550,000 people pay taxes in D.C., but what for? Dare to Give Washington a Vote - New York Times
NEW YORK
New York is joining the list of cities where black flight could soon be outpacing white flight. Census Shows More Black Residents Are Leaving New York and Other Cities - New York Times"If that trend is sustained, it would make New York one of a handful of major cities — with Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco and Washington — where whites had become a minority, but where black flight has exceeded the departure of whites since the beginning of the decade. In Boston, the figures indicate that whites became a majority again in 2006."
LOUISIANA
What will they do with all this property? More public housing? A park? Something that will bring jobs? Louisiana to buy 19,000 ruined homes - USATODAY.com. "Areas of Louisiana devastated by Hurricane Katrina could remain deserted as the state acquires nearly 19,000 storm-damaged homes in the nation's biggest post-disaster buyout, a USA TODAY analysis shows."
VIRGINIA
A nice story about a visit to the slave quarters of Mt. Vernon. I went there with my two sisters when my mom came to visit us. When we reached the slave quarters, it was a solemn moment, but the way it is set up is very nice. You really feel like you're in the moment. You could see how, after a day of work, they would come to their quarters and play music and dance and eat together; finding a way to bring joy in their life under these unjust conditions. A Light on Slaves' Lives - washingtonpost.com
ILLINOIS
Taxes in Illinois are already too high; something like 8% for sales tax. A new law wants to raise the tax on restaurant and hotel bills up to 11%. ABC7Chicago.com: Cook County sales tax increase proposed
CITIES IN GENERAL
This is a shame. Cities turning off plans for Wi-Fi - USATODAY.com. "Plans to blanket cities across the nation with low-cost or free wireless Internet access are being delayed or abandoned because they are proving to be too costly and complicated." Internet access is still expensive. You have your libraries, yes, but city-wide or area access is an effective equalizer, allowing people to access information, jobs that would not otherwise be able to do it.
