Your D.C. vs. burbs feature was interesting in its perspective (“Don’t Cross That Line,” 12/27/96). Approximately 10 pages were devoted to the subject (cover not included). Only two pages focused on the District’s economic picture, and no article directly compared the financial (esp. tax-related) aspects of living in D.C. as opposed to residing “across the line.”

Do your writers and editors actually consider the mayor’s funky personality, Bethesda’s lack of grittiness, and other such factors of primary importance in deciding where to live? Granted, noneconomic factors such as good bagels (Bethesda), excellent ethnic food (Clarendon), and some semblance of an arts scene (Alexandria) are important in deciding where to live. Add to that, however, a monthly tax savings that equals some people’s rent, and the equation tips even further against the District.

Having lived back and forth across the line over the past eight years, I am not blind to the city’s benefits. In preaching to its choir of predominantly low-paid, shortsighted readers, however, Washington City Paper revealed not only its selective blindness to all the aspects of living in the nation’s capitol, but its mushy journalistic backbone as well.

P.S. Why no attack on Takoma Park? Afraid you might upset the many City Paper readers who reside in that perfectly colorful, character-rich suburb?

Oakton, Va.

via the Internet