budget

The needs and priorities of the community must be appropriately aligned with the responsible allocation of funding while also eliminating waste, and spending inefficiencies.

I will engage stakeholders in budget discussions to help foster transparency and accountability to ensure a more inclusive approach that reflects the voices of DC citizens. Long term economic sustainability with social equity commitments will lead to a healthier and more prosperous DC.

Addressing DC’s wealth gap disparity can healthily be achieved with the collaboration of governmental, private sector, and corporate commitments to creating sustainable solutions that will provide equitable access to education, skilled trades, job opportunities with livable wages, home ownership, and small business support. Small business owners in DC have employed approximately 48% of DC’s workforce, and thus their impact on DC’s local economy will be preserved and supported in my administration.

An alliance and partnership with the private sector of our economy seeking an end to poverty among our people but not the expense of displacement of its residents.

Efficiency and prudence in governmental spending leading to a helpful and stable economy free from the need for ever continuing taxation.

Inclusion of clean energy in our program of prosperity, through private sector efforts, rather than total reliance on governmental subsidies.

Are those in your inner circle “born to be pedophiles”? In reference to being “born a criminal,” does it take one to know one? Are you some sort of verified expert on the matter? How would your parents feel if you were labeled “born to be criminal,” given your judicial track record? Who among you are “born to be criminals”? Have you examined the repeated missteps, falsehoods, and entitled cronyism occurring within your very own realm of leadership?

As tax-paying citizens, we vehemently reject your continued attacks on our young people. If your intentions are to truly address the crime in Washington, DC, it would be great if you would restore the $1.1 billion dollars that was erroneously taken from tax-paying DC citizens by your colleagues in the House of Representatives, and commit to holding our local elected leadership to higher standards of crime management.

You appear to believe that you have inherent rights of immunity to announce to the world that Washington, DC’s young people are “born to be criminals”.

District residents deserve to have an enhanced sense of security and access to safer public spaces for a more vibrant community, school, and work life. I will work effortlessly to identify and address strained community and law enforcement relationships, citizen safety concerns, failed youth advancement investments, robust gun violent and drug activities, with a multi-faceted and crime prevention approach that includes the proper staffing of all government applicable agencies, unbiased enforcement of the law, and community safety initiatives.

The needs and priorities of the community must be appropriately aligned with the responsible allocation of funding while also eliminating waste, and spending inefficiencies.

I will engage stakeholders in budget discussions to help foster transparency and accountability to ensure a more inclusive approach that reflects the voices of DC citizens. Long term economic sustainability with social equity commitments will lead to a healthier and more prosperous DC.

“We’re hopeful that Senator Susan Collins’ (R-ME) standalone bill will solve the problem for the District. But we won’t know for sure until the House comes back after March 24. And even then, there are risks. We appreciate her willingness to stand with the District.

Without Senator Collins’ bill the District is faced with a requirement to limit annual spending to FY 2024 levels – with only half-a-year left to do this. No program can be left untouched if we are to suddenly cut $1 billion. Congress has changed the rules in the middle of the game, so to speak, because twice last fall Congress gave us the go-ahead to spend at FY 2025 levels. This is not responsible governing. This fiscal irresponsibility is heightened by the fact that the cut in spending is not

“District spending comes from locally-generated revenues, not federal dollars. So Congress is not saving federal dollars. There is no benefit, anywhere, to the District from this CR. It is disheartening, frustrating, and damaging for the District.

Development Milestones: The Council’s legislation will specify deadlines for completion of the development of different phases (e.g., affordable housing, retail) – with the acceleration of out-year rent payments as a penalty.

The Council has restructured the debt financing by not capitalizing interest in Fiscal Years 2028 & 2029. This will save District taxpayers approximately $55 million.

The Council’s legislation redirects $600 million from the “Sports Facility Fee” (formerly Ballpark Fee) to a Transportation Improvement Fund for Metro improvements.

The Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Business & Economic Development will hold a public hearing on the legislation on July 29 and a hearing with government and team officials on July 30.

Revenues from the site: the term sheet provided that all revenues, including tax revenues, generated at the stadium go to the Commanders or to a stadium-reinvestment fund. The Commanders have agreed that the following revenues instead will go to the District:

$260M parking revenues from non-stadium-event days (team estimates ~$170M higher)

The post it quotes, by @Meagan_Flynn

NEWS: The GOP CR released Saturday could lead to roughly $1 billion in cuts to DC services, city officials warned. It left out a longstanding DC provision, instead treating DC as a federal agency and forcing it to revert to FY2024 spending levels: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/03/09/dc-budget-congress-house-republicans-continuing-resolution/

WASHINGTON, DC – DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson issued the following statement in response to reports and comments regarding RFK site.

