D.C.'s Recession, Poo-tomac River, and Metro's Rebound

In this President's Day Episode, Cuneyt and Tom talk about city hall bracing for a recession-like budget, after DOGE hammered D.C. jobs economy. Mayor Bowser says tough choices are ahead. Progressives warn the social safety net is is being dismantled.Plus, one of the worst sewage spills in U.S. history is happening in the Potomac River. Local leaders should speak up more about the environmental disaster, Tom says. And last but not least, Cuneyt and Tom bat around a lightning round of topics, including Metro's rebounding ridership and a DOGE'd federal worker who's now running for mayor. 00:00 Introduction and Presidents Day Fun01:00 DC's Recession-Like Budget Challenges02:49 Impact of Federal Tax Changes on DC Budget04:36 Spending Grew During Pandemic05:02 Childcare Subsidy and Budget Trade-offs08:28 Progressives Fight Against Dismantling of Safety Net11:11 Mamdani Effect11:54 Environmental Disaster: Sewage Spill in Potomac13:20 Public Health Concerns and Sewage Management16:10 Fishing and Recreational Impact on Potomac19:15 News Speed Round and Local DevelopmentsThe Dream City Podcast is supported by launch partner SpotlightDC: Capital City Fund for Investigative Journalism.The Dream City Podcast will hold the powerful accountable and take you inside D.C.’s business and political worlds. Along the way: Revelatory conversations with city officials, business leaders, and the best-sourced journalists in town.The Dream City Podcast is a product of COSMOS Media LLC.