A PUBLIC OVERSIGHT ROUNDTABLE BY THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ON MAYOR'S FISCAL YEAR 2009 GAP-CLOSING PROPOSAL
CHAIRMAN VINCENT C. GRAY , CHAIRPERSON
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2008, 9:00 A.M., JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING, ROOM 412
The Mayor’ revenue gap-closing plan is totally unacceptable. We cannot afford cuts in employment services, the health department and especially in vacancies that should be filled with social workers. We need more social workers given their presently unmanageable caseload, to avoid a repeat of tragedies such as the Banita Jacks case.
And we unequivocally reject the Mayor’s proposal for FY 2010 5.5% across the board cuts in non-personnel costs. This would have devastating impacts to our social services budget.
We can balance the FY2009 Budget and increase support for essential services during this economic crisis by the following measures:
First, the rainy day money should be used to cover any deficits, and to prevent cuts in the already austere FY 2009 budget, which shortchanges middle- and low-income people in DC. Mayor Fenty dipped into the rainy day fund to cover the escalating costs of the youth summer job program, he should do likewise now to avoid hurtful budget cuts.
And yes, there should be cuts in the FY2009 budget, such as:
a) The subsidies to the corporate sector should be looked out, with corporate earmarks (e.g., $50 million to Verizon/MCI) at the top of the list for elimination.
b) Collect rent from the Baseball team (Nationals) owners!
c) Start using District property for District functions instead of renting space (Empower DC estimates some $110 million/year is paid out for such rentals).
d) The $484 million in special funds hidden in the budget must be made transparent and critically examined for potential cuts in corporate welfare.
But given the now depression conditions for so many of our residents, the social service budget must be increased, not cut, i.e. we need more funds for a whole lot of programs such as the Housing Production Trust Fund, TANF (directly linked to child poverty), Local Rent Supplement Program, child care, job training, substance abuse treatment etc. The Fair Budget Coalition proposed some $200 million in additional funding for this budget, with modest improvements, and very little was approved, with the budget not even keeping up with inflation. So we again should make our regressive DC tax structure both progressive and more capable of meeting this challenge, go to those who can afford to pay, not the middle/working class now sinking closer to poverty. We still need a sustainable revenue stream from individual and corporate taxes. Maryland has hiked their income tax rate of millionaires, and Obama has pledged to increase the federal income tax rate of the top 1% and lower it for most of remaining taxpayers, why can't our DC Democrats on the Council and our Mayor support the same here, NOW?
David Schwartzman
Legislative Agenda and Tax & Budget Coordinator
DC Statehood Green Party
dschwartzman@gmail.com, davidschwartzman.com
