November 15, 2004 - Taking Note

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Taking note . . .

Observations about public affairs in the nation’s capital
by the editor of The Common Denominator

LIMPING ALONG: We're still publishing! That's the good news, as the community continues to offer its much-needed and much-appreciated support to keep The Common Denominator alive as D.C.'s hometown newspaper.

We have slightly revised our 2004 publication schedule, leaving just two more issues scheduled this year -- Nov. 29 and Dec. 13 -- before our staff takes its annual, month-long holiday hiatus from publishing during the Christmas season.

With the community's continued support, we hope to return in 2005 on a much better financial footing. We continue to explore available options for retiring the newspaper's old debts and are grateful for the patience of our largest creditors.

Please consider subscribing to The Common Denominator, if you aren't already among our subscribers. Our subscription form has returned in this issue and appears on page 2. (Online readers click here to learn about subscribing.) And please think of The Common Denominator when you're searching for an inexpensive holiday gift -- a special card can be mailed, upon request, to announce your subscription gift.

We continue to seek additional marketing and sales associates to work in our Advertising and Circulation Departments. Interested individuals may contact Editor and Publisher Kathy Sinzinger at (202) 635-6397 or NewsDC@aol.com to arrange an interview.

RELATED LINK: "Losing hope" editorial in Oct. 18, 2004, issue
RELATED LINK: Taking Note in Nov. 1, 2004, issue

DO YOU RIDE D.C. CABS? If so, you should be aware that D.C. taxicab drivers are organizing a work stoppage for Nov. 17 to protest efforts by the Williams administration to replace the city's current taxicab fare zones with metered fares.

Councilwoman Carol Schwartz has scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. Nov. 17 in the council chamber at the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, to seek public comment on the plan to require meters in cabs. The issue has long been debated and long opposed by taxicab drivers. Residents of many of the city's poorer neighborhoods frequently note that the current flat fee makes it feasible for the poor to plan ahead for transportation costs when they need to get to a grocery store or a doctor's office. Meters would charge cab riders for time and distance -- meaning that sitting in a traffic jam or at a red light would add additional cost to a trip.