50 years of one party rule. I will eliminate federal taxes. Pass legislation that children must read and write on third grade level by third grade or will not be promoted. Work with federal law enforcement. Cut red tape and build more housing. https://grok.com/share/c2hhcmQtMg_c4484acc-c2d6-4f94-9086-1aa944c04489
- No Federal Taxes
- children to read/write on 3rd grade level, by 3rd grade, or they will not be promoted; school choice/vouchers ($$ follows the child)
- Support federal law enforcement to keep DC safe
- Reduce red tape and BUILD, BUILD, BUILD
- Eliminate photo tickets
Neighbor: Watcha doin’ running up and down the streets?
Me: I’m Denise Rosado and I’m running for Congress.
Our public school education system is in a state of emergency. I will introduce legislation that
kids need to read and write on grade level by 3rd grade, and No Fed Taxes
Meet the DC Candidate for Delegate. 7/9/26
I will continue to coordinate with fed law enforcement to keep DC safe. Eliminate federal taxes. Build new housing. Improve public schools leading to better jobs. Make DC a hub for national security and tech-AI, spectrum, cybersecurity.
Hello Hola DC!!
#RosadoforCongress.com Tell me what you think? Do you support No Federal Taxes? #NoTaxation #WashingtonDC #GenZVotes #MillenialVoices #
https://www.tiktok.com/@rosadoforcongress1/video/7623882307702639885?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7601250663204816439
Right now Congress is actively trying to overturn our tax laws, a move that will cost us $700 million dollars. Everyday it becomes more clear that we need a fighter who knows how to use the power we have on Capitol Hill. I will be ready to fight for you on day one.
When we talk about the budget, we’re talking real people, real homes, and real stability. 🏠
Heard from a Ward 7 resident how ReMIT is helping neighbors stay rooted in their communities. That’s why I fight for budget investments that meet real needs.
Housing stability. 💜
This budget delivers real wins for DC residents. $28.2M for housing vouchers. $500K for foreclosure prevention. $636K for Youth mentorship. Support for childcare, workers, tenants, families, and public safety. This is what it looks like when budget meets you where you are.
The annual MLK Parade is something the entire DC government shows up for, yet it has never received dedicated funding. This budget season, I identified funding to support it. As we move through the budget process, let’s make sure that investment stays in place.
Stability starts with investment.
It’s critical that we put dollars where they help residents most, and my team and I are proud to have helped secure these FY27 budget priorities. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYz1y3VFcOD/?igsh=YWRxM3RoZmZ1YmJl
We are officially two weeks away from pencils down for the FY27 budget. I’ve sent a letter to the Mayor and here’s what I’m asking for on behalf of DC Residents. Read more here : https://www.instagram.com/p/DVzUBcDlc6c/?igsh=MW91dG1pNnZiZXN5NQ==
Here’s what I had to say about DoorDash withdrawing their support for the federal bill that threatens DC’s control over local finances: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dd9Rsh4PPNw/?stkn=M2Y1dDVmMzZldWN1
In addition to @WPFWDC on-air debate Oct 14th @ 5pm we confirmed McKinley Tech Student Civic Engagement Debate in-person in 1.5k auditorium 10/23 6-8pm
I am Not Republican
I am Not Democrat
I'm DC #freedc
https://Freeman4congress.com 💚
No @DCStatehoodNOW No Federal Income Taxes
Maybe @wmata buses should be free? That seems to be #NYC plan Of course since DC is ONLY US TERRITORY that pays Federal Income taxes, being exempt like #PuertoRico #Guam etc could be a significant boost to working class that struggle to afford to live here
Trump said Fed Gov't needs your income taxes solely for war & not for the public good. DC pays more than everyone #staywoke #taxfreedc
"They can march all they want as long as they continue to pay their taxes" - Alexander Haig
https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1MJgNgDXVAXGL
http://Freeman4congress.com 💜
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.
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Ending the inflationary spiral of the past decade through fiscal responsibility, and efficiency in all echelons of government.
Reestablishment of the authority and responsibility of local government by returning to those matters properly falling within DC jurisdiction and responsibility.
Ending the inflationary spiral of the past decade through fiscal responsibility, and efficiency in all echelons of government.
The orderly and economical utilization of the natural resources of this city coupled with a sensible program of conservation of these resources.
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.
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”.
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.
