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.

It’s budget season on The Politics Hour.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser released <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/03/dc-budget-bowser-cuts-tax-hikes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">her budget proposal</a> on Wednesday calling for some tax increases and hefty cuts, including to the <a href="https://osse.dc.gov/ecepayequity" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund</a>. The cuts were met with pushback from some councilmembers, including Christina Henderson who made an <a href="https://twitter.com/SegravesNBC4/status/1775634994188185739" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">emotional plea</a> to save the fund. She explains why she disagrees with some elements of the Mayor’s proposed budget. Plus, what’s Councilmember Henderson’s take on the District committing $515 million <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/04/01/capital-one-arena-wizards-capitals-deal" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">to renovate Capital One Arena</a>?

Last month, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich unveiled <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/03/14/montgomery-county-budget-elrich/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">his budget proposal</a> featuring no new taxes and increased spending on schools.  Montgomery County Council Vice Chair Kate Stewart gives her take. Plus, she’ll explain why <a href="https://moco360.media/2024/04/02/council-houses-of-worship-can-build-affordable-housing-on-their-land/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">houses of worship can now build affordable housing</a> and how an agreement on a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/03/maryland-budget-tobacco-tax/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">new state budget</a> impacts Montgomery County.

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It’s budget season on The Politics Hour.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser released her budget proposal on Wednesday calling for some tax increases and hefty cuts, including to the Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund. The cuts were met with pushback from some councilmembers, including Christina Henderson who made an emotional plea to save the fund. She explains why she disagrees with some elements of the Mayor’s proposed budget. Plus, what’s Councilmember Henderson’s take on the District committing $515 million to renovate Capital One Arena?
Last month, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich unveiled his budget proposal featuring no new taxes and increased spending on schools.  Montgomery County Council Vice Chair Kate Stewart gives her take. Plus, she’ll explain why houses of worship can now build affordable housing and how an agreement on a new state budget impacts Montgomery County.
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D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson on why it’s mistake to cut a fund that pays early childhood educators and Montgomery County Vice President Kate Stewart on why the county is increasing school spending.

‘Tis budget season: Big cuts in D.C. and school spending in Montgomery County

It was a <a href="https://wamu.org/story/24/05/14/after-primary-wins-alsobrooks-hogan-will-go-head-to-head-for-maryland-u-s-senate-seat/">big win</a> for Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Maryland. She beat out three-term congressman David Trone, despite being <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/national-politics/angela-alsobrooks-campaign-strategy-G6APTNNJ5FDJTFWCAVOP56WNAU/">significantly outspent</a>. Now, she moves on to the general election, where she will take on the popular former Maryland governor, Republican Larry Hogan, in a race that’s already <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/16/larry-hogan-md-sen-00158328">garnering national attention</a>. Alsobrooks joins the show to discuss how she defied the odds, what she heard from voters on the campaign trail, and how she’s preparing for November’s face-off against Hogan.There were other important primary races in Maryland as well. Maryland Matters reporter Will Ford gets behind the mic to break down the results in several <a href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/05/15/elfreth-tops-dunn-in-hard-fought-3rd-district-house-primary/">Congressional District elections</a>, plus more insight into what propelled Alsobrooks to a <a href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/05/15/already-historic-senate-race-gets-more-so-as-alsobrooks-gets-nod-to-take-on-hogan/">win.</a>Congress is once again intervening in D.C. affairs. On Wednesday, the U.S. House voted to restrict the D.C. Council from passing any legislation <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/05/15/house-vote-dc-crimes-act/">changing sentencing laws</a> in the District. While the bill still needs to pass the Senate and the president has expressed opposition, it has city officials <a href="https://twitter.com/DCAttorneyGen/status/1790747675505176768">deeply concerned</a>. Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen discusses why he thinks the legislation is a bad idea. Plus, could <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/05/15/connecticut-avenue-bike-lane-revived/">bike lanes be back</a> in the plans for Connecticut Avenue?Become a member of WAMU: <a href="https://donate.wamu.org/page/15696/donate/1">wamu.org/donate</a>Send us questions and comments for guests: <a href="mailto:kojo@wamu.org">kojo@wamu.org</a>Follow us on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wamu885/">instagram.com/wamu885</a>Follow us on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thepoliticshour">facebook.com/thepoliticshour</a>

