Mayor Bowser: “I also put forth an $11 million proposal for new police officers based on what Chief Robert J. Contee said he needs right now. The Council, however, was only willing to do half of what he requested.”

Photo by Billy Hoag

From the Mayor’s Office yesterday:

“Today, the Council of the District of Columbia unanimously approved Mayor Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2022 spending plan – the District’s 26th consecutive balanced budget. Following the Council’s vote, the Mayor released the following statement:

“This budget is transformational, as it is a $17.5 billion investment in a more equitable DC, and an opportunity to give more Washingtonians a fair shot. It allows us to meet the moment we are facing by making the biggest investments in the residents and local businesses hit hardest by the health and economic crises of the past 17 months. By combining once-in-a-lifetime federal and stable local revenue, we are able to make historic investments in our city’s greatest challenges.

“We are targeting investments to ensure residents who need us the most have the resources and amenities in their neighborhoods too. That’s why I proposed and the Council passed critical investments including $58 million to expand access to grocery stores and sit-down restaurants in Wards 7 and 8 and $328 million to advance the construction of a new hospital at St. Elizabeths East.

“In addition to unprecedented investments in violence interruption, Building Blocks DC, and job opportunities for residents and this summer’s violent crime on at the forefront of residents’ concerns, I also put forth an $11 million proposal for new police officers based on what Chief Robert J. Contee said he needs right now. The Council, however, was only willing to do half of what he requested. As Mayor, I will continue to work with the Chief to get him what he needs to protect our residents and visitors, and my commitment to a comprehensive approach to public safety that includes violence interruption and associated social service and job opportunities remains firm.

“We have said throughout the pandemic that we are in this together, we will get through it together, and we will recover together. DC residents and businesses have sacrificed so much to protect our community and the Fair Shot Budget recognizes those sacrifices and invests in the many Washingtonians who made them.”