Cropp Stands by Anacostia Stadium Site As Council Debate on Financing Looms

Vincent C. Gray (D-Ward 7), one of three council members who object to public financing but joined the council in January after the package had been approved, said he intends to look closely at all provisions if given the chance.

"There are many views in this that are relevant and important, and I do not see people being constrained from expressing them," Gray said. "The projected costs have gone up and up. If there is an opportunity to revisit this and make it less expensive to taxpayers, I'm definitely interested in that."

But aides to Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D) said they believe Cropp has the power to limit such moves if she agrees to bring the changes forward as "technical amendments."

Technical changes are used to fix minor problems in legislation, such as improper wording, but may not alter the substance of the document. With technical amendments, Cropp would have more authority to limit her colleagues' power to make substantial changes, officials said.

The administration is "confident that after the council debates this, we'll end up where we started, which is a good plan for a good stadium on the banks of the Anacostia River," mayoral spokesman Vince Morris said. "The mayor respects the council's right to weigh in on this, but he's also confident they will go ahead and move forward on the plan everyone signed off on."

The changes needed to the legislation center on three tax-related issues, which city financial officials have described as mistakes in wording that do not alter the council's intent to finance the stadium.

Cropp said she has asked D.C. Chief Financial Officer Natwar M. Gandhi and her legal aides to provide her more information by tomorrow, after which she will determine whether the amendments are technical or more substantial.

But the stadium debate is taking place in a politically charged environment in which three council members, including Cropp, are running for mayor and others are bidding to replace Cropp as chairman.

The competition among the members has led them to view their positions through a new lens, administration officials said.

Staff writer Dana Hedgpeth contributed to this report.