Susie's Budget and Policy Corner

Mayor Gray talks truancy prevention February 9

2012-02-09T07:55:00.001-05:00

Mayor Gray will join education officials February 9 from 11:00 am - Noon at Anacostia Senior High School (1601 16th St SE) at the Anti-Truancy Ad Campaign Kickoff.

If you are attending February 9 workshop, this is for you

2012-02-08T17:00:00.000-05:00

One slight change for the February 9 workshop; it is now being held at the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation's 5th floor space. So same building (1400 16th St NW) as originally advertised, just a different floor.

NOTE ABOUT SNOW: If the DC government is closed, the Trust will close which means there will be no workshop tomorrow. I will email all registrants, but wanted to let everyone know in advance.

Performance oversight on education agencies today

2012-02-08T08:50:00.000-05:00

Tune in today at 11:30 am to watch the COW performance oversight hearings for the Office of the Deputy Mayor of Education, charter schools, OSSE, and DCPS. Today's witnesses are members of the public. The agenda and witness list are online here.

Half by 2015 - from guest blogger Brenda Rhodes Miller

2012-02-08T07:41:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, the DC City Council adopted the ambitious goal of cutting the teen pregnancy rate in half. This is a momentous step in the right direction that required substantial political will and vision.

For far too long, Washington, DC has struggled with teen pregnancy and the resulting fallout from it. The children of teen parents are more likely to be abused and neglected, go into foster care, wind up in trouble with the law, go to jail and/or become teen parents themselves. These problems take a tremendous toll on the city’s budget as well as representing a tragic waste of human potential.

With this new goal, Washington, DC has aligned itself with many local programs and philanthropists devoted to preventing teen pregnancy. DC Campaign encourages everyone concerned about the social and economic health of the city to endorse the goal of cutting the rate in half by 2015.

To get involved, visit www.dccampaign.org and join the fight to make teen pregnancy a thing of the past in the District of Columbia.

Register today for February 9 budget workshop

2012-02-07T08:09:00.000-05:00

Only two days left to register for the February 9 workshop "The DC Operating Budget Explained". We'll talk about the budget process, the roles of the various agencies, advocacy intervention points, key terms, and much more.

Cost is $40 per person; fee includes materials and refreshments. More information is in the event flier (PDF) (and below). Register here.

DC Council February 7 legislative meeting

2012-02-07T08:06:00.000-05:00

The DC Council's regular legislative meeting is being held at 10:00 am today in the Council Chamber. The agenda and other materials are online.

If you can't make it down to the Wilson Building, you can watch the meeting online via OCT.

Your thoughts, please, about DYRS

2012-02-07T07:59:00.000-05:00

Ward 1 CM Jim Graham, chair of the Committee on Human Services, would like your views on the December 2011 report from DYRS Report on Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services’ Youth in Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities and Residential Treatment Centers (PDF) and the issue of residential placement in general. Email John DeTaeye with your comments.

The Committee on Human Services has directed DYRS to increase local capacity of service providers and to reduce the use of out-of-state facilities, particularly those more than 100 miles away from DC. The December report, the first of the quarterly reports, will the Committee and the community track:

Numbers of youth being sent to out-of-state facilities
Reasons for those placement
Services to be offered and eventually evaluation of those services
Successful Medicaid reimbursements

Highlights from the December report are:

188 DYRS youth in RTC / PRTF (assessments of eight youth are missing)
*146 youth are 17 years old and younger
*42 are 18 – 20 years old
158 male / 30 female
*179 African American / 8 Latino / 1 White
*46 different facilities, 7 within 100 miles of DC
*144 placements paid with local dollars / 34 placements Medicaid eligible
*170 days average length of stay

30% of OVERALL DYRS youth are assessed as HIGH /MEDIUM Risk
*88 of the 180 in RTC / PRTF are HIGH / MEDIUM Risk
*117 of 180 have felony adjudication as most serious charge

Mental Health (youth have multiple, dual diagnosed mental health disorders
*136 (76%) of 180 have mood disorders
*108 (60%) of 180 have ADHD / disruptive behavior disorders
*86 (47%) of 180 have Learning / Communication disorders

140 of 180 have some type of substance / alcohol abuse disorder

Budget update, February 6

2012-02-06T08:01:00.007-05:00

CAFR now online: The CAFR has been posted on the CFO's website.

The DC Operating Budget Explained: The February 9 2-1/2 hour workshop will help attendees better understand the process and the roles of the various agencies, identify the advocacy intervention points, make sense of the terms and acronyms, and much more. More information and registration are online.

