DC Hands Out Millions in Bonuses, Even After Budget Crisis Forces Cuts to Key Social Services

When Mayor Adrian Fenty responded to the budget crisis by cutting funding for services to victims of domestic violence, the homelesss, and others in crucial need, we were lead to believe that everyone in the city was sharing the burden of the budget crisis evenly.

New documents revealing $15 million in bonuses to DC government employees prooves that some of us are bearing the brunt of these hard financial times more than others. Specificlly, those victims of domestic violence get fewer services, while DC Government Employees get fat bonus checks:

Among the big winners were Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, who was handed $41,250 in August 2007 after barely two months on the job; Department of Health Director Pierre Vigilance, who was given $15,000 in 2008; and city property manager Robin-Eve Jasper, handed $18,000 over two years.

The bonuses were ladled out even as the city was facing nine-figure budget shortfalls and officials -- including Rhee -- were firing employees by the busload, claiming they could no longer afford them.

It paid to be on Rhee's good side. School employees, including Rhee's top staff, accounted for nearly half of the Fenty-era bonuses, records show. Then-special education "czar" Phyllis Harris was paid $17,000 in 2008; special-ed bureaucrat Karen Griffin was given $25,000 the same year; and Rhee's chief of staff, Lisa Ruda, was given $17,000 in 2008, records show.

Vincent Gray: Fenty should obey law and stop handing out million dollar contracts to his friends without council approval

Tensions between the city council appear to be escalating yet again according to this recent article in the Washington City Paper.

Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray got in on the act. Late today, he posted to Fenty a demand that he submit all the million-dollar-plus contracts withheld from the council pursuant to a January memo from Nickles.

The request came with a throw-down ultimatum: If the contracts still don't appear, Grays writes, "On December 15, 2009 I plan to move emergency legislation, which upon approval, will order the Chief Financial Officer to stop payment on all retroactive contracts that have not been ratified by the Council by Act at midnight, on January 20, 2010."

Boom!

What are the contracts they are referring to? Well one exmple is the $86 million dollars that went to Mayor Fenty's fraternity brother without fair competition and (in violation of city law) without approval of the city council. The money went to Omar Karim and his company Banneker Ventures.

Marion Barry: We're talking About Illegal Acts on the Part of the Fenty Administration

Key Fenty officials refused to show up at an all day city-council hearing. The hearing looked at how $86 million dollars in city funds were given to Adrian Fenty's fraternity brother Omar Karim and his company Banneker Ventures without city council oversight. City Council members contend the non-competitive violated city law.

Marion Barry is quoted in the November 6th Washington Times

"We're talking about illegal acts on the part of the Fenty administration," said former mayor and council member Marion Barry, Ward 8 Democrat, invoking the names of former mayors. "Any mayor that believes in transparency would come down here and answer questions. Sharon Pratt Kelly would've come down here. Anthony Williams would've come down here. I would've come down here. Eighty-six million dollars has been hidden from the public. I wonder what they were thinking. That no one would find out?"