Statements & Testimonies Archives - Page 4 of 4

About this Testimony:

In this testimony, the Greater Washington Board of Trade expresses support for Mayor Bowser’s B25-555, the ACT Now Amendment of 2023, emphasizing that public safety is a top concern for the region’s business community. The statement highlights rising violent crime, carjackings, youth crime, and organized retail theft, while urging a comprehensive approach that includes both prevention and accountability.

The testimony also stresses the need for adequately staffed and resourced law enforcement and argues that improving safety is essential to the District’s economic recovery, including downtown revitalization.

Video of Testimony:

Written Testimony Submitted:

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November 29, 2023

Good afternoon, Chairwoman Pinto, committee members, and staff. My name is Kyle McColgan, and I serve as the Senior Vice President of Policy at the Greater Washington Board of Trade. We are a pro-business and non-partisan organization supporting all industry sectors in the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia, having done so for the last 134 years. I appreciate the opportunity to testify in front of you all today in support of Mayor Bowser’s bill B25-555, the ACT Now Amendment of 2023.

I would first like to thank Chairwoman Pinto on her efforts thus far to address the issue of crime, particularly that of violent crime, and the many challenges it creates for citizens and businesses alike within the District. The emergency legislation passed and extended this year was a step in the right direction, as was the introduction of the Secure DC Plan.

With homicides topping 250 this year already, a two-decade high, roughly 900 carjackings – 77% of which involved a firearm, and a rise in youth related crime, public safety has quickly risen to the most concerning and pressing issue shared amongst the business community.

We at the Greater Washington Board of trade are firm believers that a comprehensive approach, that includes both addressing the underlying structures which lead to crime and more immediate actions to hold offenders accountable, is the only way to solve this complex and challenging issue.

While addressing violent crime must be a priority for our communities and businesses to thrive, we cannot disregard other criminal activity. This proposed legislation takes aim at addressing a concern our members have been impacted by – organized retail theft. DC saw the highest per capital rate of theft across the nation (2829 per 100,000 residents) exceeding what would be expected via population share in the nation by 69%. Retailers of all shapes and sizes have been negatively impacted by increases in theft – with some choosing to implement costly internal security measures to help mitigate the issue themselves. While protecting their goods is a priority – most important is the safety and security of their employees and customers, who are at risk of becoming victims themselves as these thefts are carried out. The business community would greatly appreciate increased efforts and means to hold those who commit these crimes accountable.

It is also necessary to have an adequately staffed law enforcement entity who is provided with the resources and means to effectively do their jobs. This legislation would help to support an environment where this is possible.

Without addressing crime and public safety, there will be no meaningful recovery, not just in the District’s downtown area, but in its entirety. While this bill is a component in assisting with the recovery, we urge the Council to continue their efforts to comprehensively resolve this issue.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify, I am happy to answer any questions.

Sincerely,

Kyle McColgan

Senior Vice President, Policy

Greater Washington Board of Trade

According to AAA, nearly 51 million people across the United States are expected to travel this Fourth of July, four million of which will do so by flying. Holiday travel can be a nightmare at airports, Reagan National (DCA) here in Greater Washington being no exception. While that certainly does not make DCA unique, what does is the longstanding Perimeter and Slot Rules, ensuring that holiday travel chaos is not an everyday experience for those coming in and out of Reagan National.

The Perimeter Rule limits nonstop flights at DCA to a maximum of 1,250 miles, unless there is an exemption granted by the Federal Government, of which there are currently 40. While the slot rule dictates the frequency of flights taking off and landing, helping to control congestion. With DCA being constrained by space, limiting the runway and terminal capacity, these rules were and still are necessary to provide travelers with the safest and most efficient services possible.

While Reagan may be constrained in terms of space, the other two major airports in the region are not. Baltimore Washington International (BWI) and Dulles International (IAD) are both growing and ready to bring on additional flights servicing stops across the county and world. What we have in this region is three airports working together, which they have done for years, to create an ecosystem capable of servicing the residents and visitors of DC and its neighbors.

Unfortunately, there is an effort making its way through Congress that would change these rules resulting in a far less enjoyable experience at DCA, while upending the functioning ecosystem of our region’s three major airports.

According to an internal Federal Aviation Administration analysis, which was done in part as a response to a study produced by those in favor of change or elimination of the rules, “additional flights at DCA would likely have a negative impact on operational performance and the passenger experience.” Further, the addition of only 20 daily round trip operations would increase delays by nearly 26% and the addition of 25 daily round trip operations would increase delays by more than a third.

The additional flights would also contribute to the already strained infrastructure within and around Reagan. From the full parking decks to the gridlocked roadways, and overcrowded terminals, there is only so much capacity that can be handled before significant negative customer experiences become the norm. It is irrelevant how many flights and destinations are added if the service provided is unreliable and chaotic.

Considerable investments have been made complementing the existing ecosystem of our region’s airports. Just last year, the $3 billion Silver Line extension was completed, providing travelers using IAD direct access to the nation’s capital and surrounding jurisdictions via public transit.

Upending this functioning and productive relationship between our region’s airports while simultaneously creating a worse customer experience for those using Reagan is what Greater Washington would get in return for changes to the Perimeter and Slot rules. Let’s keep the status quo.