Ward 1 Update: budget oversight & difficult choices
Hello Neighbors:
Last week, the Mayor presented the Council and the city with one of the most difficult proposed budgets in recent years. Revenues are expected to slow, while the needs continue to rise. The challenge is to accommodate the first without ignoring the second.
We cannot balance a budget on the backs of our most vulnerable residents or by eliminating services that are key to how we live in the District. In our initial review and first budget oversight hearings we already see much to be concerned about.
The budget proposal zeros out the Pay Equity Fund — a permanent, recurring cut of $63.5 million for early childhood educator salaries – salaries we bolstered just two years ago. It also zeros out the HealthCare4ChildCare initiative which helps bring compensation packages more in line with D.C. Public Schools educator benefits.
We chose to invest in early childhood education for the benefit of working families – quality childcare is a critical to child development and helping working families grow and thrive. We can’t go backwards.
The budget makes other troubling cuts—eliminating the Office of the Ombudsperson for Children and cutting at least 200 full-time-equivalent positions at D.C. public schools, among others.
It’s not all bad news, of course!
In Ward 1, the budget includes projects I have fought for that will improve our public spaces and programs. It provides funding for school modernization projects at Tubman Elementary School and Bruce-Monroe at Parkview Elementary School; for affordable, beautiful, dignified housing units and a community park at the former site of Bruce Monroe; for the Rita Bright Family & Youth Center in Columbia Heights; and for more than $1 million in enhancements at KC Lewis Field.
In the weeks and months ahead, I will be watching for false choices between taking care of our neighbors, public safety, our quality of life, and fiscal responsibility, ensuring we take the right approach, do good work, and have some courage.
Read more of my initial observations of the Mayor’s FY25 budget proposal.
Budget Oversight Hearings
In our first budget oversight hearings I’ve been pleased to see that the Mayor retained funding for parking enforcement, including booting and towing, and for a pilot program for wheelchair-accessible taxicabs in the District, set to launch this summer. We’ve also seen concerning cuts.
At the Department of Public Works, I’m concerned that cuts to staff will impact the agency’s ability to provide adequate services. We also learned that funding has not been allocated to continue my public restroom pilot into the next fiscal year, meaning by the time the Thrones are placed, they will only be there for four months. I will work to continue to find funding for this program that residents have requested for years.
In the Office of Administrative Hearings, the District’s administrative court, it is clear that cuts at the agency will seriously impact its ability to provide residents with access to fair and efficient hearings.
Read more about the budget oversight hearings in my committee.
I also spoke this week at the hearing on the education budget, at which I expressed my concerns about huge cuts and reductions in critical areas, including at least 200 full-time-equivalent positions, many of which are special education, at-risk, and English language learner positions at Ward 1 schools.
I’ll be fighting to restore funding that gives students the promise of success and gives our teachers and other educators the support they need to help students achieve.
COUNCIL UPDATE |
Keeping D.C.’s sports teams in D.C.
The Washington Wizards and the Washington Capitals have been a huge part of our collective pride in this city, and now we can say with certainty: D.C.’s teams will remain in D.C.
A reasonable conversation has ensued: what is reasonable for the District to give to make that happen? Why are we giving $515 million to a for-profit to make more money? What else are we throwing into the mix? And how do we balance that price tag with the very real cuts we are likely to implement in our operating budget in a very difficult budget year.
Increasing accessibility of movie theaters
As chair of the Public Works and Operations Committee, I had the opportunity to present Councilmember Allen’s bill to expand open captioning at D.C. movie theaters to the full Council at our April 2 legislative meeting. I’m pleased to say the legislation passed first reading and will be considered once more by the Council before being sent to the Mayor for her consideration. (Curious how a bill becomes a law in D.C.? Find out more!)
The Open Movie Captioning Requirement Act of 2023 requires movie theaters to provide open captioned showings at movie theaters and that some be during peak weekend hours. Open captions are the written, on-screen display of dialogue and non-speech information, which may include music, the identity of the character speaking, and other sounds and sound effects. They are visible to all viewers and cannot be turned on or off in the middle of a showing.
D.C. has one of the largest communities of deaf, hard of hearing & late-deafened residents in the world. We should choose to be a leader in accessibility in public spaces.
As other places consider these requirements, I believe D.C.'s law will serve as a strong model for increasing the accessibility of movie theaters.
Protecting vulnerable youth
Young immigrants are one of D.C.'s most vulnerable populations. My bill to provide greater protection for vulnerable youth, ages 18 to 21, passed first reading during our legislative session on April 2.
The Vulnerable Youth Guardianship Protection Act provides greater protection for young people who have suffered parental abuse, abandonment, neglect, or similar mistreatment. It will allow eligible youth to apply for special federal immigration status, aligning the District’s laws with federal law. This status in turn allows them to get work authorization, a social security number, housing assistance, federal financial aid for education, and additional benefits.
