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A super-fun, children-assisted ribbon cutting at the new 19th & Lamont Park.
What a beautifully created park!
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Neighbors:
Budget, budget, budget. Yep, it’s almost all we’re talking about these days. On Tuesday, the Council debated and held its final vote on the Local Budget Act for the upcoming fiscal year, starting October 1, 2023. We still have a little bit more work to do on the supporting legislation called the Budget Support Act, which will have its final vote on June 13.
I’ve already shared with you two newsletters in a row (here and here) about what’s in the budget for Ward 1 and District-wide, and what else I hoped to make possible in the final version of the
budget. Before Tuesday’s vote, most of it had already been baked in. But no budget is final until the final vote, so let me share with you a few of the additional items to make it into the final version of the budget.
I’m really proud of what I was able to deliver in Ward 1 already, and with the final budget, Ward 1 can claim some exciting additional wins:
- $1.1 million increase in DPR’s “Small Parks” budget to replace playgrounds at Bruce Monroe Park and the 11th
& Monroe Trolley Park, and for modernization of 14th and Girard Park in Columbia Heights.
- Councilmember Pinto joined me in an amendment adding $50,000 to the D.C. Public Library budget to fund a study and community engagement to identify public facilities needs for the area between Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle. This is timed to inform the planned redevelopment of public land at 1617 U Street, which provides an opportunity for a new public facility in addition to housing and retention of the police and fire stations. Councilmember Pinto and I submitted a letter earlier this year in support of a new library on the site*.
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- Funding for a new Park View Recreation Center has been enhanced by $4.3 million, bringing the total to $16.6 million. This matches the site’s need for a new building to meet community programming demand – as well as improving public safety by improving sightlines and encouraging more eyes on the street.
- Thanks to Chairman Mendelson, we now have $250,000 to implement a performance parking zone program in the U Street area. This will implement “demand pricing” that increases when there’s a shortage of open parking spaces, with the increased revenue going to a dedicated fund for public safety, business, and nightlife management initiatives in that area. This will also allow me to continue the work mapped out by the U Street Safety Initiative I launched last year. Similar zones already exist around Nats Park and Capitol One Arena. This allocation supports the start-up
costs of a new zone – it will be followed up by legislation and planning to establish the zone itself, including the boundaries and uses of this new ongoing revenue source.
Outside of our ward, the most significant budget addition was funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and for Excluded Workers. Unfortunately, both are contingent on the District receiving more revenue before September 30 than was initially forecast. While the Chief Financial Officer’s revenue estimates have consistently been far exceeded by actual revenue, we don’t know with certainty what the upcoming year has in store. The first $40 million of additional revenue, if any, will go to the SNAP program. The next $20 million will go to excluded workers, who were promised payments last year – payments that were never implemented by the executive branch.
This budget has come a long way from the first version presented to us just over two months ago. In a very tight revenue year, we managed to move forward some incredibly valuable programs for Ward 1 and protect many of our most vulnerable residents throughout the city.
Next week, we’ll vote on what’s called the Budget Supplement Act – that's the fine print that implements some of the changes to law that are necessary to expend funds in the way that the Council determined. For example, to implement the performance parking plan for U Street that we budgeted for, the Council has to give the Department of Public Works the authority to do so, along with some of the details of how revenue will be used.
*Clarification/correction: A typo in the last newsletter incorrectly indicated funding has been preserved in the budget for the 1617 U St. project. This is incorrect and was meant to reference funds for the Reeves Center project, a few blocks away. The Deputy Mayor’s Office of Planning and Economic Development is at the very earliest stages of planning for 1617 U. Once the full scope of the project is determined, the Mayor will set the budget and submit it to Council.
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Protecting Renters
The Council had a contentious debate on rent control on Tuesday afternoon and evening, in which Councilmembers Janeese Lewis George, Zachary Parker, and I led the effort to limit the maximum allowable increase landowners can charge to 6% this year and 4% next year.
At a time when we see homelessness increasing, keeping rents low is important to prevent evictions and homelessness. I was proud of my Council colleagues for collectively restoring Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds that were cut by the Mayor (including a contribution of $3 million from my Public Works & Operations Committee), but that’s not enough. People are struggling and the best way to prevent homelessness is to keep rents low.
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Join Me in ANC 1E!
Monday, June 12, 6-8 pm
BOYB is a chance to meet with me one-on-one to address a specific issue you need to resolve, such as trash pickup on your block, or to talk about issues, ideas, or concerns you have. I am available at the event to meet with people individually or in a small group. On Monday, June 12, I’ll be at St. Vincent Wine, 3212 Georgia Ave. NW, from 6 to 8 pm. I encourage you to register ahead, but it’s also OK to just show up.
