WASHINGTON — D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had some good news to deliver Wednesday as numerous nonprofits sat eagerly awaiting her 2023 budget proposal. The District's FY2023 budget is $1.3 billion larger than the previous budget -- a 14% increase, partially coming from one-time federal funds.
At a press conference, the mayor announced several of the projects where the surplus would be used.
"We’ve been able to invest in opening a new high school, and an advanced career technical center," Bowser said. "We’ve been able to invest in something we’ve been wanting to invest in a long time -- the sports complex -- and we’ve been able to invest in a new jail."
The $251 million investment in a new DC Jail attached to the current correctional treatment facility would mean the “eventual” closure of the current DC jail, with conditions so concerning to U.S. Marshals that they moved their inmates out last November.
A new high school on MacArthur Boulevard is budgeted for $45 million, with dedicated Districtwide seats.
But for all the budget increases, some nonprofit groups were still anxious to hear critical details, DC SAFE among them. The organization providing emergency shelter for domestic violence survivors asked Bowser's office for $2.5 million in additional funds, citing a spike in demand for their services during the pandemic.
"It’s not just about the money," said DC SAFE Shelter Director Michelle Sewell. "Of course, we need the money to make things work. But I think people have to understand what it took to pull things off."
Bowser's office had no specifics, other than to say DC SAFE could be getting some money from a new $7 million pot of funding meant for crime victims. In the meantime, the nonprofit group waits, and Mayor Bowser hopes this budget windfall will beat new life into the District still suffering from downtown pandemic vacancies.
"We also have to replace the people who may not be coming back to the downtown because they are teleworking or they are teleworking three days out of five days," Bowser said. "A way to do that is with new activity, more tourists, more places to go, more things for people to do."
Here are other highlights from the FY2023 budget proposal:
- $30 million for hiring 4,000 DC Police officers
- $31 million to HomewardDC to add permanent housing vouchers for 500 more individuals, 260 more families and 10 more youth
- $750,000 to enforce a ban on flavored tobacco sales
- $15 million for preventative maintenance of HVAC and boilers at DC Public Schools
- $9.4 million for 100+ new full-time school crossing guards
- $18.5 million for new pedestrian and bicycle bridge to Kingman Island
- $752,000 to triple DC Public Works vehicle booting team to find and immobilize vehicles with outstanding safety violations
- $9.4 million to add 170 new speed cameras in D.C.
- $10 million for a Black Homeownership Fund for longtime D.C. residents
- $26 million to help low income first-time homebuyers with down payment and closing costs
- $22 million to "add fresh food access points East of the River"
- $2.4 million for 28 additional 911 operations staff
- $4.7 million to add 50 firefighters/paramedics
- $3 million to add new live-agent video chat support for licensing and permitting services
- $1.4 million to add 15 new DC DMV positions to reduce wait times for road testing appointments