It was a big win for Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Maryland. She beat out three-term congressman David Trone, despite being significantly outspent. Now, she moves on to the general election, where she will take on the popular former Maryland governor, Republican Larry Hogan, in a race that’s already garnering national attention. Alsobrooks joins the show to discuss how she defied the odds, what she heard from voters on the campaign trail, and how she’s preparing for November’s face-off against Hogan.
There were other important primary races in Maryland as well. Maryland Matters reporter Will Ford gets behind the mic to break down the results in several Congressional District elections, plus more insight into what propelled Alsobrooks to a win.
Congress is once again intervening in D.C. affairs. On Wednesday, the U.S. House voted to restrict the D.C. Council from passing any legislation changing sentencing laws in the District. While the bill still needs to pass the Senate and the president has expressed opposition, it has city officials deeply concerned. Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen discusses why he thinks the legislation is a bad idea. Plus, could bike lanes be back in the plans for Connecticut Avenue?
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Angela Alsobrooks on her win in the Democratic primary for Maryland’s U.S. Senate seat. Plus, Maryland Matters reporter Will Ford on election results and D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen on crime and bike lanes.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks on her big primary win; D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen talks bike lanes and crime

With the primary now only days away, polls show <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/national-politics/maryland-us-senate-polling-THD4X26KX5EUHFBVHUZNXZEJ44/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a very tight race</a> for Maryland’s Senate seat. The election is capturing <a href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/05/07/the-whole-world-is-watching/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">national attention </a>as <a href="https://wtop.com/maryland-election/2024/05/record-spending-in-high-stakes-maryland-u-s-senate-primary/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">record spending</a> continues to define the campaign for the Democratic nomination. Josh Kurtz of Maryland Matters told us why the stakes are high, how it’s become so close, and what we might see happen on Tuesday.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and state lawmakers reportedly agreed on a deal <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/05/09/virginia-budget-deal-youngkin-general-assembly/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">for a new state budget</a>. It’s been a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-general-assembly-glenn-youngkin-session-budget-9daa9a107da3a8027541a9ef9b0c5181" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">long road</a> to this point, but deal was reached that won’t include any tax increases. Delegate Mark Sickles was involved in these talks and joined us on the show to break down the deal for us.

Early Wednesday morning, D.C. police <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/05/08/gwu-protest-encampment-dc-police-arrests/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cleared an encampment of protesters</a> on George Washington University’s campus. This came just before a U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing into the city’s refusal to clear the encampment earlier. With <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/05/09/protests-gwu-israel-gaza-war/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">protests continuing</a>, D.C. Councilmember Robert White got behind the mic to give his take.

Plus, D.C. reaches agrees on a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/05/09/dc-settlement-sexual-harassment-john-falcicchio/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">settlement</a> with two women who accused former mayoral aide John Falcicchio of sexual harassment.

 
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With the primary now only days away, polls show a very tight race for Maryland’s Senate seat. The election is capturing national attention as record spending continues to define the campaign for the Democratic nomination. Josh Kurtz of Maryland Matters told us why the stakes are high, how it’s become so close, and what we might see happen on Tuesday.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and state lawmakers reportedly agreed on a deal for a new state budget. It’s been a long road to this point, but deal was reached that won’t include any tax increases. Delegate Mark Sickles was involved in these talks and joined us on the show to break down the deal for us.
Early Wednesday morning, D.C. police cleared an encampment of protesters on George Washington University’s campus. This came just before a U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing into the city’s refusal to clear the encampment earlier. With protests continuing, D.C. Councilmember Robert White got behind the mic to give his take.
Plus, D.C. reaches agrees on a settlement with two women who accused former mayoral aide John Falcicchio of sexual harassment.

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Maryland Matters’ Josh Kurtz broke down the tight U.S. Senate race in Maryland. Plus, Virginia delegate Mark Sickles discussed the new state budget and D.C. Councilmember Robert White gave us his take on D.C. police clearing a pro-Palestinian encampment on GW University’s campus.

D.C. police arrest protesters on GW’s campus; Virginia budget deal

Last month, the D.C. Council voted to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/02/dc-council-arena-funds-leonsis-capitals-wizards/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">spend $515 million</a> to help Monumental Sports renovate Capital One Arena. Now, negotiations are underway with owner Ted Leonsis on an agreement aimed at addressing public safety and development around the arena. Leonsis joins Kojo and Tom to discuss the deal and his vision for the future of the arena and the surrounding neighborhood.