Ward 2 CM Jack Evans on the budget: CM Evans talked budget (again) in his latest newsletter.
Later this afternoon, District of Columbia officials will make their annual trip to Wall Street. Every February, the Mayor, the Chairman, myself as head of the Committee on Finance and Revenue, and Chief Financial Officer Nat Ghandi visit the three bond rating agencies - Standard and Poor's, Moody's, and Fitch Ratings. The purpose of the meeting is to present the District's financial situation, which helps the rating agencies determine our bond rating. Our bond rating is important for two reasons: it determines the amount of interest the District pays when borrowing money and it acts as a report card on our overall financial health.
At the beginning of our fiscal year on October 1, the District is authorized to borrow a large sum of money, typically several hundred of millions of dollars, for cash-flow purposes. Over the course of the year, as our collections come in, the money is repaid. Our big collection dates are January 15 (fourth quarter payments), March 15 (first half of property taxes), April 15 (income taxes), and September 15 (second half of property taxes).
Our bond rating determines the interest we pay on the money that we borrow - the higher the rating, the lower the interest. For example, in the early- to mid-1990's, as the District's finances deteriorated, the bond rating fell to a "B," greatly increasing the interest we paid. By 1995, our finances were so bad that we couldn't borrow money at all, which was the primary reason for the Control Board. It was only when the Control Board came into existence in April of 1995 that the District could once again borrow money.
After the District met several criteria, the Control Board went dormant on September 30, 2001. But what many people don't know is that it can be reactivated if any one of the following seven events occurs:
- Requisitioning by the Mayor of advances from the Treasury;
- Failure to provide sufficient revenue to the debt service reserve fund;
- Default on borrowing;
- Failure to meet payroll;
- Existence of a cash deficit at the end of any quarter;
- Failure to make required payments to pensions; or
- Failure to make required payments to entity under interstate compact.
The Mayor and the Council must remain focused to ensure that none of these seven "deadly sins" occur.
Over the years, our bond rating has increased from "junk bond" status to an "A+" on our General Obligation bonds and the highest rating of "AAA" on our income tax bonds. The District's finances remain strong and we have a good story to tell when we visit the rating agencies on Wall Street.

Workshop: The DC Operating Budget Explained, February 9

2012-02-06T07:08:00.003-05:00

If you want to better understand the budget process, this is the workshop for you. Attend and you will learn:

the budget process
the roles of the various agencies
advocacy intervention points
key terms
what those darned acronyms stand for
where to get a copy of the budget

Cost is $40 per person; fee includes materials and refreshments. More information is in the event flier (PDF) (and below). Register here.

Be SOME's valentine

2012-02-03T08:41:00.000-05:00

Do you heart SOME? You can show your love by buying one or more of the items on their Amazon Wish List. Items on the list include coffee, soap, new underwear and socks, and microwave ovens.

You can also show your love by donating tickets to local cultural and sporting events. You will be music to their ears if you give them an upright piano in very good condition.

Have questions? Contact Greg Chudy, SOME's Donations Coordinator, via email.

Show your staff and colleagues you love 'em

2012-02-02T08:15:00.000-05:00

Share a little love at work by sending your staff or colleagues to the February 9 workshop "The DC Operating Budget Explained". The workshop will cover the budget process, the roles of the various agencies, advocacy intervention points, key terms, and more.

And if budget workshop is not a fit, then buy them Communications for DC Advocates: How-to's and lessons learned over 15 years. The guide details the steps for writing testimony and planning agency visits. It also provides tips learned over 15 years of advocacy work in DC that will make your staff stars.

Budget update, February 2

2012-02-02T08:02:00.000-05:00

COW CAFR briefing February 6: The time of the February 6 COW briefing on the CAFR has been changed to 11:00 am to accommodate the regular pre-legislative meeting press briefing at 10 am.

DC leaders visit Wall Street: Mayor Vince Gray, Committee on Finance and Revenue chair Jack Evans, and others are heading to NYC for visits with the Wall Street rating agencies. The visits take place February 3.

CSFL posted online: The FY 2013 Current Services Funding Level report is now online.

Panel Discussion on Arts Funding in DC, February 8: DC Advocates for the Arts (DCAA), Institute for Policy Studies, and Busboys and Poets are sponsoring "Arts Funding in the District" February 8 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm at Busboys and Poets (14th and V Sts NW). Panelists are Andy Shallal, Ward 2 CM Jack Evans, and DCCAH Director Lionell Thomas. More information is available on the IPS website and on the DCAA website.