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.
The needs and priorities of the community must be appropriately aligned with the responsible allocation of funding while also eliminating waste, and spending inefficiencies.
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.
A House committee approved a bill that would impede DC's ability to close tax loopholes & deliver a more affordable DC. Let the people of DC govern DC. We've balanced our budget on time for each of the last 30 years. The last time the federal government could say that was 2001.
Congress can't even pass the bills we're elected to pass, but now Congressional Republicans want to take over D.C.'s budget, taxes, and local laws?
Let D.C. be D.C.
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My record: I've blocked extreme rent increases, banned utility shutoffs after Pepco overcharged us, and expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit.
The House votes tomorrow on overturning our local tax law. This means:
1. Reversing a tax break for working families
2. Wreaking havoc in the middle of tax filing season
3. Destabilizing DC’s economy by clawing back $600 million
4. Undermining local autonomy
When the Council received the Mayor's budget, it proposed balancing our fiscal challenges on the backs of working families, educators, and residents struggling to get by. Today, we approved a budget restoring funding for Pay Equity, housing vouchers, Access to Justice, and more.
Today DC’s CFO certified our budget appropriations will increase by more than $51 million, due to FY25 revenue exceeding actual expenditures.
Because of the contingency plan my team helped include in the FY26 budget, this $51 million will be used to fund vital programs.
Ward 4 deserves a budget that reflects our needs and our values.
Today, we took our second vote on the Local Budget Act, securing critical investments for residents in Ward 4 and across DC.
Here are some of the wins we secured to make DC stronger and more affordable: ⬇️
This week, the mayor released her budget proposal.
The plan is billed as “strategic growth,” but cuts more than $800M from the programs DC residents rely on most.
As residents face economic uncertainty and federal threats, government should be stepping up—not stepping back. 🧵
For Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, I was grateful to join Quality Trust's Better Together Reception to speak with residents & advocates from across DC. I'll fight to make sure the voices of neighbors with disabilities are heard loud and clear in the FY27 budget.
After triggering a local recession with mass federal layoffs and blocking DC from using $1 billion of its own money last year, Republicans in Congress are at it again.
Today's vote threatens to cause chaos, blowing a $600 million hole in DC's budget.
We can have a people-first budget. These are all choices. As mayor, you won’t have to fight with me to fund health care, housing, equity for childcare workers because I understand when you invest in people, our city thrives.
Testified at the SY26 Budget Oversight Hearing. Too many decisions are missing the people they’re meant to serve. If we’re serious about D.C.’s future, reform and modernization aren’t optional. They’re overdue. Grateful for the opportunity to speak.
NEWS: D.C. CFO Glen Lee has spoken! In a letter to @MayorBowser and D.C. Council, Lee says that tax-filing season *will continue* and that the council's decoupling bill is the law of the land.
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The Council has restructured the debt financing by not capitalizing interest in Fiscal Years 2028 & 2029. This will save District taxpayers approximately $55 million.
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.
Yesterday I wrote a letter to Rep. Comer opposing tomorrow's meeting to adopt the "DC Taxing Authority Review Act." Congress already has the authority to disapprove tax increases adopted by the Council. This bill would straightjacket the District and paralyze our tax code.
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:
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)
Today’s revenue forecast, predicting an average $342M drop in revenues in each of the next 3 years, sets the stage for a very difficult budget process this spring.
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
“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.
Despite reporting to the contrary, there are no plans to the take the RFK funding out of the budget. In fact, I have said explicitly that the funding will be cabined, in other words, protected.
“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.”
“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.”
I appreciate that building and protecting the reserve funds is the CFO's policy view, but the CFO does not have the authority to make a policy decision that the Council may not use local reserves to support appropriations. My full letter below or at: https://chairmanmendelson.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Letter-to-Lee-6.23.pdf
“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.
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.
It is nonsensical. The effect of what they’re trying to do would be to cut back spending by police... as well as agencies that deal with the cleanliness of the city, public education and so forth. They would realize no savings from this, because these are not federal dollars
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/
“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
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
“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.
“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.”
228 measures introduced on taxes222 recorded votes on taxes30 against the majority
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.
