COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                       Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council

               

FROM:               Phil Mendelson, Chairman

                                                               

DATE:                June 11, 2024

 

RE:                       Notice of intent to move an amendment in the nature of a substitute at the June 12, 2024 Additional Legislative Meeting

 

         This memorandum serves as notice that I intend to move an amendment in the nature of a substitute (ANS) for each of the following measures at the Additional Legislative Meeting scheduled for June 12, 2024:

 

• PR 25-713, Fiscal Year 2024 Revised Local Budget Adjustment Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2024
• Bill 25-787, Fiscal Year 2024 Revised Local Budget Adjustment Emergency Act of 2024
• Bill 25-788, Fiscal Year 2024 Revised Local Budget Adjustment Temporary Act of 2024

 

On April 3, 2024, as part of the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget package, the Mayor transmitted the above measures. The ANS includes Council adjustments necessary to balance the FY25 budget and financial plan, as well as changes developed in concert with the Office of the Chief Financial Officer and the Executive. The changes in the ANS include:

 

• Reductions for underspending and vacancy savings across agencies that is being used in FY24 to balance the budget and financial plan;
• Enhancements to agency budgets, made at the committee level, including:
  • $7.2 million to the Housing Authority for rehabilitation and maintenance of Authority properties;
  • $771,000 to fund the Smoking Cessation Fund;
  • $353,000 to the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions for technical assistance for ANCs;
  • $200,000 to the Housing Authority for the senior shallow subsidy project;
  • $190,000 to the Criminal Code Reform Commission to restore positions;
• Enhancements to agency budgets, made at the Council-wide level, including:
  • $6 million to the Department of Energy and Environment for additional funding for the Green Bank (the Mayor proposed zero);
  • $875,000 to the Department of Energy and Environment for the Affordable Home Electrification Program;
  • $500,000 to the Department of Energy and Environment to fund Solar for All;
  •  
  • $2.8 million to DC Library to restore the Mayor’s sweep of the Library Collections Account;
  • $449,000 to DC Library to restore the Mayor’s sweep of the Revenue-Generating Activities Fund
  • $6 million to the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development for a grant to Arena Stage (to cancel at $45,000,000 note);
  • $1.9 million to the Office of the Attorney General to reverse the Mayor’s sweep of the Child Support TANF Collections;
  • $1 million to the Department of Human Services to provide rents through 2024 to Talbert Street homeowners;
  • $765,000 to restore the Mayor’s sweet to the Real Estate Guaranty and Education Fund;
  • $100,000 to the Department of Human Services to fund a grant to support an organization that administers a program for otherwise homeless mothers ages 18 to 21 and their children; and
• Addition of the District of Columbia Jobs Trust Fund to the Department of Employment Services list of funds with ongoing budget authority language.

 

Bill 25-787 and Bill 25-788 also contain legislative provisions, including sections that:

 

• Update authority for DOES to spend on food, beverage, and non-monetary incentives for program participants, as provided by law;
• Update the table of capital project budget adjustments in FY24;
• Move the table of FY24 dedicated funds transfers from the BSA to this measure and update those changes;
• Direct remaining unexpended FY24 revenue to be carried over as fund balance and used as set forth in the FY25 approved budget;
• Include the FY24-related provisions of the BSA subtitles 6-B, Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Amendment Act of 2024, and 6-N, Sustainable Energy Trust Fund Utilization Amendment Act of 2024;
• Strike the sunset of the Criminal Code Revision Commission;
• Update the Rapid Re-Housing language to conform to the BSA subtitle;
• Strike the provision authorizing the DLCP Director to waive penalties due to late renewals;
• Update the Universal Paid Leave section to conform to the BSA subtitle;
• Strike the changes to the Ballpark Fee that are not in FY24 (those provisions remain in the BSA subtitle);
• Strike the repeal of the ATE Revenue Designation (updates to that code section are included in the BSA with an effective date of this measure);
• Direct DHS to issue a grant of $100,000 in FY24 to an organization that administers a program for otherwise homeless mothers ages 18 to 21 and their children;
• Include a provision previously passed on emergency and temporary basis granting DMPED the authority to issue a grant in either FY 2023 or FY 2024;
• Establish the Career Ready Early Scholars Program at DOES; and
• Direct a portion of the DC v. Saylor settlement to the FY25 budget.

 

The ANS for PR 25-713 simply revises that emergency declaration resolution considering the changes made to the underlying emergency bill.