Category Archives: Council

May 29-June 17: FY2026 Budget Hearings

Posted by nextstoprp in Council

Updated

On May 27, 2025, Mayor Muriel Bowser submitted her FY2026 budget proposal to the DC Council. The mayor’s budget overview presentation to the council as well as budget highlights for each ward are available at budget.dc.gov.

Ward 4 Proposed Budget Highlights

Ward 5 Proposed Budget Highlights

Proposed budget details are in the budget books on the District’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer website.

FY2026 Budget Hearing Schedule

Over the next few weeks, Council committees will hold hearings on proposed agency budgets.

The FY2026 budget hearing schedule and instructions on how to participate through either oral or written testimony are available at the link: DC Council FY2026 Budget Oversight Hearing Schedule.

Sign up to testify orally or provide written testimony on the DC Council Hearing Portal website.

For months, public officials have been warning that “tough choices” would need to be made in the budget. There will be a lot more discussion over the coming weeks. This is your chance to let the Council know what you support and would like to see funded in the budget. Even if it does not get funding this time, it is important to have a record of the ask, so ask!

Updated 5/28/20205 with some key sign up deadlines shared by neighbor Gavin

The UDC hearing is Friday, so the deadline to sign up is 5 pm today.

DDOT is Monday, so sign up by Thursday (tomorrow) 5 pm.

DPR is June 5, so sign up by June 3 at 5 pm.

DCPS is June 6, so sign up by June 4 at 5 pm.

DCPL is June 10, so sign up by June 6.

DGS is June 12, so sign up by June 10.

January 22-March 7: DC Council FY2024-2025 Performance Oversight Hearings

Posted by nextstoprp in Council

DC Council performance oversight hearings will run from January 22 to March 7, 2025: Draft FY2024-2025 Performance Oversight Hearing Schedule.

Sign up to testify live or submit written testimony through the DC Council Hearing Portal.

Oversight hearings provide a good opportunity to let the Council know what District agencies are doing well and how they can improve. It is a good first step in advocating for budget funding. Worth taking some time to let those with the power to do something know about issues that residents have.

Neighborhood Items of Interest in Mayor’s Proposed FY2025 Budget

Posted by nextstoprp in Council

Mayor Muriel Bowser submitted her proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget to the DC Council on April 3, 2024. Budget documents available at https://cfo.dc.gov/node/289642.

The mayor’s office prepared Ward budget information sheets:

Ward 4 Information Sheet

Ward 5 Information Sheet

The new budget hearing schedule is available at https://dccouncil.gov/2023-2024-performance-oversight-fy-2025-budget-schedules. Budget hearings provide a good opportunity to continue advocating for longstanding neighborhood requests. Use the hearing portal to sign up to testify or to submit written testimony.

Neighbor Gavin took a preliminary look at the budget proposal for a few items of interest to our neighborhood.

DDOT

  • Includes $13 million for Met Branch Trail First Place NE to Oglethorpe Street NW segment. This is currently being built partially as an on-street alignment in the Manor Park area because initially NPS would not approve building it off-street on NPS land. There were talks of an environmental assessment for an off-street alignment, but unclear where things stand with that.
  • A bit farther afield, but the budget also includes new funding for the Military Road Trail (Oregon Avenue to Beach Drive section). There is a long-term vision for a Fort Circle Parks Trail that would link all the Fort Circle Parks. From Fort Totten to the northwest, that would go to Fort Slocum, then Fort Stevens, then need to cross through Rock Creek Park to the west. The Military Road Trail would, in effect, build the segment crossing Rock Creek Park. The MBT Manor Park segment would build most of the distance between Fort Totten and Fort Slocum. The MBT Fort Totten to Avondale segment, mentioned below, would build much of the distance between Fort Totten and Barnard Hill. So this segment, while not in our neighborhood, is part of a network planned to come here.
  • The Eastern Ave. rehabilitation project is still listed but do not see more details about the amount or timing.
  • The $1 million that Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker got last year for South Dakota Avenue safety improvements is reallocated to the general safety line. Do not know if that is just budgetary reorganization or if it reflects the Mayor’s plan to not spend that money on South Dakota Avenue.
  • Do not see the Fort Totten to Avondale segment of the MBT, which both CM Parker and Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George requested in FY25. (Think a very small stub of this, at the Maryland line, is included in DDOT’s general plans without specific mention in the budget.) If the Manor Park segment is ready to move, maybe they are prioritizing that.

DCPS

  • LaSalle-Backus Elementary School modernization is included, amounts and timing unchanged from last year.
  • New $18 million for swing space for Whittier Elementary School modernization, which will push that modernization back a year. So far have not seen anything about how that will affect the LaSalle-Backus modernization, but it raises the question of whether that swing space could be used for LaSalle after Whittier. (Whittier is now scheduled to be in a swing space in FY 27-28, and LaSalle in FY 28-29. Presumably they could not both use it during FY28, but it might make sense to push LaSalle back a year in order to use that space.)