It's <a href="https://moco360.media/2024/04/22/tensions-flare-at-maryland-congressional-district-6-forum-in-clarksburg/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gotten tense</a> in the Maryland's 6th congressional district as frontrunners air <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/09/maryland-sixth-primary-campaign-ads/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">attack ads</a> against one another. MoCo360 politics reporter Ginny Bixby updates us on the race, why <a href="https://moco360.media/2024/04/22/tensions-flare-at-maryland-congressional-district-6-forum-in-clarksburg/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">reproductive rights remain a top issue</a>, and gives us a preview of the general election.

The Prince George's County Council approved a resolution on Tuesday <a href="https://wtop.com/prince-georges-county/2024/04/youth-curfew-zones-in-prince-georges-co-likely-to-expand-beyond-national-harbor-after-council-action/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">expanding the youth curfew</a> countywide. This comes as the council debates permanent legislation that would allow commercial districts, like <a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/prince-georges-county/its-100-different-national-harbor-marks-first-weekend-of-emergency-youth-curfew/3603452/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">National Harbor</a>, to request police to put a curfew in place preventing unaccompanied minors from staying out past 5 p.m.  It would also <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/23/national-harbor-youth-curfew-fines/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">fine parents</a> who allow their kids to violate curfew. The bill's sponsor, Prince George's County Councilmember Edward Burroughs, gets behind the mic to explain the legislation, why it's needed, and what comes next.

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Last month, the D.C. Council voted to spend $515 million to help Monumental Sports renovate Capital One Arena. Now, negotiations are underway with owner Ted Leonsis on an agreement aimed at addressing public safety and development around the arena. Leonsis joins Kojo and Tom to discuss the deal and his vision for the future of the arena and the surrounding neighborhood.
It's gotten tense in the Maryland's 6th congressional district as frontrunners air attack ads against one another. MoCo360 politics reporter Ginny Bixby updates us on the race, why reproductive rights remain a top issue, and gives us a preview of the general election.
The Prince George's County Council approved a resolution on Tuesday expanding the youth curfew countywide. This comes as the council debates permanent legislation that would allow commercial districts, like National Harbor, to request police to put a curfew in place preventing unaccompanied minors from staying out past 5 p.m.  It would also fine parents who allow their kids to violate curfew. The bill's sponsor, Prince George's County Councilmember Edward Burroughs, gets behind the mic to explain the legislation, why it's needed, and what comes next.
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Washington Wizards and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis talks the future of Capital One Arena and the surrounding neighborhoods. Plus, why has Maryland's Congressional District 6 race gotten so heated and Prince George's County Councilmember Edward Burroughs on expanding the youth curfew. 

Monumental Sports owner Ted Leonsis on what's next for Capital One Arena

The race is <a href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/04/20/trone-alsobrooks-offer-contrasts-in-first-and-possibly-only-televised-debate/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">heating up</a> for the open U.S. Senate seat in Maryland. With the Democratic primary only three weeks away, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and Congressman David Trone compete for <a href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/04/19/endorsement-game-intensifies-in-democratic-senate-primary/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">endorsements</a>, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4620521-maryland-democrats-angela-alsobrooks-senate-ad/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">air time</a>, and Maryland’s votes. Alsobrooks joins the show to talk about the campaign, money in politics, and how former Maryland governor Larry Hogan’s late entry changed the <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/538/larry-hogan-turn-blue-senate-seat-red-maryland/story?id=108582768" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">dynamics of the race</a>. Plus, how will <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/23/national-harbor-youth-curfew-fines/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">expanding the youth curfew</a> in Prince George’s County impact juvenile crime rates?

The contest to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/21/dc-ward-7-council-race-vincent-gray/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">replace long-time councilmember and former mayor Vincent Gray</a> on the D.C. Council is also intensifying. There are <a href="https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/690364/theres-a-chaotic-10-candidate-race-to-replace-vince-gray-in-ward-7-has-a-front-runner-emerged/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">currently ten candidates</a> vying to represent Ward 7 — with the Democratic primary now only six weeks away. Washington Post reporter Michael Brice-Saddler gets behind the mic to talk about why this election is a big deal, the major issues driving folks to the polls, and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/12/20/dc-vincent-gray-council-no-reelection/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gray’s legacy</a> representing Ward 7.