…to favor the wealthy. Capital gains, inherited wealth, and high value property remain lightly taxed, while working families carry a disproportionate share of the load. The District has increasingly relied on mechanisms like Opportunity Zones, Tax Increment Financing (TIFs), and long term bonding to spur development without clear accountability for results. Too often, these tools shift risk onto future taxpayers while delivering limited public benefit. Without change, revenue will continue to lag behind economic growth, putting housing, education, health care, and basic services at risk.
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.
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For this to be happening in 2025 shows everything we need to know about this year’s disastrous budget. We have billions for a stadium while the rest of us are left outside!
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’s budget is under real strain, not because residents are asking for too much, but because revenue is not keeping pace with the economy or with the responsibilities DC is required to carry. The District relies primarily on local property, income, and sales taxes, along with federal funds that make up about a quarter of total revenue. Unlike states, DC must fund both city and state level services, including Medicaid, unemployment insurance, and human services, while lacking full control over its own budget.
…rents keep rising, triple net leases shift risk onto tenants, and public investments often increase property values without protecting the businesses expected to stay. Construction projects disrupt corridors with little notice, and vacant storefronts sit empty while speculation is rewarded. Immigrant and Black owned businesses face language barriers, confusing applications, and unequal access to capital. Too many small businesses have closed not because they failed their communities, but because the District made it easier to support billion dollar developments than neighborhood businesses.
DC’s budget is under real strain, not because residents are asking for too much, but because revenue is not keeping pace with the economy or with the responsibilities DC is required to carry. The District relies primarily on local property, income, and sales taxes, along with federal funds that make up about a quarter of total revenue. Unlike states, DC must fund both city and state level services, including Medicaid, unemployment insurance, and human services, while lacking full control over its own budget.
Congress can block DC laws, restrict how local funds are spent, and impose federal budget riders that deny the District revenue. One clear example is cannabis. DC voters legalized possession, but Congress still blocks the District from regulating and taxing recreational sales, denying millions in revenue that could be reinvested in communities harmed by the War on Drugs.
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.
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.
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.
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.
At the same time, DC’s tax code and development strategy continue to favor the wealthy. Capital gains, inherited wealth, and high value property remain lightly taxed, while working families carry a disproportionate share of the load. The District has increasingly relied on mechanisms like Opportunity Zones, Tax Increment Financing (TIFs), and long term bonding to spur development without clear accountability for results. Too often, these tools shift risk onto future taxpayers while delivering limited public benefit. Without change, revenue will continue to lag behind economic growth, putting housing, education, health care, and basic services at risk.
Congress can block DC laws, restrict how local funds are spent, and impose federal budget riders that deny the District revenue. One clear example is cannabis. DC voters legalized possession, but Congress still blocks the District from regulating and taxing recreational sales, denying millions in revenue that could be reinvested in communities harmed by the War on Drugs.
At the same time, DC’s tax code and development strategy continue to favor the wealthy. Capital gains, inherited wealth, and high value property remain lightly taxed, while working families carry a disproportionate share of the load. The District has increasingly relied on mechanisms like Opportunity Zones, Tax Increment Financing (TIFs), and long term bonding to spur development without clear accountability for results. Too often, these tools shift risk onto future taxpayers while delivering limited public benefit. Without change, revenue will continue to lag behind economic growth, putting housing, education, health care, and basic services at risk.
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 seniors deserve to age in place safely, affordably, and in community. They deserve secure Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits protected from federal raids and privatization. Seniors should be able to afford their medications, keep their homes, access nutritious food, and rely on accessible transportation, safe sidewalks, and reliable paratransit to stay connected to care and community life. They deserve strong home and community based services so they are not forced into institutions, as well as support for family and paid caregivers. Seniors deserve protection from scams and financial exploitation, clear help navigating benefits and taxes, and relief from rising property taxes and utility costs. Above all, DC seniors deserve policies that support independence, reduce isolation, and allow them to remain active and respected members of their communities for as long as they choose.
…scams and fraud targeting older adults grow more aggressive and sophisticated. Locally, proposed cuts to the Department of Aging and Community Living put meals, transportation, home care, caregiver support, and senior wellness programs at risk. Rising property taxes, housing costs, and utility bills are forcing seniors out of the neighborhoods they built. Too many older adults, especially Black seniors east of the Anacostia River, face food insecurity, limited health access, unreliable transportation, isolation, and displacement when they should be aging with dignity, stability, and respect.