“Inaccurate statements continue to be made regarding Council action on the Mayor’s proposed deal with the Washington Commanders,” Mendelson said. “First, there is no plan to take the monies out of the budget; there is no plan to delay the RFK resources in this year’s budget. I have said repeatedly that the RFK-related budget items will be protected and fully available: the $500 million capital contribution and the $202 million infrastructure project.

“Second, the Commanders have said the earliest they would need the District’s money and go to the bond markets to finance construction is next summer. We will work within the Commanders’ 2030 timetable.

WASHINGTON, DC – DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson issued the following statement in response to reports and comments regarding RFK site.

“Inaccurate statements continue to be made regarding Council action on the Mayor’s proposed deal with the Washington Commanders,” Mendelson said. “First, there is no plan to take the monies out of the budget; there is no plan to delay the RFK Continue Reading

Mendelson Sends Letter to Executive Demanding Council Receive Budgets

“Due diligence requires additional information from both the Commanders and the Mayor – underlying economic analyses, traffic studies, development plans, etc. The Commanders have been completely responsive.

“The Council will move forward quickly to analyze the Mayor’s terms, improve the deal where possible for taxpayers, and approve a new football stadium. Any suggestions to the contrary are simply false.”

“Inaccurate statements continue to be made regarding Council action on the Mayor’s proposed deal with the Washington Commanders,” Mendelson said. “First, there is no plan to take the monies out of the budget; there is no plan to delay the RFK resources in this year’s budget. I have said repeatedly that the RFK-related budget items will be protected and fully available: the $500 million capital contribution and the $202 million infrastructure project.

“Second, the Commanders have said the earliest they would need the District’s money and go to the bond markets to finance construction is next summer. We will work within the Commanders’ 2030 timetable.

“Third, I have met several times with the Commanders and I have made clear that the July 15th deadline – a date not set by the Council and which we knew nothing about – was “off the table.” It’s not even close to characterize their reaction as “furious.”

The post it quotes, by @tmdonohue

9am this is the ERAP line several hundred many have been waiting outside in the cold since 5:30am @ChmnMendelson @kenyanmcduffie @trayonwhite @AnitaBondsDC @CMRobertWhiteDC @chenderson @BrianneKNadeau @CMBrookePinto @CMFrumin We must do better it’s in the 30’s! What if it rained

DC residents deserve a revenue system that grows with the economy and is based on ability to pay. That means raising enough revenue to fund core services, absorb federal shocks, and meet real needs in housing, health care, education, food access, and public safety.

DC also deserves a budget that puts people before giveaways. Public dollars should meet basic needs, not subsidize luxury developments, stadiums, or speculative projects that primarily benefit a few investors while burdening future residents. The routine use of tax abatements, Opportunity Zones, TIFs, and public debt to finance high end development drains resources from neighborhoods that need them most and locks in obligations that limit future choices.

Oye supports increasing taxes on households with very high incomes, extreme wealth, and highly profitable corporations, consistent with the Just Recovery DC vision for a racially equitable tax system.

DC residents deserve a government where equity is enforced, not optional. Laws like the REACH Act should shape decisions from the very beginning, with clear standards, timelines, and public reporting. Equity must be measurable, visible, and tied to outcomes, not reduced to checkboxes or after the fact justifications.

Residents deserve transparency and accountability for public subsidies. If Opportunity Zones or Tax Increment Financing are used, the public should be able to see who benefits, what community gains are delivered, and whether promises are kept. Public money should meet public needs like housing, food access, health care, education, and local economic stability, not subsidize unchecked development without accountability.

Trust is built when government tells the truth, releases data, corrects failures, and listens to communities before deals are signed.

The post it quotes, by @maustermuhle

NEWS: @DCAttorneyGen is suing Sequoia Row Consulting LLC and its CEO Paul Lawrence for allegedly pretending it was a D.C.-based small business (while Lawrence lived in Georgia) in order to gain preferential access to D.C. contracts. It got 32 contracts worth $13 million.

The post it quotes, by @maustermuhle

NEWS: @MayorBowser says she isn't signing the 2027 budget that was approved earlier this month by the D.C. Council. It still takes effect, but she protests some of the spending decisions and says the council is kicking the can down the road on "tough budget problems."

The post it quotes, by @SenRickScott

The D.C. Council’s decision to BLOCK its residents from benefitting from @POTUS’ Working Families Tax Cuts is ABSURD. Government’s top priority should be serving families, not benefiting off them. https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2026/2/sen-rick-scott-leads-resolution-overruling-d-c-s-move-to-deny-families-and-businesses-trump-s-historic-tax-cuts

The post it quotes, by @EmmaUber7

Here is Bowser’s full letter to the council chairman explaining her refusal to sign off on the budget. Says they chose to “simply kick the can down the road.”