Area leaders react to survey findings
"The federal govemment has a vested interest in ensuring that the region has
an efficient transportation system," said
Executive Director of
the National Capital Planning that the region should use
its unique position as the seat of the federal governrnent to its advantage. In
addition to an efficient transportation system, Acosta said that "quality
schools and affordable housing are essential recruiting top talent."
and CEO of the Greater Washington Board of Trade
echoed Acosta's remarks, that quality of life issues are important to
recruiting and retaining the region's businesses and employees. On the topic
of education specifically, Dinegar said that "it is inexplicable that some of the
worst schools in the country are surrounded by some of the best schools in the
country," and he encouraged the region's education systems to work together
to help bridge this chasm.
Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, said
"the region certainly needs better policies related to affordable housing,"
noting that the availability of affordaWe housing ranked last on the survey's
"report card for the region."
Coordinator the Washington
Regional Equity Network agreed with Schwartz's comments, saying that "the
region's shortage of affordable was a challenge present even
the decline."
Harriet Tregoni
Director of the D.C. Office of Planning remarked on what
she called "one of the study's more challereing findings•. while traffic is a
leading irritant, it is not where the public would place the most effort over the
long-term." Tregoning noted that residents do not place great emphasis on
solving the region's transportation problems, despite the fact that a large
margin of residents listed traffic and as the top long-term issue
or challenge the Washington
Also on the topic of transportation, Frederick Alderman
said that
the wter suburbs will have a more difficult time achieving
improvements than their counterparts in the inner jurisdictiwvs.
"This survey shows that people across the region recognize both its strengths
and challenges," said
President of the Community
Foundation for the National Capital in a statement. "Residents clearly
recognize that some people are being left out of the region's success, and they
see investing in stmng schools as the way to ensure that all residents have
equal opportunities. The Community Foundation applauds the Council of
Governments for leading this important effort to identify priorities the
region. Now we need to act on them."
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