“The budget must make transformational investments that enable all residents to access economic opportunity, reliable housing and safe communities.”
For Release: Thursday, May 27, 2021
Contact: Malcom Fox, 202-227-1701, mfox@dccouncil.us
Washington, DC – Today, the Mayor released her FY22 budget, which invests in affordable housing, education, infrastructure and a safe COVID recovery. We must also take this opportunity to take bold steps to eliminate the District’s stark racial wealth gap; given the unprecedented level of federal stimulus dollars at our disposal, the time is now. Councilmember McDuffie requested $20M to fund the Child Wealth Building Act of 2021 and $100M for a guaranteed basic income pilot program, neither of which were funded, along with investments that directly support our workers and small businesses.
“The budget must make transformational investments that enable all residents to access economic opportunity, reliable housing and safe communities,” said Councilmember McDuffie. “Our City has one of the worst racial wealth gaps in the country; not funding programs that intentionally address this disparity defers the dream of real racial equity for another year. I am, however, pleased to see funding for an Ivy City recreation center after decades of advocacy with residents and community stakeholders.”
Notably, the Mayor’s budget includes $20M to fund a community and recreation center at the Crummell School, something Councilmember McDuffie, Ivy City residents and community stakeholders have long asked for.
The Mayor’s budget also makes significant investments in public safety that will help foster healthier communities and address the District’s ongoing gun violence epidemic. Councilmember McDuffie has repeatedly called for full funding of the NEAR Act. This budget proposes $7.8M for additional violence interrupters, $4.5M for expanding the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement’s Pathways Program and roughly $38M in additional resources for residents at the highest risk of experiencing gun violence.
In the submitted budget, Councilmember McDuffie was able to secure funding for a number of Ward 5 priorities, including $20M for the community and recreation center in Ivy City, $24.5M for a new library in the Eckington/Edgewood/Stronghold area, $19M to renovate the Harry Thomas Recreation Center and $1M for a North Capitol Deck over feasibility study.
Finally, it remains critical that we prioritize our small businesses and workers and support them through our recovery. Councilmember McDuffie was pleased to see enhanced investments for small businesses and workers, including over $16M in grant funding, $18M to reinvigorate the tourism economy, and $15M in direct financial support to displaced workers. He will continue to identify innovative ways to support local entrepreneurs and their workers.
You can find a partial list of funding items in the Mayor’s proposed budget of importance to Ward 5 residents, our public safety system, small businesses and workers here.