DC seniors deserve to age in place safely, affordably, and in community. They deserve secure Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits protected from federal raids and privatization. Seniors should be able to afford their medications, keep their homes, access nutritious food, and rely on accessible transportation, safe sidewalks, and reliable paratransit to stay connected to care and community life. They deserve strong home and community based services so they are not forced into institutions, as well as support for family and paid caregivers. Seniors deserve protection from scams and financial exploitation, clear help navigating benefits and taxes, and relief from rising property taxes and utility costs. Above all, DC seniors deserve policies that support independence, reduce isolation, and allow them to remain active and respected members of their communities for as long as they choose.
As a pharmacist and DC’s elected U.S. Representative, Oye understands how federal decisions shape seniors’ health, finances, and daily lives, and how those impacts are felt most sharply in neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River. He will fight to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid from federal cuts and privatization, and will work to shield DC residents from harmful federal actions whenever possible. Oye will fully fund the Department of Aging and Community Living, restore and expand meals, transportation, home care, caregiver support, and senior wellness programs, and…
D.C. voters want a pro-active @councilofdc, which is thinking strategically how to protect D.C. residents & businesses from the Trump regime.
I wrote about how D.C. should deal with the tax decoupling issue, and I'm glad to see @DCAttorneyGen's opinion: https://www.scribd.com/document/1003103396/AG-Opinion-Decoupling-Retroactivity-and-Validity
It is even more true now than 2 years ago when this was written and published: "Missing from these numbers is any serious discussion about what taxpayers get for the money...D.C.'s budget is structurally imbalanced, with expenditures far outstripping revenue growth."
One of many reasons of why we are not getting a good return on the $22 billion investment we make in our city every year.
Our program to help locally owned minority contractors is to help them grow & reinvest back into DC's economy, hiring our residents & spending $$ here.
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.
9 measures introduced on taxes169 recorded votes on taxes37 against the majority
Champion policies that support law enforcement, national defense, and safety for all citizens, including D.C. residents.
Advocate for tax reforms that reduce the burden on hardworking D.C. residents and businesses, promoting job growth and economic opportunity.
Ensure that Washington, D.C. is not overlooked in national discussions and has a fair voice in policy making, regardless of the city's current status.
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D.C. needs policies that foster entrepreneurship, reduce overregulation, and provide tax relief to encourage business growth. As Shadow Senator, I will push for pro-business policies that benefit both small businesses and large employers in D.C.
Public safety is a cornerstone of a thriving community. I stand with our law enforcement officers and believe in strong policies that protect our neighborhoods. Criminal justice reform should focus on rehabilitation, but also on maintaining a safe and just environment for all citizens.
D.C. needs policies that foster entrepreneurship, reduce overregulation, and provide tax relief to encourage business growth. As Shadow Senator, I will push for pro-business policies that benefit both small businesses and large employers in D.C.
It's time to address the growing financial challenges in D.C. I will work to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, and our local government operates more efficiently and transparently.
It's time to address the growing financial challenges in D.C. I will work to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, and our local government operates more efficiently and transparently.
D.C. needs policies that foster entrepreneurship, reduce overregulation, and provide tax relief to encourage business growth. As Shadow Senator, I will push for pro-business policies that benefit both small businesses and large employers in D.C.
It's time to address the growing financial challenges in D.C. I will work to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, and our local government operates more efficiently and transparently.
I believe in parental choice and the right to choose the best education for our children. I will advocate for school choice programs, improve local education funding, and work to make D.C.'s schools more competitive.
My discussion with @abc7gmw “It's going to raise taxes'” for low income DC families. #Congress moves against #DCbudget law. https://wjla.com/news/local/dc-tax-law-vote-overturn-congress-senate-home-rule-act-federal-oversight-revenue-resolution-budget-policy-finance-bowser-program-cuts-impact-working-families-child-credits-autonomy
It’s happening again, and with disastrous consequences for DC Taxpayers. Call these Senators and tell them to vote No on #SJRes102 and let DC govern itself.
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
Today a US Senate Committee advanced a resolution overturning a budget passed by the @councilofdc which will have a devastating impact on DC’s budget. I appreciate @senatedems voting against this measure, but the #Republican majority in the Senate will move to the #Senate floor.
Because it’s a disapproval resolution, it’s not subject to the cloture rule which means no option for Democrats to protect DC’s budget with a #filibuster. The #House has already passed the measure by a party line vote, with all Democrats voting with DC against the measure.
