Each fiscal year, the mayor and DC Council decide how to raise and allocate the District’s resources through the budget, with input from residents about what is important to them.
Despite calling for “shared sacrifice” in a time of budget constraints, Mayor Bowser’s proposed fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget and financial plan demands the biggest sacrifices from DC’s lowest income residents while prioritizing the wealthiest businesses. As is, the proposed budget will set back the progress that DC has made on poverty reduction, greater economic inclusion, and shared prosperity. Read more: First Look at the Mayor’s Budget
Priorities for the Revised FY 2024 Budget and FY 2025 Budget
The District made progress towards tackling poverty in 2022 thanks to federal and local public investments in residents, underscoring that deeper, intentional investments can disrupt longstanding racial and economic inequity created over time through discriminatory policy and practice. DC leaders can’t pull back on those investments now. Read more: The DC Fiscal Policy Institute’s priorities for the revised FY 2024 budget and FY 2025 budget.
Budget Timeline
DC’s fiscal year begins October 1 and ends September 30. In the spring, the Mayor presents a budget to the Council, which then reviews, changes, and approves it before it is sent back to the Mayor to sign into law and submitted to the US Congress, which can choose to modify or reject it.
Resident’s Guide to the Budget
This guide breaks down the process of how DC creates its budget, including how to read budget documents and where in the process residents can influence the decisions of elected officials. Read it here.
Further Resources
Four Ways Residents Can Influence the DC Budget
How to Testify Effectively before the DC Council
DC’s Tools to Create and Preserve Affordable Housing
How DC Funds Its Public Schools
The fight for racially-just budget, tax, and policy decisions can’t happen without you. Sign up to DCFPI’s email list or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram so we can send you regular updates on our efforts and ways you can get involved.