowie, Bob Meehan and Mike Silverstein, who mediated neighborhood concerns and public space issues;
• DC's Department of Health, Environmental Health Administration representative Alexi Boado who helped Ross apply for a Watershed Protection grant which made the playground "greener";
• DCPS Superintendent Clifford Janey's representative Johnnie Fairfax and Jennifer Battle who was the Project Manager from DCPS who helped make the impossible happen;
• Dupont Circle Citizens Association (DCCA) President Bill Glew and Education Committee members Debbie Hanrahan, Don Jones, Dave Mallof, Judith Neibrief and Patricia Steele: DCCA has supported Ross with donations and volunteers which both were indispensable on this project;
• John Wiebenson's family, including his wife Abigail and two sons;
• 21st Century Fund: Iris Rothman accepted an award for Nancy Huvendick; and
• Councilmember Evans' Dupont Circle Liaison Michele Molotsky who helped secure $25,000 grant from the Department of Parks and Recreation and an early dispersal from JBG Construction from a Planned Unit Development amenity package.

Wiebenson, for whom the playground is dedicated, was a Dupont Circle architect and community activist well known for creating affordable, welcoming spaces for local community-serving nonprofit organizations including Ross Elementary. John died in 2003 and as the Washington Post wrote, he was "doing something typical of the 70-year-old…He was visiting a job site on a Sunday morning, checking on an expansion project he was overseeing for a nonprofit social service organization, Martha's Table". The love and respect everyone has for John was very apparent.

For more information, contact Evans' Dupont Circle liaison, Michele Molotsky.

http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/EVANS/newsletter/Week.of.03.24.06.htm#ROSS

"Leases have been signed and build out work is in process. I think this is a great mix of services for the community and the businesses should do very well," Councilmember Evans said. "It has been a long process, but this summer's deadline for opening is greatly anticipated."

Currently, utility, mechanical, electrical and drywall work are in various stages of completion. Outstanding work includes, but is not limited to, fire alarm and other inspections, purchase and installation of air-conditioning and heating units, assisting with tenant build-out and completion of other individual space needs.

For more information on the Washington Convention Center Retail space, contact Theresa DuBois, Washington Convention Center External Affairs Manager at the Washington Convention Center, 249-3900 or Evans' Shaw liaison, Windy Abdul-Rahim.

http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/EVANS/newsletter/Week.of.03.24.06.htm#WCC

"Through the play 'Where Eagles Fly', Carole and Ibrahim Mumin have successfully taken the vision of the rich history in Shaw and shared it with the neighborhood and city," Councilmember Evans said. "Over 10 years ago the play made a successful run at the Lincoln Theatre. Now it's back and a must for everyone. The Shaw neighborhood has experienced many changes since the early '90's and it is important that its history is memorialized and honored. It is important to support our own and I hope everyone will come out and see this magnificent production."

For additional information about the play, its running dates and to purchase tickets, visit www.whereeaglesflyllc.com or call 939.0560.

For more information on Shaw happenings, contact Evans' Shaw liaison, Windy Abdul-Rahim.

http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/EVANS/newsletter/Week.of.03.24.06.htm#WEF