Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has announced three town hall meetings that will focus on the District’s recent real property tax assessments.  The workshops are designed both to educate local residents on the tax assessment process, as well as to help taxpayers understand and take advantage of the appeals process. The average residential increase of the 2015 assessments is 8.33 percent.

Representatives from the District’s Office of Tax and Revenue will join Chairman Mendelson at each of the workshops to answer questions and offer assistance.  This is the 10th year that Mendelson has sponsored these tax town hall meetings.

“These meetings are designed to meet residents’ concerns about rising property tax assessments,” said Chairman Mendelson. “It’s important that we educate owners about how assessments are done and inform them of their rights and remedies.”

Residents have until April 1, 2013 to begin the appeals process if they believe the proposed 2013 assessment does not reflect the market value of their property.

 

Upcoming Tax Workshops

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Northwest One Library                                                                                         Benning Library                                                                                        Cleveland Park Library

155 L Street, NW                                                                                                     3955 Benning RD, NE                                                                             3310 Connecticut Ave, NW

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm                                                                                                11:00 am – Noon                                                                                       6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

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.

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.

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.

Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced the District of Columbia Paperwork Reduction Act, which effectively would eliminate the congressional review period for legislation passed in the District of Columbia.

“The congressional review process is a counterproductive procedure that hampers speedy enactment of laws in the District of Columbia,” said Chairman Mendelson. “Congresswoman Norton’s bill promotes efficiency and will end costly delays for the District. Further, this bill will eliminate the need for emergency and temporary legislation, and will pave the way for more streamlined government .”

The District of Columbia Paperwork Reduction Act will bring the city’s procedures more in line with the federal policy of diminishing time-consuming and unneeded paperwork.