Public schools budget process through March: S.H.A.P.P.E. has shared the schedule for developing the DCPS budget; the remaining steps are here:
February
*LSAT workshops
*Budget allocations released to school leaders
*Schools develop budget for submission to Chancellor
*LSAT chairs sign off in Quickbase
*Principals submit budget to Chancellor
March
*DCPS submits proposed FY 2013 budget to Mayor (mid-March)
*Mayor submits FY 2013 budget to DC Council

National Association of State Budget Officers' take on federal budget and the states: The National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) has summarized the latest CBO report on the federal budget. While NASBO did not the discuss impact on the states, one can surmise it from what they did write about.
CBO Issues Updated Federal Budget Projections Highlighting Two Drastically Different Futures
On January 31, the Congressional Budget Office released its 2012 budget and economic outlook showing that while 2012 is likely to produce the fourth consecutive year in which the federal government’s deficit topped one trillion dollars, the path for the federal budget in 2013 and beyond contains significant uncertainty. On one hand, if Congress were to allow current law to take place, referred to as CBO’s Baseline Projection, then 2013 would see the expiration of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts along with implementation of the automatic budget cuts scheduled for January 1, 2013 that are the result of the failure of the Joint Select Committee. These items along with other provisions would reduce the deficit to below $600 billion in 2013 and continue reducing it to below $200 billion by 2018. However, such austerity, which CBO measured at $400 billion for 2013, could significantly impact economic growth and the unemployment rate. Growth in 2013 would fall to below 1.5 percent and unemployment would rise to above 9 percent. On the other hand, should Congress approve measures to undo this austerity, referred to as the Alternative Fiscal Scenario, economic growth will improve, possibly as high as four percent in 2013 but deficit levels will remain significantly elevated, remaining above $900 billion until 2017 when they would again be in excess of $1 trillion.
The report also notes that enhanced federal funding for Medicaid under the Recovery Act ($12 billion in 2011) will almost evaporate to $1 billion in 2012. Overall, federal spending on Medicaid will dip from $275 billion in 2011 to $262 billion in 2012, mostly because of this reduction in enhanced Recovery Act funding, although total spending is expected to increase significantly to $605 billion by 2022. Medicaid enrollment is projected to increase from 67 million in 2011 to 95 million in 2022, primarily due to provisions within the Affordable Care Act. Spending on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is expected to remain steady at $9 billion from 2011 to 2012 before jumping to $12 billion by 2015.…

Free webinars for nonprofits

2012-02-01T07:51:00.000-05:00

Wild Apricot's list of free webinars in February proves to be another winner. Today, for example, is a webinar about an organizational outreach plan. Later in the month are learning opps such as Making Volunteer Engagement Everyone’s Job, Moving on Up in Your Nonprofit Career: Tips Tactics and Advice for the Nonprofit Professional, and Investing in Infrastructure.

Easy bread recipe

2012-02-01T04:36:00.001-05:00

Want an easy and yummy bread recipe? Try this Not-so-Cuban Cuban Bread (Word, .doc) recipe. I've always known it as cuban bread but I know it's not thus the name change.

The DC Operating Budget Explained

2012-01-31T08:13:00.004-05:00

If you want to better understand the budget process, this is the workshop for you. Attend and you will learn:

the budget process
the roles of the various agencies
advocacy intervention points
key terms
what those darned acronyms stand for
where to get a copy of the budget

Cost is $40 per person; fee includes materials and refreshments. More information is in the event flier (PDF) (and below). Register here. (UPDATE: Link to flier fixed 1/31, 2p)

Budget update, January 31

2012-01-31T08:02:00.000-05:00

CAFR presentation: Mayor Vince Gray and CFO Natwar Gandhi released the FY 2011 audit January 30. Review the presentation here (PDF). Watch the press briefing here.

CSFL released: The OCFO released the FY 2013 Current Services Funding Level budget January 27. The CSFL represents the cost of operating the District government in FY 2013 at FY 2012 service levels (Local funds only) and no new policy decisions. Doing the same things will cost the city $151 million more in FY 2013 than in FY 2012.
The bulk of the document contains agency by agency comparisons of FY 2012 and FY 2013 budget numbers. But the most interesting part is the very end, the general and specific assumptions that built the FY 2013 CSFL.

COW CAFR briefing: The time of the COW's CAFR briefing February 6 has changed to 11:00 am to accommodate the regular pre-legislative meeting press briefing at 10 am.

Make the most of your advocacy efforts during oversight and budget season this year

2012-01-30T08:23:00.000-05:00

Communications for DC Advocates: How-to's and lessons learned over 15 years can help you make the most of the oversight and budget season.