Taking funds from savings is not the same as a balanced budget.
This is daring Congress to intervene (remember the CFO position was created by Congress to prevent DC being a financial liability).
If DC decides to run a deficit by using emergency savings for ongoing luxury expenses, DC is going to be in trouble with both the collapse of property tax revenue AND Congress.
DC needs sane fiscal policy, not hopes that the fiscal crisis isn't real.
NEWS: D.C. CFO Glen Lee is objecting to the D.C. Council's plan to use $150 million from the city's reserves to restore funding for some social programs that were cut to close the 2027 budget deficit. If the council proceeds, he threatens to declare the budget "unbalanced."
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Wow!
Demanding a commitment to a political ideal during a fight over taxation seems like compelled speech.
It isn't news that companies don't like being taxed. It isn't news that people hate secretive processes.
It also isn't news that foolish politicians may extort things from businesses.
But it is news that those politicians don't realize what they are demanding is legally (not just morally) questionable.
And, at a time when DC needs businesses in order to bring in taxable revenue, DC cannot afford to drive businesses away and become even more dependent on an increasingly irritated Congress.
This reads as a defensive, smug response from corporate leadership, caught in the crosshairs of their greedy, selfish attempt to put company profits over the rights of 700,000 District residents.
What’s a better approach? An apology, a retraction, and a commitment to statehood.
Congress cares more about DC taxpayers than the people running DC.
DC needs to get serious about how taxes stifle residents.
NEWS: @MayorBowser is speaking out against the Republican bill making its way through the House that would restrict D.C.'s ability to increase (or decrease) taxes and fees. She says Congress should instead make federal tax changes to help D.C.'s economy grow.
Harassing businesses that don't like getting tax increases via an unusual process is not going to make businesses like the city any more.
It will, however, make open disagreement less likely and further delude the city into self-destructive policies.
One party rule leads to delusion and poverty.
If FreeDC wants to get DoorDash to pull its support from HR 9720 then it needs to use real leverage: make a concrete demand then ask *restaurants* to cut off DoorDash if it doesn't comply.
If FreeDC just wants to say fuck DoorDash then sure yeah the demands don't matter!
Of all the things DC can do to soften the fiscal crisis, funding MPD properly is the best.
Businesses close when they suffer losses from theft and customers who refuse to take risks. Customers gravitate to safer places to spend their money. Richer potential residents avoid DC and richer residents leave.
DC must focus on the basics of what cities need before spending on things that are nice to have.
And people like the DSA who plan to spend without understanding past lessons in DC will not do
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.”
No more compromises! DC passed a balanced budget. If Congressional Republicans unbalance DC’s budget by forcing a duplication of federal tax cuts on local revenue & create chaos for tax filing, that’s on them & every impacted resident should give them an earful. DC Statehood now!
At launch of Green Book, #DC’s sm busines opportunity guide, @MayorBowser suggests compromise to avoid Congres overturning tax decoupling action:
“@councilofdc indicate ’25 stay as it is…& commit to change for ‘26.” @ChmnMendelson @RebeccaTurcoTV @SegravesNBC4
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Dear Blad from Falls Church (@tlindblad), (1) Washington, DC is not a federal agency of employees; we are a city of people. (2) The revenue Congress is withholding is LOCAL revenue paid by our residents through income, property & sales taxes. There's no FEDERAL money saved. (1/4)
@EJGoulet @MayorBowser @councilofdc @HouseGOP Or, like other agencies and departments, prioritize to manage the 4% decrement with the remaining 96% budgeted.
Fantastic news!!! Thank you @MayorBowser for putting the education of DC students first in your final proposed DC budget! Even in difficult fiscal times it is incredibly important that we prioritize the future of our city... our extraordinary DC youth.
Interesting: @MayorBowser says she plans to increase per-pupil school spending by 2.55% in the 2027 budget. That’s on top of years of continued increases, and reversing what was initially expected to be a significant cut next year to address budget challenges.
