Council Raps Into A Double Play

After a session that went into extra innings, the DC Council approved the stadium funding bill on a 6-4-3 vote (Vinny Castilla nods approvingly.) Six voted in favor, four against and three voted present--taking no position on the bill.

Amendments considered today eliminated the extra library funding and allows for consideration of private financing plans. It also includes one more amazing proposal.

The legislation also contains another provision proposed today by Cropp. The city's chief financial officer, Natwar M. Gandhi, must conduct a second cost analysis of the stadium before construction begins and if the estimate is $100 million higher than his initial estimate of $530 million, the project must be moved to another, cheaper location.

I can see that really coming back to bite them in the ass. Can you imagine what kind of pressure Gandhi's gonna be under now? I wonder if Mrs. Gandhi's gonna start wearing a new ermine coat or shiny jewels?

The stadium bill, due to the vagaries of DC law, gets one more go around. If it's approved in two weeks, the deal is done.