UDC

  • Looks like no new funding for Lamond-Riggs Campus expansion (but looks like prior funds remain available). Lamond-Riggs Campus is included in some cross-campus projects for minor improvements like HVAC.

DPR

  • FY25 spend plan includes synthetic turf replacement at Riggs-LaSalle.
  • DPR: FY25 spend plan includes playground equipment and surfacing at North Michigan Park. (There was $250K for this in the FY23 budget, not sure where that went)

Gavin also noted that the Deputy Mayor for Education just released the DC Public Education Master Facilities Plan. One interesting appendix is “Future housing pipeline yields.” It estimates the number of additional elementary school students in 5 years, per DCPS boundary school, based on 2 factors:

  1. Turnover in senior housing: i.e., the primary occupant is 65+ and will move out in the next 5 years
  2. New housing development delivering in the next 5 years

For turnover in senior housing, the top 3 schools in DC are all nearby (school boundary map):

  1. Bunker Hill (N./Michigan Park, etc.): 247 students
  2. Whittier (Lamond & Manor Park): 222 students
  3. LaSalle-Backus (Riggs Park): 170 students

So basically, this part of town has more houses than anywhere else in DC where seniors currently live, and young families are going to move into soon — hundreds of them.

For new housing development, Bunker Hill is 9th citywide, LaSalle is 16th, and Whittier is 39th. This is out of 74 elementary school boundaries. So, not as high on new housing, but Bunker Hill and LaSalle are still in the top quartile.

Mayor Bowser’s Proposed FY25 Budget

Posted by nextstoprp in Council

Budget documents for Mayor Bowser’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget are available at https://cfo.dc.gov/node/289642. The mayor is briefing the Council on her proposed budget today.

Budget oversight hearings will take place April 4 to May 2, 2024. Schedule available at https://dccouncil.gov/2023-2024-performance-oversight-fy-2025-budget-schedules. Use the hearing portal to sign up to testify or to submit written testimony.

List of DC Programs We All Should Know

Posted by nextstoprp in Council

Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George and her team put together a great list of DC programs that more DC residents should know about or take advantage of. Her team states that many of the ideas came directly from neighbors who shared how these programs impact their lives for the better.

View the list at www.petworthnews.org/blog/cm-lewis-george-dc-programs.

And in case you missed it, back in January, Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parkers’s weekly newsletter included a link to DC Health’s LinkU, which provides a list of health, food, housing, and community assistance resources.

Upcoming DC Council Agency Performance Oversight Hearings

Posted by nextstoprp in Council

DC Council oversight hearings for District government agencies begin this week. Find the full draft schedule at https://dccouncil.gov/2023-2024-performance-oversight-fy-2025-budget-schedules.

The Council has a hearing portal that should make it a little easier to sign up to testify and to submit testimony for each committee at https://lims.dccouncil.gov/hearings. Find the committee oversight hearing that interests you and click on the appropriate button to either sign up to testify or to submit your written testimony.

Have issues with how an agency is performing? Have ideas about how to make things better?

Is there something that multiple neighbors are experiencing with an agency that remains unresolved despite multiple attempts at resolution?

Is there an agency doing something well that might be a useful idea for another agency?

Are there things that an agency is doing well but you just wish they were doing more of whatever that thing is?

Let the Council know.

Complete Councilmember Parker Agency Oversight Survey by January 12

Posted by nextstoprp in Council, Ward 5

With the new year comes new opportunities for the DC Council to conduct oversight of District agencies. Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker is soliciting input from residents to inform his oversight process.

Complete Councilmember Parker’s Community Oversight Priorities Survey by January 12, 2024.

The survey introduction notes that CM Parker’s office is “particularly interested in identifying patterns of problematic agency performance; waste or inefficiencies in government spending (including contracts or grants) and processes; and any shortcomings in an agency’s ability to meet the needs of Ward 5 and District residents.”

If you prefer to give feedback by phone, contact 202-724-8028.

DC Council FY2024 Budget Draft Committee Reports

Posted by nextstoprp in Council

A neighbor passed along some items from Council committee fiscal year 2024 budget draft reports specific to the neighborhood. (This post covered the mayor’s proposed FY24 budget). See all of the draft committee reports at https://www.dccouncilbudget.com/fy-2024-budget.

Committee on Facilities & Family Services Report

  • $75,000 to install a swing set with appropriate ground cover at Lamond Recreation Center
  • $25,000 to install a shade structure at Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center
  • $20,000 to install vertical netting to enhance the functionality of a fence at Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center

Committee on Transportation & the Environment Report

  • Adds $1 million for the installation of tactical road diets along South Dakota Avenue NE to help slow down cars down the residential corridor

South Dakota Avenue NE Tactical Road Diet
The Committee is also establishing a new sub-project within DDOT’s Safety & Mobility master project to fund tactical safety improvements on South Dakota Avenue NE. South Dakota Avenue is one of the most dangerous corridors in Ward 5. However, due to the presence of even more dangerous arterial corridors in Ward 5, South Dakota Avenue NE was not designated a high-injury network corridor in DDOT’s 2022 Vision Zero Report. The Committee is placing $1M in the new sub-project to fund efforts to improve safety on the corridor in the short term, preferably by constructing a road diet on a segment of the corridor to calm traffic, reduce injuries, and improve connectivity along the corridor. DDOT shall determine which segment of the corridor would be a suitable starting point for safety improvements; however, the Committee recommends that DDOT consider either the segment between Bladensburg Road and Monroe Street NE or the segment between Sargent Street NE and Riggs Road NE.

