May 18, 2020

Coronavirus Update: FY21 Budget Released

Dear Neighbors,

Today Mayor Bowser released her [1]Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Proposed Budget to
the Council and the public. Upon a cursory glance, this seems to be a
sensible and well crafted budget. The District will continue its
commitments to education, housing, and social services, and will even be
able to provide increases in certain areas like the 3% increase in the per
pupil funding formula for our schools. To account for the significant
multi-year revenue shortfalls caused by the coronavirus, this year's budget
relies on refinancing and the deployment of the District's healthy reserve
funds. In fact, our coronavirus response and ability to account for an over
770+ million funding gap is due to years of careful management of our local
budgets and reserve funds. If anything, the District's financial
preparedness and our being better situated for recovery than many other
states underscores the wisdom of building and preserving our reserve funds
for such unforeseen adverse circumstances (even amid the temptation to
spend those funds for other pressing needs).

Of course, in its entirety the budget is a large and dense document, and
the Council must still delve into its full details. Among strong benefits
in the draft budget, there are worrying aspects as well, such as
significant cuts to the Department on Energy & the Environment. And I'd
like to note that perhaps the largest development for Ward 3 is the
inclusion of $56 million for a new 'Foxhall Elementary School' at the Old
Hardy School. Many of the budget's details will require a deeper look at
the tables and documents provided to the Council, and much of that work
will begin tomorrow when the Mayor formally presents her draft budget at a
Council hearing. Afterward, we will begin our analysis and Council budget
hearings.

Below this letter, I have included links to the online budget documents and
instructions for those who wish to submit testimony to the Committee on
Transportation & the Environment (which I chair). To watch the Council's
hearing and FY21 Budget review with Mayor Bowser tomorrow, please watch
live at noon on Channel 13 or [2]online.

Regards,

Mary

Please see [3]coronavirus.dc.gov for the latest District updates &
resources on COVID-19

If you know someone who would like to receive these updates directly, he or
she may sign up through [4]marycheh.com or by
emailing [5][email protected]

Budget Process for the Committee on Transportation & the Environment

Submit Testimony Early! - Due to the unusual circumstances surrounding this
year’s budget, the Committee on Transportation & the Environment will
accept public testimony for all agencies under its jurisdiction in written
and voicemail form. The public may submit written testimony to the
Committee is two ways:
* By e-mailing written testimony to the Committee Clerk, Aukima Benjamin,
at [6][email protected]
* By leaving voicemail testimony (3 minute limit) for the Committee by
calling (202) 350‐1344

Your voicemail testimony will be transcribed, so please: be sure to speak
slowly and clearly, note the agency that you submitting testimony for, and
note your full name and the organization you represent (if any).

Testimony will be accepted through the close of the hearing record, which
will be one week after the hearing date; however, the Committee encourages
the public to submit testimony at least 24-hours in advance of the hearing.
Testimony submitted in advance will be shared with members of the Committee
and Agency staff prior to the hearing date and will help inform the
discussion at the hearing.

The FY21 Draft Budget

Online Budget Resources - The District's FY21 Draft Budget documents are
available online for residents and the public (linked below). To more
easily and quickly access the information that you're interested in, try
searching documents by key words and phrases (for example, 'library' or
'recycling').

Executive Summary & Agency Chapters - The Executive Summary is a 300+ page
document detailing the financial plan and overarching financial allocations
to agencies, programs, and local infrastructure that the Mayor would like
to highlight. This document also includes a guide on how to read/interpret
budget documents: [7]Executive Summary.
* [8]Agency Budget Chapters - Part 1
* [9]Agency Budget Chapters - Part 2
* [10]Agency Budget Chapters - Part 3

Agency Clusters - Links on this site will provide residents with access to
each group of District agencies by appropriation title – that is, by
functional agency cluster by which Congress appropriates funds for the
District. Selecting an appropriation title will provide the list of
agencies in that title: [11]Fiscal Year 2021 Approved Operating Budget
Chapters, Operating Appendix Tables, and Capital Budgets by Agency.

The Capital Improvements Plan - The FY21 Draft Budget outlines $1.660
billion in capital expenditures. This includes building renovations and
modernizations, streetscape and beautification efforts, and major
infrastructure projects across the District: [12]FY 2021 to FY 2026 Capital
Improvements Plan.

Watch Mayor Bowser's 5/18 Budget Press Conference

[13]video

Press Conference Presentation

PowerPoint Presentation - To view Mayor Bowser's presentation from today's
press conference, please see: [14]FY21 Budget Presentation to the Council.
The presentation includes the financing sources in this year's budget and
key investments in education, human services, and affordable housing.

Below is a slide highlight on the use of reserve funds:

Updated Council Budget Schedule

New Schedule - The delay of the release of the FY21 Draft Budget resulted
in the rescheduling of a number of Council committee budget hearings. For
the new schedule, please see: [15]Council Budget Hearing Calendar.

Other important budget dates -
* May 19: Committee of the Whole virtual hearing with Mayor Bowser
* May 20 - June 16: Committee budget hearings
* June 17 - 18: Committee of the Whole Public Hearing on the Budget
* June 23 - June 25: Committee Mark-Ups
* June 29: Budget Work Session
* July 7: Council Vote on the FY21 Local Budget Act & FY21 Budget Support
Act
* July 21: Council Vote on the FY21 Local Budget Act, FY21 Federal
Portion Budget Request Act, & FY21 Revised Local Budget Emergency
Adjustment Act
* July 28: Council Vote on the FY21 Budget Support Act

Our Office is Open!

Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is
closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are
teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.

You may continue to [16]email the office directly or reach us via phone
through our main line at (202) 724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget
requests, and constituent services requests.

[17]Facebook [18]Twitter

FOLLOW MARY

References

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Mary Cheh
Mary Cheh Ward 3
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NWSuite 108
Washington, DC 20004
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