Susie's Budget and Policy Corner

Presentation of findings on needs assessment related to employment for residents with disabilities, June 7

2013-05-23T05:31:00.000-04:00

The Department on Disability Services is hosting an event to present the findings of the recent needs assessment related to improving employment outcomes for District residents with disabilities. The event takes place June 7. More information is in the flyer, below.

CSNA Flyer

Recap of May 22 FY 2014 budget action

2013-05-22T19:24:00.000-04:00

The DC Council met May 22 to consider the FY 2014 budget proposed by Mayor Vince Gray and modified in part by council committees. Reports of the events are catalogued here:

Release from the Office of Chairman Phil Mendelson on the passage of the FY 2014 budget

Updates from CM Mary Cheh and CM Muriel Bowser

Release from Mayor Gray about the passage of the budget

A bit of media coverage on DC Council take on FY 2014 budget

2013-05-22T08:53:00.000-04:00

WaPo's Tim Craig has a piece on the DC Council's take on the FY 2014 budget; see D.C. council chairman seeks shift in collecting fuel taxes. WBJ's Michael Neibauer also writes about the changes made by the DC Council, focusing on later changes by council chair Phil Mendelson. See Draft D.C. budget report returns $5M for D.C. Water relocation at The Yards.

FY 2014 budget documents from the DC Council

2013-05-21T19:43:00.001-04:00

The DC Council will hold the first and only vote May 22 on the FY 2014 budget request act and the first of two votes on the FY 2014 budget support act.

New events added to Advocacy and Learning Calendar, May 20

2013-05-21T06:44:00.000-04:00

Webinars and events have been added to the Advocacy and Learning Calendar. There are many more on the calendar than those highlighted here:

Affordable Care Act and Youth - Solutions Desk - Helping Youth Transition (May 22)

21st Century Drug Policy Reform: A Conversation with Gil Kerlikowske (May 23)

Congratulations, the IRS Says Your Organization is Exempt: A Webinar that Discusses What Happens Next (May 29)

A New Era in Nonprofit Marketing: Why Winging It with Social Media No Longer Works (June 4)

Stuck in Place: Urban Neighborhoods and the End of Progress toward Racial Equality (June 5)

DC Environmental Network Brown-Bag Pay Dirt: Composting to Reduce Waste, Create Jobs, and Protect the Bay! (June 6)

If there are events you think belong on this calendar, email me the information and I will add them.

Consider signing this petition supporting neighborhood schools

2013-05-20T20:58:00.000-04:00

Education experts, advocates, community leaders, and parents have come together to support and advocate for matter-of-right neighborhood schools and other important education policies. This group, primarily comprised of parents, is gathering signatures on a petition to 1) gain support for some basic principles and 2) move the issue of matter-of-right neighborhood schools. The petition's preamble says this:

A critical mission for our city is to ensure great, matter-of-right schools from pre-school through high school graduation in all of our communities.
In large parts of the city, parents have little confidence that there are viable, matter-of-right neighborhood options for their children, and find themselves at the whim of a lottery system. That reality undermines their enthusiasm and even willingness to stay in the city and detracts from quality of life for all of our citizens.

The petitioners are encouraging folks across the city to sign the petition.

EOTR residents: Your input is needed!

2013-05-20T19:02:00.000-04:00

Dreaming Out Loud is conducting a survey of east of the river residents about the idea of locating a farmers market in Ward 7. The nonprofit organization is interested in hearing about the items residents buy or would buy at a farmers market, where they shop for groceries now, and whether they would shop at a farmers market.

Why is this organization interested? Because they founded Aya Community Markets.

Please take the survey and encourage others to do the same.

Your action is needed to protect the $15 million One City Fund

2013-05-20T06:34:00.000-04:00

Attend the Committee of the Whole's May 22, 10:00 am vote on the FY 2014 budget and hold up* the sign (below) and you'll let CMs know that you support this important investment in the community and nonprofits, the organizations providing valuable services to residents.

Public presence is essential. So organize your colleagues to attend the first reading of the budget support act.

Support onecityfundsign from Susie Cambria

*Hold the sign at chest level; anything else will likely considered to be demonstrating and demonstrating is not allowed in the Council Chamber.

CM Tommy Wells on NewsTalk May 20

2013-05-20T06:00:00.001-04:00

Ward 6 CM Tommy Wells will guest on NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt May 20 at 10:00 am. Wells will be asked about the FY 2014 budget, streetcars, ethics reform, legalizing marijuana, and his run for mayor.

Tune in to NewsChannel 8 streaming here, http://news8.net/, to see the conversation.

If you have questions or comments, call (703) 387-1020 or email the show.

Is your organization offering summer programming for children and/or youth?

2013-05-20T00:41:00.000-04:00

Summer is right around the corner and parents are still looking for programs for their children and teens and young adults (to age 24) are searching for meaningful activities. If your organization/agency (nonprofit or DC government) have programs for kids, enter the information into this form and it will be included in The BRIDGE Project searchable database (and yes, the website is undergoing a complete overhaul and will feature youth programming!). Please complete the organizational and program information; it won't take long, promise!

