Author Archives: Committee

Legislative Meeting Media Briefing Mar. 3

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WHO: DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson

WHAT: Legislative Meeting Media Briefing

WHEN: Monday, March 3, 2014 10:00 am

WHERE: John A. Wilson Building, Room 412 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC

Background: Chairman Mendelson will hold a media briefing to preview major actions to be taken at the upcoming legislative meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, March 4, 2013 at 10 am. For additional information, please call: (202) 724-8032.

UPDATED: Hearing on PR20-606 (Feb. 20)

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CHAIRMAN PHIL MENDELSON ANNOUNCES A PUBLIC HEARING

PR 20-606, Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia Joshua S. Wyner Confirmation Resolution of 2013

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson announces the scheduling of a public hearing of the Committee of the Whole on PR 20-606, Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia Joshua S. Wyner Confirmation Resolution of 2013.  The hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 20, 2014 in Hearing Room 120 of the John A. Wilson Building.  This hearing has been rescheduled to February 20, 2014 due to the government closure on February 13, 2014.

The stated purpose of PR 20-606 is to confirm for appointment the nomination of Joshua Wyner to the Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia.  The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony from government and public witnesses as to the fitness of this nominee for the Board.

Those who wish to testify should contact Ms. Christina Setlow, Legislative Counsel, at (202) 724-8196, or via e-mail at csetlow@dccouncil.us, and provide their name, address, telephone number, organizational affiliation and title (if any) by close of business Tuesday, February 18, 2014.  Persons wishing to testify are encouraged, but not required, to submit 15 copies of written testimony.  If submitted by the close of business on Tuesday, February 18, 2014 the testimony will be distributed to Councilmembers before the hearing.  Witnesses should limit their testimony to five minutes; less time will be allowed if there are a large number of witnesses.  A copy of PR 20-606 can be obtained through the Legislative Services Division of the Secretary of the Council’s office or on http://dcclims1.dccouncil.us/lims.

If you are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record.  Copies of written statements should be submitted to the Committee of the Whole, Council of the District of Columbia, Suite 410 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004.  The record will close at 5:00 p.m. on February 28, 2014.

Legislative Meeting Media Briefing Feb. 4

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WHO:       DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson

WHAT:     Legislative Meeting Media Briefing

WHEN:     Monday, February 3, 2014

                10:00 am

WHERE:   John A. Wilson Building, Room 412

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC

Background:

Chairman Mendelson will hold a media briefing to   preview major actions to be taken at the upcoming legislative meeting, which   will be held on Tuesday, February 4, 2014 at 10 am.

For additional information, please call: (202) 724-8032.

Statement on GAO Budget Autonomy Act Opinion

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Council Chairman Phil Mendelson expressed his disappointment in the Government Accountability Office (GAO) opinion issued today on the legal effect of the Local Budget Autonomy Act of 2012 (Autonomy Act).  The Council unanimously adopted, and the Mayor subsequently signed, the Autonomy Act in December 2012, and voters overwhelmingly approved a Charter Amendment to effectuate the Autonomy Act in April 2013.

“I strongly believe that the amendment to the D.C. Charter, to provide the District with autonomy to spend its own local dollars, is right, legal, and proper,” Mendelson stated.  “Although the opinion of the GAO is not law, today’s opinion will certainly be cited by those opposing District control over its own local funds.  Contrary to GAO’s opinion, the Autonomy Act retains Congress’ role and authority in local budget matters, and the new procedure meets the requirements of the Anti-Deficiency Act.”

Mendelson continued, “Given the ambiguity caused by GAO, Congress should take this opportunity to acknowledge explicitly the right of District residents to determine how their tax dollars should be spent.”

The District is unfairly tethered to the federal appropriations process, causing local government services to be jeopardized by purely unrelated national squabbles in the federal appropriations process.  Adding insult to this injury is the fact that the District’s budget is derived approximately 98 percent from local revenue and federal grants available to every jurisdiction.

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