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Dear Friend,

Yesterday, the Council cast the first of two votes in finalizing next year's budget for the District of Columbia. This has been one of the most challenging budgets I've worked on in my time as both a Councilmember and Council staffer. While there are still more changes I'm working toward for our second and final vote on July 28, the Council has been able to reverse or lessen the damage done from when the budget was first proposed by the Mayor several weeks ago. Thank you to everyone that reached out to me, advocated for their priorities, and joined me at our Ward 6 Budget Town Hall. I'd like to take a moment to walk you through some of the major areas where the Council took action, as well as share some of the investments specific to Ward 6 neighborhoods I've secured in the FY26 budget. 

Council Reverses Cuts to Paid Family Leave, Childcare Subsidy

The Council restored cuts proposed by the Mayor on two major benefits to families. First, the Council restored the amount of time District residents are entitled to as part of the DC's paid leave program. Second, the Council restored cuts to the childcare subsidy, which is part of the larger Pay Equity Fund that helps raise wages for childcare workers and also contain costs for our childcare centers, crucial to working families. 

Council Funds Ranked Choice Voting

I was proud to work with colleagues Christina Henderson and Brianne Nadeau to support funding ranked choice voting in DC elections, part of the overwhelmingly voter approved Initiative 83, in yesterday's budget meeting. Ranked choice voting is going to make our elections fairer and ensure the outcomes more accurately reflect the will of voters by allowing folks to rank their preferred candidates when there are multiple options. Combined with the Fair Elections law I championed through the Council in 2018, this is going to strengthen our elections and continue to preserve the power of residents over wealthy interests. Ranked choice is a shift in voting that allows residents to rank their top-three choices, rather than feel boxed in by one candidate who may or may not actually represent what they support. The effort is paired with a lot of voter outreach and education before it takes effect. I'll provide more updates on what the timing for this will be – it's a significant change to put in place for the Board of Elections.

Where Things Stand with Initiative 82

The issue that perhaps drew the most attention yesterday was what to do with the Mayor's proposed repeal of Initiative 82. In case you missed it, Initiative 82 is the voter-approved ballot initiative that phases out the lower tipped minimum wage at restaurants and shifts those employees to the standard minimum wage. It's a bit more complicated though as even with the lower tipped minimum, restaurants are required to pay at least the full minimum wage for all employees, but this "tipped credit" allows a restaurant to use the tips you leave on a meal or drink to apply to meeting that minimum wage.

This one is challenging. I know many voters who told me they voted for I-82 with a clear understanding. I also hear from plenty of residents frustrated by service fees and the inconsistency of how different restaurants use them. I hear from restaurant workers who are split on whether I-82 has been a good thing or bad thing for them. I hear from restaurant owners who are sharply divided as well. I hear from some of our favorite local restaurants that point to I-82 as having a significant and negative impact on their ability to make payroll and survive. And I believe on all sides, folks are bringing a lot of genuine perspective and experience to this debate. 

Yesterday, a majority of the Council voted down the full repeal. Just a few weeks ago, we'd voted to create a short pause in I-82 so that we can work on some alternatives and compromises that work to protect our local restaurants as well as protect workers pay. So I as stated during the vote yesterday, don't misconstrue my vote to say I think the status quo is working. I think we have a challenge that needs solving. While I have repeatedly said I won't repeal Initiative 82, I do believe that as an elected legislator, it is my job to stay engaged on how implementation is going and be willing to make changes if new factors come into play. And we do have challenges for this industry and significant changes happening with federal policies, not least of which is how workers might feel now that tips won't be subject to income taxes. I believe we need work together to find a solution and I'm going to be working with colleagues, workers, restaurants, and others on this issue over the next two weeks before the final vote on the 28th.

Council Restores $20 million to Sustainable Energy Trust Fund, Stands Strong on Climate Laws

I'm happy to share that the Council was able to restore a total of $20 million over the next four years to the Sustainable Energy Trust Fund to support helping low- and working-class neighbors upgrade their homes with new appliances, power them with clean energy, and reduce their bills in the process. The Council also agreed with me on standing strong on two important climate laws around our buildings that we will be grateful to have decades from now.

We can't keep kicking the can down the road on climate. We see the impacts every single day locally, nationally, and internationally. We have the solutions already to build a better future for our children AND lower everyone's monthly energy bills today across the city.

P.S. In order to more accurately reflect the Mayor's annual swipe of $70 million from the Sustainable Energy Trust Fund, we changed the language on everyone's Pepco and Washington Gas bill to reflect the actual percentage of the small fee we all pay into the SETF versus what goes to paying off DC government's own bills instead. If we're going to continually break this promise, I want to make sure people know what's happening. Starting next fiscal year, you'll see it reflected on your bill as the "Mayor’s Energy Surcharge Fund."

You can read more from WAMU about residents' advocacy for correcting these cuts.

