In First Vote, D.C. Council Approves Budget Without Excluded Workers Funds

Parker Introduces, then Withdraws, Amendment that Extends Deed Tax to Fund Programs

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer

The D.C. Council stepped closer to passing the fiscal year 2024 budget with the unanimous approval of legislation that restores funding to some of the programming D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) cut in her budget proposal earlier this year.

The dozen council members who were present approved what’s known as the “Fiscal Year 2024 Local Budget Act.” D.C. Councilmember Vincent Gray (D-Ward 7), who’s recovering from a recent surgery unrelated to his 2021 stroke, was absent.

On May 30, the D.C. Council will vote on the Fiscal Year 2024 Local Budget Act for the second and final time.

An accompanying piece of legislation, titled the “Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Support Act, ”includes more than 70 subtitles that support the implementation of the Fiscal Year 2024 Local Budget Act. The D.C. Council also unanimously supported it.

Hours before the first budget season vote, organizers converged on the John A. Wilson Building to fight for the restoration of funds for excluded workers via an amendment by D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5) that extends a soon-expiring deed tax on District properties valued at $2 million or more.

During the council meeting, Parker introduced, and later withdrew, the amendment after his colleagues piled on a bevy of concerns about the tax code and unforeseen effects on the business community and downtown development.

Throughout much of Tuesday morning, Chuck Bradley, a returning citizen and street vendor who’s facing housing insecurity, had remained hopeful that the D.C. Council would ultimately restore funding for social programs, and especially COVID-era payments for excluded workers that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) reallocated.

“So many people need assistance,” Bradley said. “The government [is] always working [to hire] more police, but as far as the homeless, disabled and mentally ill, they’re not serving them so you have issues where police officers don’t know how to address the mentally ill,” he added. “How long should a person be fighting for disability money and their apartment when they got their vouchers? The government wants us to believe they’re working in our favor but they have to show us.”

A VIGOROUS DEBATE ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY, WARD 8 FUNDING SOURCES, AND AN EXPIRING DEED TAX

In his opening statement about extending the deeds tax, Parker said revenue generated would restore funding for the excluded worker COVID-era compensation, SNAP, and the No Senior Hungry program in addition to the expansion of the D.C. Summer Youth Employment Program, the emergency rental assistance program, and housing vouchers.

In response to concerns about its impact on downtown revitalization, Parker noted that rental conversions downtown would be exempt from his amendment. That however didn’t prevent pushback from D.C. Councilmembers Kenyan McDuffie (I-At large) and D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) who said they wouldn’t support the amendment out of regard for downtown revitalization goals.

Moments earlier, D.C. Council Chairman Mendelson (D) expressed similar concern about taxes possibly turning away investors.

D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson (I-At large), who also said she wouldn’t vote for the deed tax extension, described $2 million as too low of a threshold for buildings that would be affected.

D.C. Councilmember Anita Bond (D-At large) later said that business owners, who she called part of the community, mustn’t be harmed. D.C. Councilmember Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3) and Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) later asked that the council wait for the D.C. Tax Revision Commission to come back with recommendations for changes to the tax code.

Amid the ongoing discussion about whether to remove school resource officers (SROs), Parker also introduced an amendment that launches a task force dedicat- ed to determining the ideal scenario, in place of SROs, that ensures school safety.

D.C. Councilmembers Robert White (D-At large), Pinto, Frumin, and Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) expressed support for Parker’s SRO amendment. In his comments, McDuffie requested more of a robust discussion about safety in recreation centers and other public places where youth congregate.

D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) attempted to introduce amendments that modernize Marvin Gaye Recreation Center in Northeast, renovate