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The race is heating up for the open U.S. Senate seat in Maryland. With the Democratic primary only three weeks away, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and Congressman David Trone compete for endorsements, air time, and Maryland’s votes. Alsobrooks joins the show to talk about the campaign, money in politics, and how former Maryland governor Larry Hogan’s late entry changed the dynamics of the race. Plus, how will expanding the youth curfew in Prince George’s County impact juvenile crime rates?
The contest to replace long-time councilmember and former mayor Vincent Gray on the D.C. Council is also intensifying. There are currently ten candidates vying to represent Ward 7 — with the Democratic primary now only six weeks away. Washington Post reporter Michael Brice-Saddler gets behind the mic to talk about why this election is a big deal, the major issues driving folks to the polls, and Gray’s legacy representing Ward 7.
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Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks on her campaign to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate. Plus, reporter Michael Brice-Saddler discusses D.C. Council’s Ward 7 race.

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks wants to be Maryland’s next U.S. Senator

The Virginia General Assembly <a href="https://www.pilotonline.com/2024/04/16/general-assembly-reconvenes-wednesday-to-take-up-youngkins-vetoes-and-budget-amendments/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">reconvened on Wednesday</a> to consider Governor Glenn Youngkin’s 223 budget amendments and a record-setting number of vetoes. A <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/17/virginia-budget-youngkin-assembly-deal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">deal was quickly struck</a> between the governor and the legislature to work together on a new state budget, averting a crisis — at least for now.

Virginia Delegate Marcus Simon, who represents Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County, joined us in the studio to discuss how it all came together.

He said Youngkin now realizes the limits of his executive power and the need to negotiate with the Democratically-controlled General Assembly.

“We are a co-equal branch of government. We are not a board of directors where you just tell us what the decision is going to be, we actually participate.”

One of the biggest points of contention when the General Assembly meets again next month will be <a href="https://virginiamercury.com/2024/04/17/youngkin-proposes-using-nova-investment-fund-to-support-metro/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Metro funding</a>. Lawmakers want the state to pony up $150 million dollars, while the governor wants most of the funding to come from money previously allocated to Northern Virginia jurisdictions.

On Thursday, a teen was charged with <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/18/wootton-high-school-threat-arrest/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">threatening mass violence at a Montgomery County high school</a>.

County Executive Marc Elrich joined the show directly from a press conference where the FBI, Montgomery County Police, and the State’s Attorney’s Office detailed what led up to the arrest of eighteen-year-old Alex Ye.

Officials tracked Ye for months and obtained a copy of a manifesto, where the eighteen-year-old wrote about carrying out mass violence at Wootton High School in Rockville.

Law enforcement also noted Ye did not have access to firearms. On the show, Elrich praised Maryland’s strong gun safety laws.

“It’s good to hear that somebody had a hard time getting guns because if he had been able to easily get these guns, who knows how this would have transpired in reality.”

Elrich also talked about the <a href="https://moco360.media/2024/04/16/whites-ferry-owners-offer-to-donate-operation-to-montgomery-county/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">potential reopening of White’s Ferry</a>.

The County Executive addressed why he’s <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/03/14/montgomery-county-budget-elrich/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">not proposing to raise taxes</a>, unlike last year, and the current state of Maryland’s<a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/national-politics/alsobrooks-trone-hogan-campaign-fundraising-XLDV3EJXP5E5BDR3BFFFQ4XM2M/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> expensive</a> U.S. Senate race.