Committee of the Whole Report

Looks like the committee is keeping the mayor’s proposed $20 million for UDC’s Bertie Backus campus. The committee report has some interesting commentary regarding UDC (pp. 70-74 in the report).

March 27-April 13: Upcoming FY2024 Budget Hearings

Posted by nextstoprp in Council

On March 22, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser released her proposed FY2024 budget to the DC Council. The mayor’s budget overview presentation to the council as well as budget highlights for each ward are available at budget.dc.gov.

  • Ward 4 FY2024 Proposed Budget Highlights (highlights funding for modernization of LaSalle-Backus Elementary School & funding for completing the Metropolitan Branch Trail from First Place NE to Oglethorpe Street NW)
  • Ward 5 FY2024 Proposed Budget Highlights (highlights funding for UDC Bertie Backus campus expansion & funding for community park space on District-owned green space on corner of South Dakota Avenue & Riggs Road NE).

Proposed budget details are in the budget books on the District’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer website.

FY2024 Budget Hearing Schedule

The Council Committee of the Whole hearing with Mayor Bowser is today. Over the next few weeks, Council committees will hold hearings on proposed agency budgets.

The FY2024 budget hearing schedule and instructions on how to participate through either oral or written testimony are available at https://dccouncil.gov/2022-2023-performance-oversight-fy-2024-budget-schedules.

Items relevant to/near Riggs Park

More budget details will come. There has already been lots of commentary about the proposed budget and the lingering impacts of the pandemic on the budget in the past few days. There will be a lot more discussion over the coming weeks. This is your chance to let the Council know what you support and would like to see funded in the budget.

Upcoming DC Council Agency Performance Oversight Hearings

Posted by nextstoprp in Council

DC Council oversight hearings for District government agencies begin this week. Find the full draft schedule at https://dccouncil.gov/2022-2023-performance-oversight-fy-2024-budget-schedules.

Have issues with how an agency is performing? Have ideas about how to make things better?

Is there something that multiple neighbors are experiencing with an agency that remains unresolved despite multiple attempts at resolution?

Is there an agency doing something well that might be a useful idea for another agency?

Are there things that an agency is doing well but you just wish they were doing more of whatever that thing is?

Let the Council know.

Individual committee instructions on how to participate either by testifying orally or by submitting written comments are available at https://dccouncil.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/DRAFT-Instructions-for-Public-Participation-PERFORMANCE-OVERSIGHT-01132023.pdf. (Note, this list is currently incomplete).

Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George chairs the Council’s Facilities & Family Services Committee. This is the committee that oversees DC’s Department of General Services (DGS), among other agencies. DGS is responsible for maintaining District-owned buildings and District-managed space. This includes traditional public schools and recreation centers. Instructions on how to sign up to testify for that committee are available at https://janeeseward4.com/testify.

ANC Redistricting

Posted by nextstoprp in Council

Now that the new ward boundaries for DC are in place, it is time to turn to redistricting for Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) boundaries. (Note that the ward map signed into law keeps the northern Ward 5 boundaries intact). The DC Council Redistricting Subcommittee has released information about the ANC redistricting process, available at https://www.elissasilverman.com/redistricting. Each ward councilmember is responsible for putting together a ward level task force to recommend ANC boundaries. According to the information listed on the redistricting website, each ANC single member district (SMD) must have between 1,900 and 2,100 residents.

Expected Timeline

  • January 2022: Ward task forces begin meeting
  • April 1, 2022: Ward task force reports due to the Council
  • April 2022: Council hearings on ANC and SMD boundaries
  • May/June 2022: Subcommittee vote on ANC and SMD boundaries bill
  • June 2022: full Council votes on ANC and SMD boundaries bill

Task force meeting dates are already listed for Ward 5, but not Ward 4 just yet.

  • Ward 5 (watch all meetings live at https://www.facebook.com/KenyanRMcDuffie)
    • Tuesday, January 11, at 6pm
    • Tuesday, January 25, at 6pm
    • Tuesday, February 8, at 6pm
    • Tuesday, February 22, at 6pm
    • Tuesday, March 8, at 6pm
    • Tuesday, March 22, at 6pm

It is not clear who is on the Ward 5 ANC redistricting task force.

In December, Greater Greater Washington published a piece about potential Ward 5 ANC configurations. We shall see what the task force comes up with.