Council is back in session, and we will see a flurry of activity as we approach the end of the two-year Council Period in December. Any bills that don’t make it all the way through the process by the end of the year will go away for good, unless a Councilmember introduces a similar one next Council Period. Legislative meeting agendas will be full as Councilmembers attempt to push legislation over the finish line.

The days of summer are drawing to a close and back-to-school season is here. As our DC Public Schools students and educators get ready to return to the classroom on Monday – and many DC Public Charter Schools students are already enjoying their first weeks of learning – I want to share resources to help you and your family prepare for success and tell you about some of the things I and other Councilmembers have been doing to ensure our schools are ready to serve as the stable, secure, and productive environment our kids need to grow and shine.

The Council is keenly aware of the problem: next year we’ll face a “fiscal cliff” – a significant gap between what we bring in and what we need to spend. And I’m afraid it’ll keep happening unless we make changes to the way we raise revenue.

There’s a lot to unpack in the Mayor’s proposed budget for FY27, but the overall and very disturbing theme that comes across clearly is that she has gutted the social safety net while not asking anything of the District’s wealthy residents.

There’s a lot to unpack in the Mayor’s proposed budget for FY27, but the overall and very disturbing theme that comes across clearly is that she has gutted the social safety net while not asking anything of the District’s wealthy residents.