Just Say No: to the Large Retailer Act and the Visitor Parking Pass

Two issues of varying governmental “help” deserve further discussion and action, because we find that they — while well-intended — do not translate well into the real world.

We have previously called for Mayor Vincent Gray to veto the Large Retailer Accountability Act–which forces large retailers like Walmart with more than a billion in annual sales and stores larger than 74,000 square feet to pay a minimum (or liveable) wage of $12.50 an hour — when he finally receives it from the District Council. After the council voted for the bill which is patently anti-business and, in effect, anti-job, it delayed sending it to the mayor because of the vacationing council members and fearing a lack of votes. We repeat: Mr. Mayor, when you get it, veto this bill.

We have reported that free visitor passes will now be available on request for D.C. residents from the D.C. Department of Transportation. No going to the police station each time a visitor will be staying with you. Also reported: While not all details regarding the new passes have been released, DDOT has said that they will be valid from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2014. They must be used inside the boundaries of the passholder’s advisory neighborhood commission.

This could set the stage for deceit, even as the pass require the parking to be in one’s ANC district — not that most residents know which one it is. These visitor passes look ripe for unfair trading of some kind — let’s take another take on this surprise gift. (We’ll leave it at a “maybe.”)