Exhibit 3
Washington Post - Sunday, May 28, 1995
Barricades a Blow to Business
Downtown Pinched by Rerouting, Less Parking After Pennsylvania Ave. Closing
by Stephen C. Fehr and Maryann Haggerty
In ways never considered by the Clinton administration, the sudden closing of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House has been a blow to dozens of businesses in a city attempting to recover from the gravest financial crisis in its history.
Consider Gray Line Tours, part of the city's $7 billion-a-year tourism industry. Gray Line offers bus trips around the capital with narratives in eight languages on prerecorded tapes, including a detailed discussion as the buses pass the White House. Now those tapes will have to be re-recorded at a cost of $4,500 for each language. New tour route maps will have to be printed. The $45,000 cost to the company may seem puny, but the unplanned expense is hard for a small business to swallow,
"This has been a nightmare for us," said Charlie Cummings, Gray Line's vice president.
In their haste to close the two-block strip of Pennsylvania between 15th and 17th streets NW out of concern for presidential security, administration officials did not examine the effects on District businesses. The delivery of goods and services in downtown has been hindered. Taxicabs stuck in traffic in that area are losing miney because customers pay by zone, not on meters that mark time. Office rents and development could be affected along Pennsylvania east and west of the White House.
Although the street in front of the White House has been shut down for only nine days, some business and civic leaders are voicing concern that the closing could be another reason for companies to leave downtown Washington because of the difficulty emloyees and customers will have getting to them.
"At the same time the federal government is saying the city sould be more responsible with its finances, they are putting the city at considerable risk," said Kenneth Sparks, executive vice president of the Federal City Council, an influential group of business and civic leaders.
Sparks said businesses could leave if they conclude that it is too much of a hassle to be in the downtown area. This could lower the property value of buildings in some cases, resulting in less tax revenue for the D.C. government. The District is facing a shortfall of more than $700 million, and a financial control board is about to be appointed...