At Monday's Council vote on the First Reading of the FY 2026 budget, we restored funds to critical programs, approved funding for ranked choice voting, and postponed action on the ill-conceived repeal of I-82, the tipped minimum wage.

At Monday's Council vote on the First Reading of the FY 2026 budget, we restored funds to critical programs, approved funding for ranked choice voting, and postponed action on the ill-conceived repeal of I-82, the tipped minimum wage.

As we head into the holiday weekend, I wanted to share some helpful information about staying safe and well with the resources we have available across the District.

In this budget process, we dove into the weeds, found inefficiencies and waste, and applied those savings to areas of need to keep our city clean and safe and support the rights, health, and wellbeing of residents.

Even in a difficult budget year, District residents deserve a budget that invests in childcare, high quality schools, public safety, affordable housing, and social services—the things that support and power our city.

After weeks of delay and uncertainty, the Mayor has finally submitted her Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal to the District’s Chief Financial Officer. We now expect the proposal to come to the Council the week of May 26 for us to begin our budget oversight process and analysis.

The Commanders have a rich history and a years-long cultural legacy. But the fact remains that the District cannot afford to spend $1 billion in taxpayer money on a sports stadium for a privately held team.

Things are strangely quiet right now because we are waiting on the U.S. House of Representatives to fix the D.C. budget mess they created in the Continuing Resolution they passed in early March.