The budget battle between the D.C. Council and the mayor is heating up again as the Council gave preliminary approval to restoring millions of dollars in cuts to social safety nets and some cuts in public transportation in Muriel Bowser’s budget.
D.C. faces dramatic budget shortfalls in the coming years, mostly related to the pandemic and telecommuting’s impact on tax revenue.
Bowser proposed an almost $20 billion budget that included deep cuts to programs including emergency rental assistance, housing vouchers for those experiencing homelessness and cuts to several DC Circulator bus routes.
“People don’t feel like this is a D.C. that’s working for them, quite frankly,” Ward 8 Councilman Trayon White said. “They don’t feel like this is the largest budget we ever in D.C. history.”
We've got the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.
The Council voted to reverse Bowser’s cuts Tuesday, adding $35 million in rental assistance, $40 million in housing vouchers and $30 million in legal aid.
The Council voted to make ride shares like Uber and Lyft a bit more expensive with a 25-cent dispatch fee citywide on gas-powered vehicles. The money would go to extend late night Metrobus service.
At one point, the Council had considered imposing a $2 congestion fee for rideshare trips in and out of downtown D.C.
Politics
Political news from the U.S. Capitol, White House and around Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia
In a statement, Uber told News4: “We are glad to see that Chairman Mendelson and the Council reconsidered the proposed $2 per trip fee, which would have adversely impacted downtown users and businesses. We will continue to work with the city’s leaders on the best ways to increase electric vehicle options, address congestion and tackle climate change.”
The Council also voted to pause the $100 million project to redesign K Street downtown.
“We have been able to restore the funding for emergency rental assistance and for access to legal aid to keep people in their homes,” Ward 6 Councilman Charles Allen said. “When it comes to getting around our city, we have been able to restore all of our Circulator routes and on top of that, add now 13 24-hour-a-day routes serving our city and our workers.”
The Council also voted to allow school resource officers to remain in D.C. Public Schools. The Council previously voted to phase out police in schools by 2025.
The Council’s preliminary vote was unanimous with White voting “present” and Councilman Vince Gray absent due to health reasons.
The Council’s final vote is set for May 30.
News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.
