Dear Neighbor,
Today the Housing Committee voted unanimously to pass our revised budget out of the committee. I'm proud to share what we accomplished with you, below. Thank you to everyone who testified in front of the committee and made your budget priorities heard! As you'll remember, this budget year looked bleak -- with the mayor proposing deep cuts to programs for affordable housing and vital human services, pandemic funding drying up, and millions of dollars needed to fill gaps in WMATA's budget.
Working diligently, the Housing Committee made significant changes to the mayor's proposed budget to better reflect our values: that housing and human services are integral to protecting DC residents from crime, violence, family instability, and displacement. We shifted the budget from a place of despair to one that prioritizes our residents and works to solve root problems, rather than kicking the can down the road. Working within a tight budget, my committee team made difficult decisions and worked to fill gaps. We also went to other committees and asked them to direct any of their excess dollars to fund crucial programs that the mayor had slashed.
I'll share below the highlights of what my team and I accomplished in this budget. The work does not end here. I will continue to work with my Council colleagues to fill gaps in the housing and human services budget, and I'll continue fighting to ensure taxpayer dollars are used efficiently and effectively. I will continue updating you on the budget process, including the first full council vote on the full fiscal year 2025 budget, scheduled for early June.
Sincerely,
Robert
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