Chuck Bean, Executive Director of Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington, says this:

"Communications for DC Advocates" takes the guesswork out of writing testimony and planning events with elected and appointed officials and staff. This guide will surely become a go-to for nonprofits which engage DC government officials to make a difference.

The guide provides basics of and advanced suggestions and tips for advocacy communications. Buy it here.

Budget update, January 30

2012-01-30T08:11:00.000-05:00

CAFR release, January 30: CFO Natwar Gandhi will release the FY 2011 CAFR January 30 at 11:00 am in the Mayor's Press Briefing Room in the JAWB. If you can't make it to the Wilson Building you can watch online via OCT Channel 16.
The CAFR will be available on the CFO's website today or tomorrow if the OCFO follows its posting pattern for the report.

Committee on Health oversight hearing sked: The Committee on Health has published their oversight hearing schedule in their January 26 newsletter (PDF). The newsletter also includes other news.

Oversight and budget hearings on DC Council calendar: The council has added oversight and budget hearings to the main calendar rather than just in the hearing schedule documents. Be sure to check back frequently as the schedule does change.
DCFPI's Jenny Reed was one of the advocates recommending this change so be sure to thank her.

The race is on to secure a summer job

2012-01-27T08:23:00.000-05:00

Today at 3:15 pm young people ages 14 to 21 will be applying for a job through the 2012 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). There is currently local funding to support 12,000 in the program.

Young people can access the application by visiting www.summerjobs.dc.gov. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and all applications must be received by February 17 in order to be considered.

SYEP will officially kick off today from 3:15 pm until 12:00 midnight at DOES HQ (4058 Minnesota Ave NE). Mayor Gray will participate and DOES staff will be on hand all night to assist youth and their families, and to answer any questions.

Budget update, January 26

2012-01-26T08:11:00.001-05:00

Oversight and budget hearing schedule released: The DC Council has posted the FYs 2011 and 2012 oversight and FY 2013 budget hearing schedule with the following additional information: 1) the hearings will be added to the main DC Council calendar by COB January 26 and 2) hearings (including times and rooms) may change.
Note: The addition of the hearings to the main calendar happened because DCFPI's Jenny Reed and I, among others, asked for it.

DCFPI's take on the FY 2012 supplemental: DCFPI analyst Jenny Reed testified before the Committee of the Whole January 24 about the mayor's FY 2012 supplemental budget plans. What did DCFPI have to say about the supplemental? Here's some (find Jenny's testimony using the link above):
Today, the DC Council held a roundtable on Mayor Gray’s proposed supplemental budget for this year. Why are we looking again at this year’s budget? Two reasons: Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi reported $42 million in additional revenue for this year, and certain programs need more money to operate, in what some like to call a "spending pressure."
DCFPI’s take? Let’s not make rash spending decisions. We’re only four months into our fiscal year. Let’s put the additional money aside until we get a clearer picture of what our spending pressures will be for the entire fiscal year.

Committee on the Judiciary's hearings: The Committee on the Judiciary's regular legislative update (PDF) includes information about the FYs 2011 and 2012 oversight hearings.

More from CM Jack Evans on the budget: Ward 2 CM Jack Evans (chair of the Committee on Finance and Revenue) wrote this in his January 19 newsletter:
Any of you who have heard me speak recently have probably heard me talk about the fact that the District of Columbia is in a better financial position than any other city, county, or state in the country. Our finances remain strong and the development projects in our city are the envy of our neighbors.
I have the firm belief, however, that we would be doing even better if we had a more straightforward business regulatory structure and took steps to roll back some of the substantial disincentives to those who consider relocating to the District to start a business and raise a family, or who consider moving out of our city when they reach retirement age. Therefore, in our next budget, I am recommending a number of specific proposals that I hope you will support.
First, our corporate income tax is a tremendous burden at 9.975%, much higher than the 6% Virginia charges and even the 8.25% levied by Maryland. Particularly when times are tight, how can we expect a business to choose to sacrifice an extra 2-4% of their already slim profit for the privilege of doing business in our city? I propose lowering this tax to 6%. Secondly, on a similar note, the District charges a tax of 9.975% on unincorporated businesses, while our neighbors do not. We should phase out this tax entirely.
Third, our income tax is too high and is based on bad policy. As I have said before, a member of the Council cannot claim to be in favor of small business and also of an increase in the income tax, which falls heavily on many small businesses. I propose to create a more progressive income tax structure by lowering them - those earning above $350,000 would pay 8.5% rather than 8.95%; those earning between $100,000 and $350,000 would pay 8.0% rather than 8.5%; those earning between $40,000 and $100,000 would be placed in a new bracket and pay 7.5% rather than 8%; and those earning between $10,000 and $40,000 would be taxed at 5.5% rather than 6%.
Fourth, the District made a mistake by decoupling our local estate tax from the federal estate tax. We should eliminate the District's estate tax to encourage our retirees to remain residents of the District, investing in our local economy and contributing to our civic and cultural life.
Fifth, we need to repeal the wrongheaded tax on formerly tax-free municipal bonds. As predicted, the implementation of this tax appears to be resulting in an administrative nightmare. For example, it is unclear whether taxpayers have enough information to determine whether a share held in an ostensibly grandfathered municipal bond mutual fund nevertheless has become partially taxable as the fund manager executes future trades. This unfortunately may be just the first onslaught of many where the supposed grandfathering provision could be chipped away.
Sixth, we must sunset the sales tax increase as promised and lower it from 6% back to 5.75%. Part of why I was so skeptical of the deal to grandfather current holdings of municipal bonds while taxing new purchases is that I have been in the government long enough to see promises like this made, and promises broken. The city promised it would sunset the sales tax increase this year, then broke this promise when the city decided it needed the money in order to pass the largest budget in our history. We are only a quarter of the way through fiscal year 2012, and the mayor is already projecting $45 million in government overspending despite having raised every tax on the books. This has to stop.

