The D.C. Council chairman says House Republicans’ legislation to drastically slash the city’s budget is anti-democratic and harmful.
In a letter sent to U.S. Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, D.C. leaders said the proposed cuts will jeopardize public safety and unbalance the District’s 2024 budget.
“Not only is the interference objectionable, highly objectionable, but this is harmful,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.
Mendelson said the cuts the subcommittee proposed include slashing $143.8 million for the court system and $20 million for emergency planning and security. They would prohibit D.C. from expending funds on automated traffic enforcement and prohibit any local and federal funding for abortions.
“Their language is there is a crime crisis in the city, and then they turn right around and they cut funding that goes to the police department by $20 million and they cut funding to the courts, which are a necessary part of the criminal justice system,” Mendelson said.
Although Mendelson says he views it as hypocrisy, it’s a threat he takes very seriously.
On the Hill Thursday morning, the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee criticized the way the bill would meddle in District affairs.
“Micromanaging the District of Columbia, their health laws and, in fact, their traffic laws are addressed here,” U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said.
Tom Sherwood, analyst for WAMU’s “The Politics Hour With Kojo Nnamdi” and a retired News4 reporter, said Republicans have meddled in city affairs before, but not like this.
“This appears to be an onslaught of things,” he said. “The things that were being done by the House committee today would undermine public safety, will undermine the city’s budget. You know, the District balances its budget. I suggest the House do the same.”
House Republicans successfully – with help from Democrats – defeated the District’s new criminal code. Now, city leaders are gearing up for another fight.
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