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The Virginia General Assembly reconvened on Wednesday to consider Governor Glenn Youngkin’s 223 budget amendments and a record-setting number of vetoes. A deal was quickly struck between the governor and the legislature to work together on a new state budget, averting a crisis — at least for now.
Virginia Delegate Marcus Simon, who represents Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County, joined us in the studio to discuss how it all came together.
He said Youngkin now realizes the limits of his executive power and the need to negotiate with the Democratically-controlled General Assembly.
“We are a co-equal branch of government. We are not a board of directors where you just tell us what the decision is going to be, we actually participate.”
One of the biggest points of contention when the General Assembly meets again next month will be Metro funding. Lawmakers want the state to pony up $150 million dollars, while the governor wants most of the funding to come from money previously allocated to Northern Virginia jurisdictions.
On Thursday, a teen was charged with threatening mass violence at a Montgomery County high school.
County Executive Marc Elrich joined the show directly from a press conference where the FBI, Montgomery County Police, and the State’s Attorney’s Office detailed what led up to the arrest of eighteen-year-old Alex Ye.
Officials tracked Ye for months and obtained a copy of a manifesto, where the eighteen-year-old wrote about carrying out mass violence at Wootton High School in Rockville.
Law enforcement also noted Ye did not have access to firearms. On the show, Elrich praised Maryland’s strong gun safety laws.
“It’s good to hear that somebody had a hard time getting guns because if he had been able to easily get these guns, who knows how this would have transpired in reality.”
Elrich also talked about the potential reopening of White’s Ferry.
The County Executive addressed why he’s not proposing to raise taxes, unlike last year, and the current state of Maryland’s expensive U.S. Senate race.
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Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich talks us through why he wants to avoid another tax hike. Plus, Virginia Delegate Marcus Simon on how the General Assembly and Governor Glenn Youngkin are working together on a state budget.

Montgomery County avoids tax hikes; Virginia General Assembly reconvenes

This week on The Politics Hour, Metro General Randy Clarke took Kojo, Tom, and listeners on a ride through Metro’s upcoming budget decisions, why he’d like to see a <a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/transportation/qa-with-metro-gm-its-time-to-talk-about-a-regional-tax-to-help-fund-wmata-he-says/3496999/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">regional tax</a>, and the significance of Metro <a href="https://twitter.com/MWCOG/status/1778118946840797349" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">teaming up with COG</a>.

Clarke said he’s very happy overall that D.C., Maryland, and Virginia are all stepping up with additional funding for Metro. Because of that, Metro will be able to avoid some of the more <a href="https://dcist.com/story/23/12/12/metro-budget-proposal-drastic-service-cuts-fare-increases-hiring-wage-freezes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">drastic service cuts</a> first proposed in December.

He isn’t surprised by the <a href="https://twitter.com/margaretbarthel/status/1778081201120493835" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">continued debate in Virginia</a> about how much money the state will provide instead of local jurisdictions. However, Clarke said this conversation is more about “how the bill is paid” than whether Metro will be adequately funded.

Earlier in the week, Metro and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) announced a partnership aimed at addressing some of the region’s transportation issues.

The region has multiple locally run transportation systems, including Alexandria’s DASH bus and the Ride On in Montgomery County, all with different fares and systems. One of the main goals of the partnership, he said, is to simplify this.

“Only people in government care about jurisdictions. Everyone else lives their life, right,” Clarke said. “They might live in Montgomery County or take their kids to a soccer game in Alexandria or live in Fairfax and they work in Downtown D.C. We’ve got to figure out how people can move without worrying about different signs or fare payments and all the other stuff. Make it easy for people.”

Jahd Khalil from <a href="https://www.vpm.org/people/jahd-khalil" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Virginia Public Media</a> also joined the show to explain how Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/08/virginia-youngkin-budget-tax-rewrite/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">reworked budget</a> no longer has any tax cuts or a sales tax hike.

Khalil said it definitely appears like Youngkin is attempting to work with the Democratically-controlled General Assembly, but recent actions may still make that difficult.

The Virginia General Assembly will reconvene next week to consider the governor’s reworked budget. Khalil said the legislature could reject the proposal and, if that does happen, “it’s definitely a possibility” Youngkin could veto the entire budget. That would be <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/06/virginia-budget-youngkin-veto-deadline/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nearly unprecedented</a>.