Fair Budget's new organizer: Janelle Treibitz is back doing organizing around the DC budget, this time for Fair Budget Coalition. Questions about FBC's campaign or other work? Email her.

State of the District Address, February 7

2012-01-26T08:06:00.000-05:00

Mayor Gray will address the city February 7 at 7:00 pm at the Historic Sixth & I Synagogue (600 I Street NW). Mayor Gray will report on the status of the city and his administration and outline his agenda and priorities for the coming year.

"Reducing Gun Violence: Lessons from Research and Practice", February 22

2012-01-26T07:53:00.000-05:00

The Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy has opened registration for the Center's Fifth Congressional Briefing, "Reducing Gun Violence: Lessons from Research and Practice." The event takes place February 22 from 10:00 am - 12:15pm at the U.S. House of Representatives Rayburn Building.

The briefing will be led by George Mason University's Dr. Christopher Koper, and will include the top experts in the firearms and crime research field including Anthony Braga, Catherine Gallagher, Jens Ludwig, Ed McGarrell, Glenn Pierce, Daniel Webster, Charles Wellford, and Garen Wintemute.

For more information or to register for this free event, click this link to the event page. Space is limited so register early.

Mayor Gray's January 25 schedule

2012-01-25T08:33:00.000-05:00

The Mayor-Council Monthly Breakfast takes place today from 9:30 – 11:00 am. Learn what is happening by following Mark Segraves, @SegravesWTOP, Patrick Madden, @Patrick_Madden, Liz Farmer, @LizFarmerDC, and Mike DeBonis, @mikedebonis. (Note: This is a best guess of journos who will be tweeting from the breakfast meeting.)

Mayor Gray's regular biweekly press briefing is today from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm in the Mayor’s Press Briefing Room (Room G-9). Can't make it down to the JAWB? Watch online.

Who knew so many WaPo staff were on Facebook?

2012-01-25T07:38:00.001-05:00

The Washington Post has made it easy to follow your favorite WaPo staff on Facebook. Mark Luckie tells us how in the January 19 blog post Subscribe to Washington Post staff on Facebook

Facebook's new "Subscribe" feature allows you to receive updates from FB users without friending them first. Luckie's post describes how to make this work for you. So check it out.

What will you contribute to the One City Summit?

2012-01-25T01:36:00.007-05:00

Are you prepared to fully participate in and contribute to the One City Summit agenda? Have you thought about the issues important to you? Can you identify barriers to better implementation of programs/services? Have ideas about policy and practice changes that would result in better outcomes for residents, businesses, and the local economy? What would your prioritize and put on the back burner in terms of the budget?

You can share your answers and address the highlighted issues (to be announced) at the February 11 summit. Attendees will participate in small group discussions with people from all over the city.

There's no time like the present to register for the Gray Administration's One City Summit February 11 at the Convention Center. For those with access to a computer, register online. You can also register using a printed form (English) (PDF) and Spanish printed form (PDF); this is perfect for registering clients, asking folks at community meetings to register, etc. Fax completed forms to Sheila Bunn at (202) 727-8527. You can also email the forms, scanned first, obviously, to onecitysummit@dc.gov.