The mayor’s proposed school budgets, rolled out the Thursday before a school break, were disappointing. I advocated for the Administration, at a minimum, to hold school budgets harmless. Instead, the mayor chose to impose destructive cuts to the budgets of more than half of our DC Public Schools. Reversing those cuts and working to fully fund our schools will be a critical priority for me throughout the budget season. 

I am working with school communities to ensure we are fully apprised of individual school needs and will be collaborating with advocates and Council colleagues either to get the mayor to solve these issues or use the Council’s role in the budget process to remedy them.

As a longtime education advocate and father of three DCPS graduates, I am deeply committed to the success of our schools and will do all I can to make this right. 

I introduced a resolution urging the mayor to establish an America250 Commission for the District on February 21. Seven colleagues joined me in calling for a commission charged with highlighting the complete story of the District within our national history.

The resolution, titled "The Sense of the Council on the Establishment of an America250 Commission," encourages the mayor to seize the opportunity to honor the District's contributions to countless watershed moments in our country's history during the nationwide 250th anniversary celebrations.

Many of the values contained in the Declaration of Independence, like equality, voting representation, and the consent of the governed, remain unrealized for 700,000+ DC residents. This resolution capitalizes on an opportunity to use the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding to remind Americans that we still lack voting representation and local autonomy today.

On February 23, all 13 Councilmembers sent a letter to US Senate leadership opposing their efforts to interfere in DC's affairs by overturning our legislation. I have been out front fighting Congressional Republicans' anti-democratic actions and will continue demanding that Congress keep its hands off DC. We deserve Statehood and legislative autonomy, not continued federal overreach.

Read our Letter to Senate Leadership

Today, February 23, I introduced the "Friendship Heights Business Improvement District Amendment Act. This legislation would create the District's twelfth Business Improvement District and the first in Ward 3.

Driven by property owners, businesses, and community leaders, the new BID will advance the revitalization of Friendship Heights through on-the-ground economic development efforts like placemaking, capital improvements, expanded security and maintenance, and promotion for local businesses.

I'm proud to support establishing a Friendship Heights BID that will push for expanded economic opportunity for businesses and residents and support a robust economic recovery for the neighborhood.

A recent article in the Washington Post confirmed what many already knew: the DC Housing Authority (DCHA) often overpays landlords for low-income housing vouchers because it does not reliably verify fair market rates for the units. This is yet another reminder of the pressing need to improve transparency and accountability at the agency. DCHA is plagued by failures to provide public housing residents with safe, clean, stable, and dignified housing. I intend to use my seat on the Housing Committee to press for change at this important but flawed agency. Addressing other facets of the various voucher programs will be a challenging project requiring robust engagement with tenant associations, advocates, and service providers.  

It is important that we provide our unhoused neighbors with intentional support, new opportunities, and stable housing. “Housing first” means something must come next. One element of any response is to ensure wraparound services for residents who need them. My FY24 budget priorities proposed more than $56 million in investments in behavioral health programs. Many of these new funding streams could support more impactful wraparound services.

I remain committed to forging solutions to the issues outlined in the Post and the concerns raised by Ward 3 neighbors.

I have been following closely the concerning infrastructure issues at the Wilson Aquatic Center. I met with the directors of the Department of General Services and the Department of Parks and Recreation this week and pressed for an expeditious short-term fix and continued planning for a long-term solution.

The Wilson Aquatic Center is a popular community amenity I use frequently and I'm working to restore access to residents as soon as possible. I will press DPR about the issue again at its performance oversight hearing this week.

WUSA9 covered my thoughts on the current issues at the aquatic center here.

On February 18, I joined neighbors at the ribbon cutting for the new Loughboro Road Capital Bikeshare station, located adjacent to Sibley Hospital. This station fills a gap in the Capital Bikeshare network in Palisades and Spring Valley and creates a more sustainable transportation option for residents and hospital employees.

On February 21, I toured the Office of Unified Communications with Acting Director McGaffin. OUC's 911 and 311 call center operations are critical to the health and safety of DC residents. I look forward to OUC implementing systemic changes to improve quality, accuracy, and transparency.

Are you a Wizards, Capitals, or Georgetown Basketball fan? My office often has tickets to upcoming games. If you are a Ward 3 resident and interested in attending, fill out this form to show your interest. We'll reach out if we have tickets available to share.

Request Sports Tickets Here