Contact: Nikki Metzgar | Communications Director | nmetzgar@dcfpi.org | (202) 886-5206
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the DC Council cast its second and final vote on the Budget Support Act (BSA), which contains legislation necessary to implement the fiscal year 2022-2025 budget.
Tazra Mitchell, the Policy Director at DCFPI, released the following statement:
“This year’s budget is one of the most important in DC history. DCFPI praises the Mayor and DC Council for seizing this unprecedented opportunity and making bold investments to address the ongoing suffering caused by the pandemic, which is disproportionately harming Black and brown communities. The Council’s vote to support unemployed and excluded workers, advance educational equity, and raise taxes on DC’s wealthiest to fund critical public goods will help create a just recovery that extends to all residents. This modest tax increase will provide housing to 2,400 households who are homeless, strengthen the DC Earned Income Tax Credit for more than 40,000 working families, and support thousands of early education teachers who struggle to get by even on full-time wages.
“While this budget springs us closer towards racial and economic justice, it falls short in a couple areas. It is disappointing that the Council failed to permanently remove DC Healthcare Alliance recertification requirements, which currently serve as a high barrier to residents with low incomes in need of health care coverage. The Council waived these requirements for fiscal year 2022, but it’s clearer than ever that being able to access affordable health care is critical to every resident and our collective well-being. Council also failed to speed up the timeline for eliminating police officers in our schools to start this month as children return to classrooms, rather than next summer.
“DCFPI is looking forward to working with District leaders to ensure that these historic investments are well-implemented, particularly engagement with the forthcoming task force charged with ensuring that early educators receive their compensation quickly and fairly.”