The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi
WAMU 88.5Join Kojo and resident analyst Tom Sherwood on Fridays at noon for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Each week Kojo and Tom help make sense of legislation, hold elected officials accountable and provide in-depth analysis of local issues and elections. The Politics Hour is also a vital forum for Washingtonians to engage directly with their local leaders.
Join Kojo and resident analyst Tom Sherwood on Fridays at noon for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Each week Kojo and Tom help make sense of legislation, hold elected officials accountable and provide in-depth analysis of local issues and elections. The Politics Hour is also a vital forum for Washingtonians to engage directly with their local leaders.
The Politics Hour: Redistricting update in Virginia and Maryland plus D.C.'s budget chaos
The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved a bill to block D.C. from uncoupling the city's tax code from the federal code. It's a move that will cost the District nearly $700 million in revenue and will almost certainly lead the city to ax the first-of-its-kind local child tax credit. Ward 5 D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker joined the show to discuss what Congress's interference means for the District.
Parker said the change could also create tax season chaos. 360,000 District residents file personal income returns. The tax code shift might force the city to push back its tax filing deadline to the fall. "We don't fully have a picture of what that might mean, but it would certainly impact not only our cash on hand, but how we deal with tax season," he said. Parker also noted the Council is exploring its legal options.
Plus, he talked about the Potomac River sewage spill, which now may be the largest wastewater spill in U.S. history.
Virginia Democrats approved new congressional maps this week that could give the party a 10-to-1 seat advantage in the upcoming midterm elections. Several steps remain before the maps could take effect, including a statewide referendum on April 21. VPM State Politics reporter Jahd Khalil joined us from Richmond to break down the news that the Virginia Supreme Court will allow the referendum to proceed.
Rep. April McClain Delaney, who represents a portion of Montgomery County and western Maryland, introduced legislation this week to block the opening of an ICE facility in her district. She joined the show to explain why she's pushing against it, despite local officials voting in favor of bringing the facility to the county.
Delaney said she spoke directly to John Barr, president of the county commission, about the planned detention center.
"I said, "Listen, I've been in Minnesota at a field hearing and have seen the horrific state of what is happening there. I was at the Baltimore ICE facility.'... It’s unconstitutional, and I think a violation of human rights," she said.
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