The vote was nearly unanimous. Ward 7 Councilmember Vince Gray was absent. Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White voted "No" saying he believes the budget still does not do enough to address the needs of Black and brown families in the District and does not provide enough resources to young people.
Still, Chairman Phil Mendelson said the plan, “puts us back on the path of transforming people’s lives.”
The proposal restores money to environmental and social justice programs, education, housing, and pay equity. But some of that money will come through increased taxes.
Bowser sent the council a four-page letter expressing her opposition to the proposal in part because of those tax hikes. The council version would increase property taxes for homes assessed at over 2.5 million dollars, increases the tax businesses into the Paid family Leave Program. But here is what the Council said residents get in exchange:
- 477 housing vouchers, the Mayor proposed zero vouchers.
- Restores money in the Emergency Renters Assistance Program.
- Restores $70 Million in the Childcare Educators Pay Equity Fund.
- Fully funds the Georgetown Boys and Girls club.
The Council also proposes to take about $25 million from DC Public School Central Office and fund individual schools first, in compliance with recent law, and pays for additional teacher positions in Ward 7 and 8 schools with the most high-risk student populations.
Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto sided with Mayor Bowser’s concerns that the proposal does not include money the Mayor designated to the Department of Human Services to tackle the truancy crisis.
“I’m very concerned that we're on one hand we’re saying truancy has gone up – our current programs are not working sufficiently – but on the other hand saying alternative proposed – we’re also not going to support them,” said Pinto.
“The Mayor proposed $6 million for truancy in DHS which is untried and is not developed and not in accordance with current law,” Chairman Mendelson replied. “This budget has $6.2 million for truancy and is not relying on DHS.”
Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau said, “This is not a perfect budget, but we’re in a much better place than we were when the mayor proposed her budget."
Pinto said, “I’m concerned about raising taxes to fund programs."
The mayor said the council proposal is not financially sustainable and fails to consider our reality: Spending is going up, but revenue is going down. Still, the chairman says councilmembers will work to settle some of their sticking points before the budget’s second and final vote in two weeks. It will then be transmitted to the mayor’s office.