A wake-up call for Mayor Bowser and D.C.
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Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios
You know what surprised me the most about Virginia's announcement for a new arena last Wednesday? The thing started on time!
These days, it seems, everything in D.C. government is late.
News conferences start so late it's a press corps punchline ("That s--t annoys the hell out of me," a friend of the mayor admits). Big redevelopment projects are late to move, like on U and 14th streets. Connecticut Avenue bike lanes? Late.
- Last Tuesday, after racing to Capital One Arena to counteroffer Ted Leonsis with Mayor Bowser, Council chair Phil Mendelson gaveled a hearing about school truancy two hours late. Truancy!
Why it matters: The Leonsis-Youngkin deal is a wake-up call. The city establishment appears too averse to innovation, too slow to envision the future of the nation's capital now that the feds work from home and the fumes of the 2010s population boom are evaporating.
The big picture: Fixing that will need a jolt from the mayor — but also from the D.C. Council, which has come off as too comfortable with sitting back.
- And then there's the city's business community. After the Leonsis deal, they look outfoxed, and pretty weak at this whole capitalism thing.
- "They're always playing defense," says Gregory McCarthy, an ex-adviser to former Mayor Anthony Williams, about the business establishment. "They're always asking the council not to pass 'this.' What we need is an identifiable positive agenda."
Flashback: Mayor Marion Barry was infamous for tardiness. The show didn't start until Hizzoner walked in.
- Whether to a Christmas party or ribbon cutting, third-term Bowser rolls with an entourage of bodyguards, advance guys, flacks, cameramen — the personification of a $20 billion city budget. (Since taking office in 2015, the budget for the mayor's office has ballooned 75% to $21.9 million.)
Yes, but: That mayoral muscle is getting out-hustled.
- Yes, it's hard to compete against a 70-acre "start-from-scratch" deal in Potomac Yard. Yeah, Leonsis played a poker face as he courted Virginia.
- The point is that D.C. was late with its offer, jeopardizing an arena that generates $25 million in tax revenue.
D.C.'s marquee plan for the future of downtown is turning offices into homes. Even that's late.
- The Bowser administration planned to release regulations over the summer for a new tax abatement to encourage more office-to-residential conversions. Now it's looking like early next year.
Time is money. D.C. is losing both.
💠The other reason I was surprised the Virginia event started on time was because I was running three minutes late. Town Talker is a weekly column on local money and power. Send your punctuality tips to [email protected]