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This week on The Politics Hour, Metro General Randy Clarke took Kojo, Tom, and listeners on a ride through Metro’s upcoming budget decisions, why he’d like to see a regional tax, and the significance of Metro teaming up with COG.
Clarke said he’s very happy overall that D.C., Maryland, and Virginia are all stepping up with additional funding for Metro. Because of that, Metro will be able to avoid some of the more drastic service cuts first proposed in December.
He isn’t surprised by the continued debate in Virginia about how much money the state will provide instead of local jurisdictions. However, Clarke said this conversation is more about “how the bill is paid” than whether Metro will be adequately funded.
Earlier in the week, Metro and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) announced a partnership aimed at addressing some of the region’s transportation issues.
The region has multiple locally run transportation systems, including Alexandria’s DASH bus and the Ride On in Montgomery County, all with different fares and systems. One of the main goals of the partnership, he said, is to simplify this.
“Only people in government care about jurisdictions. Everyone else lives their life, right,” Clarke said. “They might live in Montgomery County or take their kids to a soccer game in Alexandria or live in Fairfax and they work in Downtown D.C. We’ve got to figure out how people can move without worrying about different signs or fare payments and all the other stuff. Make it easy for people.”
Jahd Khalil from Virginia Public Media also joined the show to explain how Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s reworked budget no longer has any tax cuts or a sales tax hike.
Khalil said it definitely appears like Youngkin is attempting to work with the Democratically-controlled General Assembly, but recent actions may still make that difficult.
The Virginia General Assembly will reconvene next week to consider the governor’s reworked budget. Khalil said the legislature could reject the proposal and, if that does happen, “it’s definitely a possibility” Youngkin could veto the entire budget. That would be nearly unprecedented.
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Metro General Randy Clarke on how local jurisdictions have come together to help Metro through rough financial times. Plus, Virginia Public Media’s Jahd Khalil walks us through Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s overhauled budget proposal.

WMATA GM Randy Clarke on how Metro is avoiding drastic cuts… for now

It's game over for the Alexandria arena with the Washington Wizards and Capitals now poised to stay in the District.

On Wednesday, D.C. councilmembers, Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Monumental Sports owner Ted Leonsis announced<a href="https://wamu.org/story/24/03/27/dc-capital-one-arena-deal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> a deal to keep the sports teams at Capital One Arena</a> in D.C. until 2050. It came weeks after a proposal to move the teams to a new arena in Alexandria<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/03/06/virginia-arena-budget-removed-youngkin/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> fell apart</a> in the Virginia General Assembly and only hours after the City of Alexandria said it<a href="https://www.alxnow.com/2024/03/27/breaking-alexandria-ends-negotiations-for-potomac-yard-arena/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> ended negotiations</a> with Monumental Sports to build an arena and entertainment complex in Potomac Yard.

On this week’s Politics Hour, we brought together several of the major players involved in this region-defining reversal.

Alexandria City Councilmember John Chapman said that the city’s decision to end the project was largely based on the disapproval they heard from residents.

“A good number of people were not happy with the proposal,” he said. “The biggest concern for everyone was traffic and what transportation would look like.”

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser explained how D.C. was able to convince the teams to stay. She said she kept meeting with Leonsis, despite the ongoing negotiations he was having with Virginia officials.

Bowser says she knew it was not a done deal and that’s why there was a hope the decision would be ultimately reversed.

“We decided not to give up and just let our teams go across the river to what we thought was at best a risky proposition for them,” Bowser said. “It was risky... to get approved. We thought it was risky to get delivered. And we thought it was a huge risk to the Monumental brand if the fans would follow or not.”

D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson explained that the $500 million being offered to renovate Capital One Arena doesn’t come at the expense of social services.

“We have two budgets. One is the operating budget and the other is the capital budget. The operating budget is where social service programs are, public safety programs, public education programs so forth. The capital budget is very different.

Prince George's County Councilmember Krystal Oriadha also spoke with Kojo and Tom about budget troubles, crime, and school absenteeism.

Oriadha connected increasing rates of crime and truancy, saying many of those committing crimes are young people. Because of that, the Prince George’s County Council is prioritizing keeping kids in classrooms.

“We started a work group focused on truancy because what we realized is a lot of repeat offenders, when we had a meeting with the State’s Attorney if they pulled their transcript, were truant,” said Oriadha. “We realized we didn’t have an actual mechanism that triggered an early warning system with that young person early enough.”