I’m disappointed by the statements I’ve read from some DC elected officials, who falsely accuse @MayorBowser of inviting Congressional interference by returning the FY2027 budget unsigned. In her 12 years as Mayor, Muriel Bowser, has never once invited federal intervention. (1/5)
Mayor Muriel Bowser won’t sign the budget approved by the D.C. Council, but she’s also not trying to stop it.
https://wtop.com/dc/2026/07/mayor-cites-837-million-fiscal-cliff-as-she-declines-to-sign-d-c-budget/
Lastly, I agree with the Mayor & our DC CFO about concerns they’ve expressed to preserve fund balance & prepare for a difficult economic outlook. The FY27 budget reflects the opposite approach Council took to weather the Great Recession when hard decisions were made ASAP. (5/5)
Creating a pseudo-independent development corporation doesn’t create bonding authority outside the District’s statutory 12% debt cap, if either: (1) the corporation is using DC’s revenue streams to repay debt or (2) if the District backstops the debt in any way. (1/3)
A great story explaining how a key JLG proposal might work: and one that I had long thought of writing myself!
Here's what Lewis George told me when I asked her about the idea at a press conference a couple months ago:
This is a must-read from the Washington Post Editorial Board. We lost partial Home Rule 31 years ago when crime, unfunded pensions & fiscal mismanagement bankrupted DC; we were downgraded to junk bond status; & a Financial Control Board was established to manage our city. (1/11)
Janeese Lewis George wants to “leverage” money that's supposed to be off limits for risky investments, the Editorial Board writes. https://wapo.st/3Rn9RDD
This is a “unique” take. 🤔 Most neutral observers would probably conclude that Janeese proposing to raid “billions of dollars” from employee pensions is harmful to union workers & that the @PostOpinions advocacy against Janeese doing so ensures union retirement funds are secure.
The editorial board @WashPost @PostOpinions is not only out of touch with DC , they have declared war on unions and blame un affordability on the cost of labor.
My biggest takeaway from all of the polling was how long-time DC residents overwhelmingly supported Kenyan McDuffie. If you were here in DC for the Control Board, you personally saw how well-meaning, but irresponsible, financial decisions bankrupted our city. (1/4)
Having lived in Minnesota, one has a closer understanding of the issues than vague labeling.
Scams were devastating in Minnesota and the choice of Keith Ellison to prevent investigation into the fraudulent reimbursement requests in the Feeding Our Future program was the clearest way that the public was looted.
Ilhan Omar was part of that political network.
That is somewhat unsurprising. Her father was a senior figure in the Barre regime that turned one of Africa's most successful countries into the mess that it is now. A lot of the fraud in Minnesota is from the families of former regime elements.
The issue is not that she is Black, so are the long-forgotten Ethiopians. The issue is that the DFL chose to side with the political network of the former Barre regime instead of with less criminal immigrant communities.
There's lots of Ethiopians and a few initial refugees from the victims of the Barre regime. But the DFL ignored them in favor of the Barre regime.
Ilhan Omar is not especially bright but she is a tool of crooks seeking to steal from the public who know they need political cover to turn small-scale fraud into large-scale fraud.
And that is why investigations matter.
Reversing the decline of Minnesota requires tackling the political machine that defrauded the people of billions of dollars.
And I think it is very interesting that it is the DSA, a Socialist political movement like the Barre regime, that is defending her based on the identity labels. Let us not forget that the Barre regime attempted to genocide the Isaaq tribe. They talk togetherness but resort to identity labels when they can no longer persuade people.
Hopefully more details about this case come out (and I suspect they are even more damning than those about Minnesota AG Keith Ellison) and that people will learn to be more skeptical of former regime elements.
@RepOfSomaliland
@GrageDustin
Trump has ordered the National Guard to occupy DC through the next presidential transition. His federal agents have detained political dissidents and murdered people in broad daylight.
Going after political opponents is the next escalation in his abuse of state power.
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And let us acknowledge that DC is unceded land of Congress and that we must respect their ways.
Many traditional practices exist such as the ritual of an oversight board, cutoff of subsidies, and agencies being moved to districts where congressmen hope to win the respect of their followers.
The elders of Congress are especially fearsome and can show their displeasure in many subtle ways.
We must strive to live in harmony with the Congress and not antagonize them. They made this land what it is and know its ways far more than we do.
And as many newcomers have sparked conflict by not policing their criminals (such as in Australia), let us avoid the wrath of Congress by ensuring our criminals do not cause them problems and that we are not a burden to them.
We can all prosper as long as we remember how to live in peace.
