For Immediate Release: Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Washington, DC – On Tuesday, January 10, the District of Columbia Council held its first legislative meeting of Council Period 22 at which Councilmember McDuffie, Chair of the Committee on Business and Economic Development, introduced and co-introduced the following legislation.
Local and Small Business Equity and Development Participation Amendment Act of 2017
This legislation will help businesses in the Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) Program profit from contracts awarded from the Housing Production Trust Fund. Currently, the Department of Housing and Community Development does not give priority to developers who contract with CBEs for equity and development participation. As a result, many contracts awarded from the Housing Production Trust Fund go to out of town developers and large companies who do not contract with CBEs for equity and development participation. Creating priority consideration for developers who contract with CBEs and apply for contracts awarded from the Housing Production Trust Fund will support local businesses, and serve as a reinvestment in the District.
With introduction of this legislation, Councilmember McDuffie said: “I am proud that the first bill I introduced since becoming Chairperson of the Committee on Business and Economic Development helps District-based firms compete for large projects in the District. The CBE program has helped many District-based businesses over the years, but we know more can be done. As Chair, I look forward to finding ways to expand the horizons of the CBE program, while also making sure developers are living up to their CBE obligations.”
First Responder Income Tax Exclusion Amendment Act of 2017
This legislation helps offset the higher cost of living in the District of Columbia, so that police officers and firefighters are not forced to live outside the District. This legislation would provide members of the Fraternal Order of Police or International Association of Fire Fighters Local 36 the ability to exclude the amount of their salary from their calculation of gross income for tax purposes. Councilmember McDuffie joined Councilmember Gray in co-introducing this legislation.
With introduction of this legislation, Councilmember McDuffie remarked: “This legislation helps ensure that the District’s police officers and fire fighters are a part of the community they serve. These brave women and men are putting their lives on the line every day and it just makes sense that we should provide a pathway for access to affordable housing within the boundaries of D.C.”