Pre-COW media briefing, May 20

2013-05-19T17:59:00.000-04:00

DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson will brief the media about the May 21 Committee of the Whole May 20 at 10:00 am in Room 123 of JAWB. Additional information is available by calling (202) 724-8032. If you can't make it to the Wilson Building, you can watch the briefing via Granicus.

Save the date: May 22 for one final push for the One City Fund

2013-05-17T04:35:00.000-04:00

We're not done! Another push, a final one, is needed to ensure the $15 million One City Fund survives as proposed during the May 22 first vote on the budget support act.

If you believe in the value of the One City Fund to improve the lives of DC residents via nonprofits all over the city, turn out May 22 to the John A. Wilson Building to show your support (small sign to hold here).

More details to come May 20.

FY 2014 budget update, May 16

2013-05-16T08:08:00.000-04:00

CM Budget Updates

The Mayor Gray Report

2013-05-16T04:44:00.000-04:00

Do you receive The Mayor Gray Report? It is the weekly report to stakeholders, community leaders, and opinion makers of the important steps the Gray Administration is taking to move the District forward. If you would like to receive this regular update or suggest topics, projects, or initiatives to be profiled in future editions, email Sheila Bunn, Sheila.Bunn@dc.gov.

CM Tommy Wells' new staffer

2013-05-15T05:59:00.000-04:00

Ward 6 CM Tommy Wells has hired a new Communications Director and Senior Policy Advisor―Jack Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer's contact info is:

1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 109
Washington, DC 20004
jpfeiffer@dccouncil.us
www.TommyWellsWard6.com
(202) 724-8063

FY 2014 DC Council budget deliberations continue May 15

2013-05-14T17:54:00.000-04:00

The DC Council will meet May 15 starting at 9:30 am in Room 502 to discuss the FY 2014 budget support act. You can watch the deliberations on Channel 13 via OCT stream. Or, you can head to the Wilson Building and sit in any of the hearing rooms.

Mayor Gray's May 15 schedule

2013-05-14T17:45:00.000-04:00

On Mayor Gray's May 15 schedule is his regular biweekly presser from 11:00 am - Noon in Room G-9 at JAWB. The mayor will talk about the interim report from the Power Line Undergrounding Task Force.

If you can't make it to the Wilson Building, you can watch the presser on Channel 16.

DC Council FY 2014 budget deliberations May 14

2013-05-14T06:47:00.000-04:00

The DC Council will meet May 14 starting at 9:00 am in Room 502 to discuss the FY 2014 committee reports and budget support act. You can watch the deliberations on Channel 13 via OCT stream. Or, you can head to the Wilson Building and sit in any of the hearing rooms.

Supporters of the One City Fund should hold this sign up while they are watching in one of the JAWB rooms.

Tweets in support of the One City Fund

2013-05-13T09:35:00.000-04:00

Follow along the tweets in support of the $15 One City Fund proposed by Mayor Vince Gray. You can join in by tweeting between Noon May 13 and Noon May 14 and using the hash tag #dcfy14. Check out these sample tweets and CM Twitter handles.

Tweets about "#dcfy14"

(Finally) The Committee on Human Services FY 2014 mark-up

2013-05-13T06:58:00.000-04:00

The Committee on Human Services will hold their FY 2014 budget mark-up May 13 at 10:00 am in the Council Chamber. Watch the event on Channel 13 via OCT.

Tweet to protect the One City Fund, May 13-14

2013-05-13T02:30:00.000-04:00

One City Fund Twitter by Susie Cambria

Support the One City Fund by sitting down May 14

2013-05-12T17:50:00.000-04:00

(UPDATED 5/13 11:22a) Sign up to sit in support of the One City Fund here.

One City Fund Call 2 Action by Susie Cambria

Save the date for Ward 7 Economic Summit June 29

2013-05-10T05:45:00.000-04:00

Mayor Gray's Ward 7 Economic Summit will take place June 29 at 9:00 am at H.D. Woodson High School (540 55th St NE). More information is on the Great Streets website.

FY 2014 budget update, May 10

2013-05-10T02:18:00.000-04:00

The FY 2014 budget process continues with these events calendared:

Rescheduled Committee on Human Services mark-up: The new date and time, May 10, 10:00 am.

First reading of the BSA and only reading of BSA, May 22

Some additional budget-related items:

Prepared remarks of Ward 2 CM Jack Evans (chair, Committee on Finance and Revenue) at Commission on the Arts and Humanities (and other agencies) budget hearing

Letter from Mayor Gray to DC Council Chairman Mendelson about the reduction in funding for the Housing Production Trust Fund in FY 2013.

Resilient DC Community Forum May 15

2013-05-09T05:18:00.000-04:00

The Department of Health is sponsoring the Resilient DC Community Forum May 15 from 8:30 am - 2:00 pm at the District Architecture Center (421 7th St NW).

The forum will focus on helping attendees make meaningful connections that strengthen the community and build resilience particularly as they relate to successfully dealing with emergency situations like Snowmageddon, Hurricane Sandy, or widespread power outages. The forum will feature discussions, presentations, break-out sessions, and networking focused on strategies for building community connections and resilience in the District.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided.