Neighbors,

The District’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget should make intentional investments to support a more equitable city and a fair recovery for all Washingtonians. Due to diminished federal stimulus funds and inflationary economic pressures, this is a difficult task. The DC government must balance its budget, necessitating measured spending to compensate for a projected $1.7 billion budget shortfall. Despite this sober economic atmosphere, the financial state of the District remains strong. With a responsible people-first budget, we can ensure it continues to grow stronger.

Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed FY24 budget aims to balance this economic reality with the District’s pressing needs. To accomplish this, the proposal received by the Council prioritizes maintaining the DC government’s current level of service and made difficult choices about how to allocate our $40 billion budget. Each of these funding decisions have trade-offs that impact the everyday lives of residents. While the proposal includes some transformative priorities that will help foster a more inclusive Ward 3, many of the choices give me pause.

My goal for the FY24 budget process is to enable the DC government to better serve all residents, especially our most vulnerable neighbors. Budgets are moral documents, and I am concerned that the proposed FY24 budget does not do enough to improve access to stable, affordable housing, fully fund our public education system, keep our communities safe, and expand economic opportunity. The Council must rectify shortcomings in the proposal and fund future-focused solutions that benefit for all our neighbors.

My newsletter is biweekly, so follow me @CMFrumin on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more frequent updates.

Best,

Matt Frumin

Councilmember for Ward 3

Budget 101

Public participation in the budget process is crucial for a funding plan that reflects the needs of all Washingtonians. The budget can feel complicated, but there are easy ways for neighbors to participate and advocate for their priorities. I’ve broken down the budget process and answered some common questions to ensure you are well-equipped to make your voice heard this budget season.

What are the steps of the budget process?

1. Performance Oversight

In January, the Council conducted performance oversight, the first prong of its agency-by-agency review process. During performance oversight, agency directors responded to questions from Councilmembers and residents about their operations over the prior year. This scrutiny informs discussions about the next fiscal year’s budget.

2. Budget Proposal

After performance oversight concluded, Mayor Bowser submitted her proposed FY24 budget to the Council. This budget plan contains two components: an operating budget, which funds ongoing functions, and a capital budget, which funds most construction and renovation.

3. Budget Oversight

The second prong of the Council’s agency review is budget oversight. This time, the Council is focusing specifically on each agency’s proposed budget and analyzing their true funding needs for the coming fiscal year. These discussions will inform the changes the Council makes to the proposed budget. The Council is in this phase now.

4. Council Review

The final phase of the budget process is Council review. In May, the Council committees will recommend changes to portions of the budget under their purview before Chairman Mendelson collates these suggestions into a single document. Then, the Council will vote on each piece of the budget package twice, before sending it to Mayor Bowser for her signature.

What is the difference between the Operating Budget and Capital Budget?

The Operating Budget covers the ongoing operations of the District government. This year it will be $30.3 billion. The most significant investments in the operating budget include human support services, public education, and public safety.

The Capital Budget funds the Capital Improvement Plan for the development, improvement, or replacement of District-owned assets during a six-year period. The $10.3 billion six-year capital budget invests primarily in operations and infrastructure and public education facilities.

How Do I Make My Voice Heard?

Resident input is critical throughout the whole budget process. Through robust community engagement while Councilmember Frumin formulated his budget priorities and active public participation in performance oversight, thousands of residents have already made their voice heard.

The Council began budget oversight on March 24 and will continue through late April. During this time, committees will hold a hearing on each agency to discuss their funding needs in the coming fiscal year. I encourage residents to sign up to testify at an upcoming hearing and share their thoughts about where the budget needs improvements. View the schedule and register to testify here.

Evaluating the Budget Proposal

At the beginning of the budget season, I committed to use the process to advocate for a more inclusive, vibrant, diverse, and safe Ward 3 for all. The FY24 budget can support the key tenets of my “Ward 3 for All” framework and secure more opportunities for education and entrepreneurship, strengthen our local culture and community, and keep us safe and connected.

Fully Fund Neighborhood Schools

For more than a decade, I have championed adequate and predictable funding for all our schools with the goal of ensuring successful matter-of-right feeder patterns in every neighborhood. Unfortunately, the FY24 budget proposal does not fully fund our neighborhoods schools or sufficiently support our educators and their retention, enrichment, and advancement.

While the Mayor’s current proposed school-level budgets begins to resolve the destructive cuts in her initial plan, more must be done to restore funding, hold school budgets harmless, and support teacher retention, enrichment, and advancement.

Promote Affordable, Abundant Housing

A lack of affordable housing options holds our local economy back and creates additional hardships for families and seniors. To address affordability challenges, the FY24 budget should encourage increased housing production and support unhoused residents and neighbors at risk of eviction. The Mayor’s proposal does not do enough to achieve these goals and ensure safe, stable, and affordable housing for all residents.

Expand Economic Opportunity

I encouraged Mayor Bowser to increase funds for programs that keep our corridors vibrant and opportunity-rich amid changing economic dynamics. While her proposed budget includes needed funds to support a recovery for downtown, we must do more to revitalize our commercial centers in Ward 3.

Foster Safe, Healthy Neighborhoods

To make our neighborhoods safer, we must pursue a strategy that promotes an adequately resourced community-centered police department and comprehensive wraparound services. Mayor Bower’s proposed budget expands recruitment and retention incentives that will aid in restoring MPD staffing levels. In addition to supporting our police department, we must do more to address the root causes of crime and support neighbors with behavioral and mental health needs.

Invest in Safer Streets and Accessible Transit

We must do more to protect all neighbors using Ward 3 streets and ensure convenient, sustainable multimodal transportation options. While the proposed budget includes needed investments in Ward 3 transportation infrastructure, more must be done to build safe routes to school for all students.

Support our Seniors

Ward 3 is home to one of the largest senior populations in DC. We must maintain the services our seniors rely on and develop new offerings to address their needs. While the proposed budget maintains most current programming, I hope to guarantee that every senior can access healthy food, vibrant social activities, and the personal support they need.

Improving the Budget Proposal

The budget is now in the Council’s hands. Over the next two months, we will have some difficult choices to make. I am committed to making choices that will fund future-focused solutions to the District’s most pressing challenges. As I continue budget oversight and transition into committee markup and Council review, I am advocating for changes to the budget that expand opportunity and ensure a fair recovery for all residents.

Listening Session with AG Brian Schwalb

On Tuesday, April 4 at 6:30 pm, Attorney General Brian Schwalb and I will host a community listening session at the Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library. Residents will learn about the Office of the Attorney General’s recent efforts and have an opportunity to share their feedback and concerns with Attorney General Schwalb. Space is limited, so residents are encouraged to RSVP at https://oag.dc.gov/community by noon on Monday, April 3.

Need Help?

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or requests. Our Constituent Services team is here to help.

Contact our Constituent Services Team

Councilmember Matt Frumin

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 408

(202) 724-8062