Fully Funding Police, Fire, and 911 Call Centers

The approved budget fully funds the city’s public safety responses, with funding needed for the police and fire departments and new hiring incentives to improve staffing at the 911 Call Center. The Council was also able to restore some of the cuts made to support victims of crime as well as restored funding for the Cure the Streets violence intervention programs that has been one of DC’s most successful models to deescalate and intervene when cycles of violence take place in communities.

The Council has also restored funding for the city’s Access to Justice program that works to help DC residents’ affordable housing, protect wages and jobs, stabilize credit, and be protected from fraud, discrimination, and abuse. But one area where I’d like to see progress before the final vote is the needed funding for DC Fire’s fleet maintenance facility. This is to move from Half Street SW to a new facility closer to their training academy, but the dollars needed to build it are not yet in this budget.

New Tools to Take On Dangerous Drivers

The STEER Act is fully funded! Starting next year, DC will be the first jurisdiction in the country to install speed governors on vehicles of people convicted in criminal court of reckless driving. We also funded a new point system assigned to our traffic cameras that would deem any vehicle eligible for booting if it racks up multiple dangerous driving incidents in any six-month window. Additionally, DPW's parking enforcement will finally be allowed to identify and immediately tow and impound vehicles with counterfeit license plates and temporary tags. As with previous STEER Act provisions, these apply to all vehicles operating on our streets, regardless of the state in which they are registered. 

Check out coverage of the latest STEER Act tools in this story from WUSA Channel 9.

What's in the Budget for Ward 6?

While a lot of what I shared above impacts both Ward 6 and citywide, I want to share some big Ward 6 specific budget wins. Even in a tight budget, we need to keep making investments in our community and neighborhoods. To that end, I'm happy to share I've secured funding for the following Ward 6 projects in the next budget or out years: 

• Fully Funding the Rumsey Pool Renovation: Rumsey Pool modernization is fully funded to recognize the true cost of adding a second floor to transform it into a community hub, as well as a brand new indoor pool in the heart of Capitol Hill.
  
  
• Ward 6 School Modernizations Advance: The budget advances modernizations for Brent ES, Chisholm ES, JO Wilson ES, and Ludlow Taylor. The only change in the budget is to Amidon Bowen, which DCPS pushed back the modernization schedule until an acceptable swing space can be resolved. I'll work with the school community to ensure we get Amidon back on track with a solution that works for the school community and DCPS.
  
  
• Taking Care of Eastern Market: We are ensuring historic Eastern Market’s maintenance is not delayed and funding is in place to install retractable bollards to improve both security and public safety, as well as the aesthetics of DC’s longest-running open street market.
  
  
• NoMa Metro Tunnel: The budget advances the timeline by three years for the NoMa Pedestrian Tunnel. NoMa Metro Station has quickly become one of the busiest stations in the entire system, and this entrance will provide a much quicker connection to Union Market and Florida Avenue.
  
  
• Eastern Market Metro Park & H Street NE Activation Grants: This budget continues two grants available to activate public spaces around two of the key corridors in the Ward. 
  
  
• Fully Funding Southwest Town Center Park: The Southwest Town Center Park is fully funded and nearly finished design – I expect this to be a jewel of our Southwest community when it is completed.
  
  
• Bringing Additional Public Restrooms to Ward 6: There was a federal dust-up with access to the Throne public restrooms that led to them being temporarily locked before the funding was unfrozen. Based on the success and strong community support we've seen around Eastern Market, we'll add one more Throne near Watkins for the playground, football field, splash park, and other users of the space.
  
  
• Upgrading Lovejoy Park in Northeast: This is a wonderful little playground and walking path in Northeast DC, just off Maryland Avenue NE, and will get an overdue upgrade.
  
  
• Support for Businesses Impacted by Construction: I secured funding to support businesses impacted by two major Ward 6 construction projects: the ongoing work to revitalize the Pennsylvania and Potomac Avenue intersection and the bus priority project coming to Barracks Row.
  
  
• Continuing the Pop-Up Permit Program at DOB to Speed Up New Businesses Opening: Last year, I funded staff at the Department of Buildings to focus on its Pop-Up Permit program in Ward 6 to speed up how long a commercial space stays vacant. I'm keeping that funding in place and urge any commercial property managers to reach out if they'd like to understand how the program could cut the red tape on getting a new business opened up!

Work Remains Before the Final Vote in Two Weeks

The final vote on your DC budget is scheduled for Monday, July 28. We still have work to do in the next two weeks. Everything from finding a solution for I-82 mentioned above, to protecting the Alliance and healthcare needs, to supporting our schools, and much more, still has some work left.

And a quick reminder in case you were reading this looking for RFK and stadium news, that has been appropriately separated from the city's fiscal year work and hearings are planned for July 29 and July 30 to hear from the public, Commanders, and Mayor's office to review the proposal and the changes needed.

Thanks again and please let me know if you have any other questions.

Charles Allen