Before the government buildings, federal monuments, expansive streetscapes, and residential neighborhoods of present-day DC, this land was lined with Native American villages, quarries, burial mounds, and hunting and fishing sites for thousands of years.
Traces of these Native American sites have been uncovered all across our city — from the hills of Van Ness and Chevy Chase to the riverbanks of the Potomac and the Anacostia.
On Indigenous Peoples Day, we honor the Piscataway, the Nacotchtank (Anacostans), and all who first made the District their home.
We also celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of Native American communities across our country that endure today.
I got in a fight with a guy named Jack.
Jill issue.
Evil exists.
We saw evil when Hamas massacred civilians on October 7th.
In the most extreme arguments, one could imagine attacks on IDF personnel as justified but there is no logically consistent way to justify the murder of civilian party-goers.
But the bloodless lives of sheltered people forget the choices Hamas had and turn their eyes from the evil. The next day, the DSA announced their support for Hamas.
They treat the murderous hate of Hamas as an abstraction. They treat the victims with either uncomfortable silence or glee as they fail to conceal their sadism.
They point to security measures Israel implemented that isolated Gaza while ignoring the fact that Israel withdrew from Gaza and only gradually built walls (which induce complacency) after the many terrorist attacks when Hamas took over.
Evil is not new. Sadism is not new. Bored rich kids indulging in adulation for sadistic murderers are not new. It is why Noam Chomsky lied to protect the Khmer Rouge. It is why Sendero Luminoso still has defenders.
But what we have now is vastly more footage of atrocities that makes the moral divide starker. It is undeniable that Hamas murdered civilians as part of their goals and it is undeniable that many people defend Hamas because of those murders.
The victory over totalitarianism requires memory.
It requires the memory of the possibility of civilized life (why all totalitarian movements rush to destroy reminders of life before their rule). It requires memory of the choices (why all totalitarian movements rush to false dichotomies). It requires memory of the success of the non-totalitarian way of life (why excuses are critical to the everyday functioning of totalitarian regimes).
We must remember what Hamas did so that we are not blind to the moral character of those who defend Hamas.
And those who take glee in murdering random civilians will not hesitate to harm others. It won't stop at Jews, it will only spread via the excuses people make.
They had choices and chose badly.
We have choices and must remember in order to choose right.
https://www.hamas-massacre.net/content/partygoers-being-hunt-down-and-killed-by-hamas-terrorists
It's time for everybody's favorite fun.
What does game theory predict about the incentives of an autocratic regime noted for internal assassinations, recklessness, and corruption when it might result in retaliation from the rest of the world?
Does the central government decide to continue an increasingly implausible charade and hope it works?
Does the interests of local civilians override the reputation management by program officials and maybe the central government? (Hey, sometimes it happens.)
Do foreign countries manage to find plausible threats that will make the central government less likely to risk spillover?
And this time, the generational divide on the relative success of coverups is probably going to be significant and yet utterly ignored by political scientists.
Yuen Foong Khong is forgotten.
The State Department is monitoring reports of a suspected fatal pneumonic plague case in Russia and is urging Moscow to share accurate information quickly as details remain unconfirmed. https://www.fox5dc.com/news/us-monitoring-suspected-fatal-pneumonic-plague-case-russia-state-department-official-says?taid=6ac483d5d234120001900d4b&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter
I have @#$%ing had it.
People have known about soviet efforts to engineer antibiotic resistant strains of plague (yersinia pestis) for generations.
To compare them with natural plague is grossly dishonest.
The rational response when a worker in a plague institute dies from a broken vial is alarm, not complacency.
Lab leaks happen and Biopreparat was sloppy in how they dispersed their samples. Nobody should be cavalier about such strains getting released even if they would probably kill fast enough that they don't become pandemics.
But there is no excuse for someone who claims to be compassionate to conflate natural cases with what the soviets designed.
The U.S. averages about 7 human plague cases per year and is treated with antibiotics. Deaths are extremely rare.
This is dumb.
The reason for concern is not just that pneumonic plague (a form of yersinia pestis incubated in the lungs) is terrifying, it is that the Soviet bioweapons program experimented with it and was not completely shut down.
There are stockpiles of its products left around and lab leaks happen.
Autocratic regimes have incentives to lie, cover up problems, and those tend to turn controllable leaks into uncontrollable ones.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/10/possible-plague-crisis-siberia-five-hospitals-placed-under/
Those who desire peace must prepare for war.
