New DCFPI Staff and an Important Opportunity to Weigh in on DC Budget Transparency

Welcome Wes Rivers!

The DC Fiscal Policy Institute is excited to announce the addition of Wes Rivers to our “rapid response wonk team.”  Wes started this week as a Policy Analyst, as part of a fellowship program focused on state-level fiscal policy.  Wes will be working a range of issues with DCFPI, including health care policy, taxation, and TANF.  He just got his Master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, and his prior work experience includes stints at a Texas housing advocacy group and the Urban Institute.

Lend Your Voice to Greater Budget Transparency!

There are two efforts underway to make the DC budget more transparent, and your input is badly needed.  Susie Cambria, of the famed Susie’s Budget and Policy Corner, is helping with both.  We hope you will participate.

A Better “Children’s Budget“: The District government is required by law each year to publish a “children’s budget,” a document that culls information on DC programs and services for children from across the DC budget.   While the goal is to provide user-friendly information on these critical parts of our local budget, it is always a challenge to present budget information in a transparent and well-organized way.

The Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services has put together a survey to gather ideas for improving the next version of the DC Children’s Budget.   You can find it and fill it out here.

What Do You Want to Know about the DC Budget Process?:  If you are a District Dime reader, you probably have many questions about how the DC budget is put together and implemented each year.  Susie has put together a survey to learn what you want to know more about when it comes to the DC budget process.

Thanks for doing your part to make the DC budget more accessible and informative.