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It's game over for the Alexandria arena with the Washington Wizards and Capitals now poised to stay in the District.
On Wednesday, D.C. councilmembers, Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Monumental Sports owner Ted Leonsis announced a deal to keep the sports teams at Capital One Arena in D.C. until 2050. It came weeks after a proposal to move the teams to a new arena in Alexandria fell apart in the Virginia General Assembly and only hours after the City of Alexandria said it ended negotiations with Monumental Sports to build an arena and entertainment complex in Potomac Yard.
On this week’s Politics Hour, we brought together several of the major players involved in this region-defining reversal.
Alexandria City Councilmember John Chapman said that the city’s decision to end the project was largely based on the disapproval they heard from residents.
“A good number of people were not happy with the proposal,” he said. “The biggest concern for everyone was traffic and what transportation would look like.”
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser explained how D.C. was able to convince the teams to stay. She said she kept meeting with Leonsis, despite the ongoing negotiations he was having with Virginia officials.
Bowser says she knew it was not a done deal and that’s why there was a hope the decision would be ultimately reversed.
“We decided not to give up and just let our teams go across the river to what we thought was at best a risky proposition for them,” Bowser said. “It was risky... to get approved. We thought it was risky to get delivered. And we thought it was a huge risk to the Monumental brand if the fans would follow or not.”
D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson explained that the $500 million being offered to renovate Capital One Arena doesn’t come at the expense of social services.
“We have two budgets. One is the operating budget and the other is the capital budget. The operating budget is where social service programs are, public safety programs, public education programs so forth. The capital budget is very different.
Prince George's County Councilmember Krystal Oriadha also spoke with Kojo and Tom about budget troubles, crime, and school absenteeism.
Oriadha connected increasing rates of crime and truancy, saying many of those committing crimes are young people. Because of that, the Prince George’s County Council is prioritizing keeping kids in classrooms.
“We started a work group focused on truancy because what we realized is a lot of repeat offenders, when we had a meeting with the State’s Attorney if they pulled their transcript, were truant,” said Oriadha. “We realized we didn’t have an actual mechanism that triggered an early warning system with that young person early enough.”
Become a member of WAMU: wamu.org/donate
Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org
Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885
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Prince George’s County Councilmember Krystal Oriadha weighs in the county executive’s proposed budget. Plus, Alexandria City Councilmember John Chapman, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, and D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson on how the deal came together to keep the Washington Capitals and Wizards in the District.

A D.C. comeback: Why the Washington Wizards and Capitals are staying in the District

On Friday’s Politics Hour, resident analyst Tom Sherwood <a href="https://twitter.com/tomsherwood/status/1771204114120085833" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">broke news</a> that D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sent a letter earlier in the week to Monumental Sports saying that Wizards and Capitals are legally bound to the District until 2047.

In a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/03/22/arena-virginia-dc-leonsis-attorney-general/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">since publicly-released letter</a>, the District’s Attorney General accused Monumental Sports and owner Ted Leonsis of breaking promises laid out in a lease extension for Capital One Arena when they announced a deal to <a href="https://dcist.com/story/23/12/13/virginia-woos-monumental-sports-capitals-wizards-potomac-yard/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">move to Alexandria in December</a>.

The teams are legally obligated, according to Schwalb, to remain playing at Capital One Arena until 2047.

“To be clear, the District very much prefers not to pursue any potential claims against MSE,” Schwalb wrote in the letter. “It remains committed to maintaining and growing its partnership with MSE and to keeping the Wizards and Capitals at the Arena until the end of the existing lease term in 2047, if not beyond.”

When asked about the letter, Monumental Sports declined to provide any new comments to WAMU.

Also on the Politics Hour, Virginia Delegate Paul Krizek (D-Fairfax County) criticized Governor Glenn Youngkin for how <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/03/14/virginia-youngkin-arena-budget-taxes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">he’s handled</a> Senate Democrats blocking the deal to build a new arena in Alexandria.

He also talked about a bill that could bring <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/03/18/skill-games-virginia-arena-bill-youngkin/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">slots-like gaming machines</a> to convenience stores, laundromats, and restaurants across the state and is hope that legislation that would finally create a retail marijuana market isn’t<a href="https://virginiamercury.com/2024/03/07/bill-to-allow-marijuana-sales-in-peril-after-breakdown-on-virginia-arena-deal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> up in smoke</a>.

Additionally, Maryland State Senator Will Smith (D-Montgomery County) joined Kojo and Tom to talk about <a href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/03/19/a-tidy-crossover-day-produces-progress-and-flashes-of-dissent/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">crossover day</a> in his state’s General Assembly.

He said the biggest challenge for legislators is balancing the state’s budget. The House is proposing a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/03/15/maryland-tax-increases-igaming/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">$1.2 billion dollar package</a> that would increase taxes, tolls, and fees. The Senate, instead, wants to <a href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/03/15/no-room-for-compromise-for-senate-on-1-2-billion-house-revenue-proposal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">pull from the state’s rainy day fund</a> and not raise taxes.

