Federal Efforts to Reinstate Cash Bail in DC Disproportionately Harms Black Residents
Cash bail harms people with low incomes who are unable to pay for bail, and Black DC residents have lower incomes and higher poverty rates than other races due to historic and systemic racism.
Inequality Remained Extreme in 2024 as DC Backslid on Poverty
Income inequality and racial inequity persisted in 2024, according to new data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), while the rate of poverty rose. DC once again tied with New York for the highest levels of income inequality in the […]
DCFPI Welcomes Three New Staff Members
This week, the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI) welcomed three new staff members to our team. They bring a wide array of experience, perspectives, and skills and we are so excited to have them on board.
At First Vote, Council Budget Leaves Vulnerable Residents’ Lives Hanging in the Balance
DC Council gave initial approval to a fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget that makes improvements over Mayor Bowser’s proposal but as a whole fails to provide vulnerable residents shelter from the coming storm.
Double Standard of Evidence for Economic Development Incentives Comes at the Expense of Residents’ Wellbeing and a Stronger Economy
Lawmakers often require a mountain of evidence to be persuaded to invest in programs supporting residents with low incomes—and even then, they often cut them first in tight budgets. And on the other hand, they often swiftly enact business subsidies without […]
Undocumented Immigrants Make DC’s Tax Base More Resilient
As the Mayor and the federal government escalate attacks on immigrants, DC should not overlook the many ways these residents contribute to the communities they live in and the local economy, including through their tax contributions toward DC’s shared […]
Federal Layoffs Increase DC Unemployment and Threaten to Exacerbate Racial Inequity
DC’s unemployment numbers are beginning to reflect the harm of the cuts to the federal government. The District’s unemployment rate rose to 5.8 percent in April 2025 from 5.3 percent just a few months ago in December 2024, according to BLS data.
A First Look at the Mayor’s Budget: An Inequality Agenda
Just as DC is set to enter a local recession and Congress is advancing historic cuts to health coverage and food assistance, Mayor Bowser proposed a fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget and financial plan that abandons residents with the fewest resources to fend for […]
Raising Revenue Is An Urgent and Practical Approach to Reducing the Harm of DC’s Recession
DC lawmakers need a balanced approach to the recession that includes raising revenue to minimize budget cuts
US House Details its Cruel Plan to Take Food and Health Care from the Poor to Give to the Rich
The US House Budget Committee punted on a vote today to very literally take from people who are poor to give to the rich—a plan which, if successful, will do massive damage to the health and well-being of people, communities, and economies all across the […]