That is, it allows them to get supports and take care of themselves without unnecessary barriers.
The legislation will also allow D.C. courts to appoint guardians for them, something that has been shown to reduce the risk of further abuse and provide ongoing support while they enter young adulthood and integrate into the community.
BRIANNE IN WARD 1 |
I loved meeting with members of the student council of Bancroft Elementary School at the Wilson Building last week. We talked about voting age, Robert's Rules of Order, and more. And we did a school newspaper interview. These kids are smart!
Save Rosemount!
Amanda Chulick from my team joined families and teachers in a rally to support Rosemount early childhood center and shared my strong support for them. Rosemount recently learned that after decades it would have to vacate its current property. I introduced legislation, which got its first hearing this week, to give the Mayor authority to purchase or lease the property in support of continued quality early childhood bilingual education for children in Ward 1 and nearby. I continue to work with Ben Williams, Ward 1’s State Board of Education Representative, the Mayor, parents, and fellow councilmembers to ensure a continued presence of this community institution.
Please read Amanda’s remarks relaying my strong support for the Rosemount community.
COMMUNITY UPDATES |
Columbia Heights small business survey
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A wants your help shaping the future of small business in Columbia Heights. Please participate in a brief survey that aims to understand neighbor preferences and community needs. Your opinion matters as ANC 1A and community partners advocate for new businesses to open in Columbia Heights. It should only take a few minutes to complete, and your responses will be kept confidential.
Complete the survey in English or Spanish
D.C. Water town hall meetings
D.C. Water CEO David Gadis is hosting meetings to provide important updates and address customer questions and concerns regarding the proposed rate adjustment for the upcoming fiscal year.
A virtual meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 30 at 6 pm. Two in-person meetings will be held, Saturday, April 20 at 11 am at Harriet Tubman Elementary School, 3101 13th Street, NW, and Saturday, April 27 at 11 am at the Department of Employment Services, 4058 Minnesota Avenue, NE.
7th Annual Spring Clean-Up
Join Mayor Bowser's 7th Annual Spring Cleanup and spend the day beautifying Unity Park with fellow Ward 1 residents as part of the District-wide spring-cleaning campaign.
IN THE NEWS |
THE WASHINGTON INFORMER
Bowser Defends Program Cuts in FY 2025 Budget Proposal
"D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1) pushed for “bold changes” in the revenue structure that benefit District residents — all while imploring the D.C Tax Revision Commission to finalize its recommendations to the council."
DC NEWS NOW
DC Council unanimously approves legislation to fund Capital One Arena renovations
"The council isn’t just writing a blank check. We’re going to be involved in the discussions around permitting and the vending zone. And how is it placed and how do we make traffic flow, and how do we ensure that people can still pass through that area on the most heavily used bus routes?"
BRIEF ENCOUNTERS
A Conversation with Councilmember Nadeau on New Divorce Relief
WASHINGTON POST
Advocates criticize Bowser's proposed defunding of ombudsperson's office
CALENDAR |
Committee on Public Works & Operations
Monday, April 22, 9 am | in-person and online
Budget oversight hearing: Office of Contracting and Procurement
Committee of the Whole Meeting
Tuesday, April 23, 11 am | online
Committee on Public Works & Operations
Wednesday, April 24, 12 pm | in-person and online
Budget oversight hearing: Mayor's Office of Community Affairs, Office of the Clean City, Office of Veterans' Affairs, Office of Religious Affairs, Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Affairs, Department of For-Hire Vehicles
Committee on Public Works & Operations
Friday, April 26, 12 pm | in-person and online
Budget oversight hearing: Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Office of Human Rights
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E
Wednesday, April 24, 7 pm | online
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1D
Tuesday, April 30, 7 pm | in-person and online
CONTACT US |
Brianne K. Nadeau | Councilmember | bnadeau@dccouncil.gov
Ariel Ardura | Committee Director | aardura@dccouncil.gov
Abigail Boshart | Legislative Aide | aboshart@dccouncil.gov
Amanda Chulick | Legislative Analyst | achulick@dccouncil.gov
Jerry Clark | Constituent Services Specialist | jclark@dccouncil.gov
David Connerty-Marin | Communications Director | dconnertymarin@dccouncil.gov
Kara Dunford | Communications Specialist | kdunford@dccouncil.gov
Estelle McKinney | Constituent Services Specialist | emckinney@dccouncil.gov
David Meni | Deputy Chief of Staff & Legislative Director | dmeni@dccouncil.gov
Maricela Nava | Deputy Chief of Staff & Scheduler | mnava@dccouncil.gov
Sabrin Qadi | Legislative Assistant | sqadi@dccouncil.gov
Niccole Rivero | Chief of Staff | nrivero@dccouncil.gov