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On Friday’s Politics Hour, resident analyst Tom Sherwood broke news that D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sent a letter earlier in the week to Monumental Sports saying that Wizards and Capitals are legally bound to the District until 2047.
In a since publicly-released letter, the District’s Attorney General accused Monumental Sports and owner Ted Leonsis of breaking promises laid out in a lease extension for Capital One Arena when they announced a deal to move to Alexandria in December.
The teams are legally obligated, according to Schwalb, to remain playing at Capital One Arena until 2047.
“To be clear, the District very much prefers not to pursue any potential claims against MSE,” Schwalb wrote in the letter. “It remains committed to maintaining and growing its partnership with MSE and to keeping the Wizards and Capitals at the Arena until the end of the existing lease term in 2047, if not beyond.”
When asked about the letter, Monumental Sports declined to provide any new comments to WAMU.
Also on the Politics Hour, Virginia Delegate Paul Krizek (D-Fairfax County) criticized Governor Glenn Youngkin for how he’s handled Senate Democrats blocking the deal to build a new arena in Alexandria.
He also talked about a bill that could bring slots-like gaming machines to convenience stores, laundromats, and restaurants across the state and is hope that legislation that would finally create a retail marijuana market isn’t up in smoke.
Additionally, Maryland State Senator Will Smith (D-Montgomery County) joined Kojo and Tom to talk about crossover day in his state’s General Assembly.
He said the biggest challenge for legislators is balancing the state’s budget. The House is proposing a $1.2 billion dollar package that would increase taxes, tolls, and fees. The Senate, instead, wants to pull from the state’s rainy day fund and not raise taxes.
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Virginia Delegate Paul Krizek talks cannabis, skill games, and Metro funding. Plus, Maryland State Senator Will Smith walks us through budget negotiations and why he’s against a tax increase.

Maryland's budget dilemma, VA governor's vetoes, and the D.C. AG threatens Monumental Sports

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorBowser/status/1767268687118000231" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">signed</a> the Secure D.C. omnibus bill earlier this week. Now, the question is how it will be implemented. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves is set to have a big role in its rollout and joins the show. Plus, he’ll explain why he <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/03/03/dc-council-dna-collection-crime-bill/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">advocated for the DNA collection provision</a>. And we ask about <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/q1-2024-local-papering-rates-and-impact-mandatory-arrest-local-prosecutions" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">newly released data</a> showing the U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting about the same number of suspects as late last year.

It’s budget season in Maryland and the General Assembly is debating how to cover a <a href="https://thedailyrecord.com/2024/01/17/moore-proposes-1-4-smaller-budget-avoiding-tax-hikes-to-tackle-deficit/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">growing deficit</a>. Could a <a href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/03/13/a-tax-bill-cometh/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tax increase</a> be in store? Maryland Governor Wes Moore talks with Kojo and Tom about the possibility and takes your questions.

And the Virginia General Assembly wrapped up this past weekend with <a href="https://wamu.org/story/24/03/11/youngkin-approves-marriage-equality-contraception-bills-but-sharpens-his-veto-pen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">more than seven hundred bills</a> heading to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s desk for action. He has until next month to sign, amend, or veto legislation. WAMU’s Northern Virginia reporter Margaret Barthel gets behind the mic to weigh in on what Youngkin could do next.

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D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the Secure D.C. omnibus bill earlier this week. Now, the question is how it will be implemented. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves is set to have a big role in its rollout and joins the show. Plus, he’ll explain why he advocated for the DNA collection provision. And we ask about newly released data showing the U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting about the same number of suspects as late last year.
It’s budget season in Maryland and the General Assembly is debating how to cover a growing deficit. Could a tax increase be in store? Maryland Governor Wes Moore talks with Kojo and Tom about the possibility and takes your questions.
And the Virginia General Assembly wrapped up this past weekend with more than seven hundred bills heading to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s desk for action. He has until next month to sign, amend, or veto legislation. WAMU’s Northern Virginia reporter Margaret Barthel gets behind the mic to weigh in on what Youngkin could do next.
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U.S. Attorney for D.C. Matthew Graves talks Secure D.C. and prosecution rates. Plus, Maryland Governor Wes Moore on the state’s budget and WAMU Northern Virginia reporter Margaret Barthel on the end of the General Assembly’s legislative session.