Because if intimidation becomes a reliable path for getting what one wants, intimidation will become routine.
We have let criminals use intimidation to extract wealth and comfort from the people, the people must hold firm to stop it.
The French 🇫🇷 have learned that they can get almost anything if they behave like assholes.
That lesson is deeply embedded in French political culture. If you lose an argument, block a road. If negotiations fail, stop the trains. If the government refuses to retreat, occupy a university, burn bins, smash shopfronts, surround a ministry, shut down a refinery. The escalation itself becomes a political language.
Over time, this creates a perverse incentive. The most disruptive group gets attention. The group willing to impose the highest cost on everyone else gets concessions. Moderation becomes strategically stupid. Why negotiate quietly when history keeps teaching you that the state only listens after traffic stops, schools close and something catches fire?
So every conflict starts one step higher than the previous one. A strike becomes a blockade. A blockade becomes sabotage. A demonstration becomes a riot. Political violence is no longer exceptional; it becomes part of the bargaining repertoire.
And then everyone wonders why the country is ungovernable.
The answer is simple: if generations are taught that public order is merely a suggestion and that disruption is the fastest route to power, eventually the entire political system starts rewarding the loudest, angriest and most destructive people in the room.
Technological changes do not eliminate roles, they change the mix of them.
Rapid armored movements still have a place in war, the conditions under which they take place change.
Cost-effective delivery of explosives, ability to monitor, ability to strike deep, and ability to secure infrastructure are all roles that will continue whatever the technology.
The value for the future is understanding what is dependent what rather than throwing one's hands up and saying one doesn't have the tools because "drones make everything obsolete".
The Ukrainian Art of Warfare is starting to develop.
What we just watched in Oleksandrivka is exactly how Maj. Gen. Thomas Feltey said armor has to be used if you want to win.
For two years any tank that entered the kill zone was hunted. Ukraine did not answer that by retiring armor. It spent eight months setting conditions: logistics struck 10 to 60 miles deep, drone crews and electronic warfare hunted until the kill zone moved back, Russian messengers hacked so artillery could finish the work. Then infantry broke in on foot paratroopers and assault troops, some swimming the Vovcha. Only then did the tanks roll, to hold what the infantry took. This week the 475th did it again at Vilkhuvatka. Two drone-escorted tanks in. Both out undamaged. 288 square miles and 26 settlements back.
That is the sequence in Break In, Break Through, Break Out. Break-in is infantry-centric. Decision belongs to armored combined arms mobility, protection, and firepower committed only after the enemy can no longer see and strike at will. Drones enable. They do not decide. A door kicked open is useless if armor is not prepared to go through it.
Oleksandrivka is the proof of method. The next requirement is the one Feltey named: armored mass and endurance to turn the foothold into rupture and breakout.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/03/how-ukraine-cracked-russias-kill-zone/
https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/Online-Exclusive/2026-OLE/Break-In-Break-Through-Break-Out/
I hope this trove of documents can be analyzed to see just how the legal, ideological, and psychological forces have kept an economically stagnant regime in power.
Regime enforcement is the core infrastructure of a totalitarian regime and must be targeted first.
Got my hands on an IRGC instructor training package for the IRGC/Basij terrorist apparatus which contains 2,521 files, including 266 presentations, 122 PDFs, 207 Word documents and 342 videos.
The material covers weapons, sniping/counter-sniping, ambushes, guerrilla and counter-guerrilla warfare, night combat, explosives and booby traps. Alongside that: psychological operations, urban patrols, checkpoints and dedicated urban unrest-control courses:
The 43-slide “Pacification” presentation lists “shooting by skilled marksmen” and “use of firepower” among the measures commanders may employ to control unrest. That’s slide 24, in the unrest-control course.
Same presentation classifies post-election crowds as “abnormal.” A companion deck lists wage disputes, unemployment, rising living costs and political grievances as causes of unrest.
A separate 61-slide presentation, attributed to an IRGC security unit, covers urban unrest operations and operational-control responsibilities involving the police and IRGC.
The Basij urban-patrol course details training qualifications for patrol personnel and leaders, mission orders, judicial-officer credentials, compensation insurance and an office providing legal support for Basij members facing problems during their missions. (!)
Combat training, protest suppression, ideological conditioning and the administrative machinery supporting the personnel carrying it out.