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DCPS Contracting Process Out of Control
The D.C. Council’s Public Works & Operations Committee, which I chair, took D.C. Public Schools officials to task in a hearing last week on legislation that would take away their authority to manage their own procurement process.
I submitted the legislation along with Council Chairman Phil Mendelson in response to the school system’s failure to send 36 contracts worth more than $269 million to the Council for review, as required by law.
Simply put, this is a blatant and systemic disregard for basic procedures, the law, and the role of the Council, which is entitled and required by law to review these contracts.
Read more
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Redesigning Road Design
Most D.C. residents do not drive for most trips, so why is walking, biking, and transit an afterthought when we design our roads? Residents routinely tell me they want more walkability and more safety overall on our roadways. When we put driving first in our planning, we lose that focus.
Last week, I introduced legislation that would change the status quo of how roads are designed and put safety and livability for all road users above efficiently moving cars.
The bill would eliminate the outdated “level of service” standard as the sole metric for assessing roadways and intersections when considering changes to road design or the impact of development projects. Instead, the Department of Transportation would be charged with developing alternative metrics that better reflect the way residents already use our streets and sidewalks, and to align with D.C.’s climate and sustainability goals.
Read more
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Upcoming Legislation
Next Thursday, June 8, the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee will take up two pieces of legislation that I introduced:
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June 3 | Explore Some Really Big Vehicles at Truck Touch
Truck Touch is back by popular demand on June 3, 8 am to 1 pm RFK Stadium, Lot 8. Families can explore more than 30 vehicles and equipment from multiple city agencies. There will be plenty of games and activities for children.
More info
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June 6 & 8 | Meeting: Transportation Online Permitting System (TOPS)
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will host two virtual public meetings to discuss the DC Transportation Online Permitting System (TOPS). TOPS was built to support the administrative processes that regulate certain public space activities in the District. The system is used by both the public and organizations, ensuring that activities that impact public space are conducted in compliance with regulations and protect public health, safety, and the environment. To ensure TOPS meets the future needs of those who live, work, and play within the boundaries of the District, DDOT has undertaken development of TOPS 2.0, DDOT’s future permitting system.
DDOT will be holding two sessions to discuss the TOPS system with the general public. The goal of these sessions is to discuss user experience with DDOT’s permitting process as well as suggestions on how it can be improved.
- Meeting #1: Tuesday, June 6, 6-7:30 pm.
- Meeting #2: Thursday, June 8, 6-7:30 pm.
Meeting details and sign-in info
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Now til June 30 | Parents Wanted for Advisory Council
My School DC – the common application and public school lottery for DC Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools in DC (PK3 through grade 12) – is actively recruiting for parents and guardians to participate in its Parent Advisory Council (PAC) with a focus on members from Wards 1, 4, 5 and 7.
Parent voices are critical to ensuring that My School DC is an equitable and valuable resource for families. Representatives who serve on the My School DC PAC learn about My School DC priorities, provide input on the design and implementation of policies, programming and new initiatives, serve as ambassadors of information to their respective schools and communities and advise the Common Lottery Board – My School DC’s governing body – on major policy decisions. The PAC is comprised of volunteers from all eight wards of the District who represent both DCPS and public charter schools.
All interested individuals can apply here: bit.ly/PACAppSY2425. Please review the membership criteria and meeting schedule prior to applying.
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June 3 | Strawberry Smackdown at the Reopened 14th & U St. Farmers Market
The 14th & U Farmers Market is back! This Saturday and every Saturday, 9 am – 1 pm at the corner of 14th & U streets. With a healthy Pennsylvania vs. Virginia battle for the best strawberries. Why not both?
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Find Councilmember Nadeau or a member of her staff at these upcoming events.
Tuesday, June 6, 12 pm | Final Reading of the Budget Support Act, Council Legislative Meeting, Wilson Building and online
Wednesday, June 7, 7 pm | Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1C
Wednesday, June 14, 7 pm | Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A
Monday, June 12, 6-8 pm | Brianne on Your Block, St. Vincent Wine, 3212 Georgia Ave NW
Tuesday, June 20, 7 pm | Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1D
Wednesday, June 28, 7 pm | Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E
Thursday, July 6, 6:30 pm | Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1B
Thursday, June 29, 7-8 pm | 3rd District MPD Citizen Advisory Committee. 3rd District Station, 1620 V St. NW
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