---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Councilmember At-Large Robert White <robert@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, Jun 3, 2021 at 2:01 PM
Subject: How’s It Spent?
To: <info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
The FY 2022 💰The Latest from May & 7⃣ Big Wins for D.C. Residents
June 3, 2021
This is how we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The D.C. Council released their fiscal year 2022 budget proposal last week.
I want to thank Mayor Bowser, her staff, and agency directors for
developing a budget that invests in education, healthcare, small
businesses, public housing, and social services.
The District’s budget should be a social justice tool that responds to your
needs. How did we fight for those needs? I asked for seven concrete
solutions:
1. Fund the Restore the Vote legislation to allow all incarcerated
residents to vote
2. More aid for D.C.’s at-risk students
3. Stronger support for school-based mental health programs
4. Direct funding to put an end to gun violence
5. Money for a community center than can be a home for LGBTQ
organizations
6. Funds for a low-barrier shelter for transgender residents
7. Immediate action on my Helping Children impacted by Parental
Incarceration Amendment Act
I asked and the Mayor answered by funding these programs. I want to thank
her for sharing our priorities.
Digital Access, Digital Equity
When I sent my budget request letter
<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y1rrt7Huegj28EHoVz2TsjHVLj35N1Hox8ti4D_HM8uR5sPdRUX4Rhj75V0UVXPNUPYuGS9N6prSM26y24rtL8T3woHnpVFkelzsx9mSM-qjDNLMDpydsfvYvC32M6pWRbZwpwRK7erj6f-H4voDrEzB3Q_BcYrgR_7Vii_X0BtW4hd7idIEaFw5ry1i8FsGdYk0kylvFpfQN98aYFI60A==&c=JJcQa-36lyhOqqOSeVjK12NQ8sO9GuAsqthith8PHK-vy7bEbKfvzg==&ch=_8vQG7ZNalM0Ppv7ORSGGsV2GY1Z2-fw055p1p6AfegegjKG3-ir7w==>
to
the Mayor last March, I challenged us to make a bold, substantial
investment in universal broadband.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed how much digital equity matters. Be it
accessing virtual classrooms or signing up for a vaccination appointment,
Internet access is as fundamental as access to any other utility.
Universal broadband access will drive equity. Children can do their
homework at home. Adults can take virtual classes and search for jobs. We
have entered the digital world, we all deserve access to it. While the
budget includes noticeable investments in access, there is more we must do.
Putting Your Children First
Funding for the critical stage in early childhood development is
non-negotiable. That’s why I also asked for increased funding for child
care in the District. The District has yet to make good on its promise to
fully fund child care for families and improve the quality of child care
and education in the District. I believe this year is our opportunity to
deliver on that promise. We will ensure access to high-quality child care
for all District families.
Shaping the budget is a process. In the coming months I look forward to
hearing from you and to working with my colleagues, agency directors, and
the Mayor to get every dollar working for District residents.
MAY RECAP
- Affordable Housing: I introduced an exciting housing bill
<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y1rrt7Huegj28EHoVz2TsjHVLj35N1Hox8ti4D_HM8uR5sPdRUX4Rhj75V0UVXPNhpuCq0RGgAdsML8wF6c0NCjWbYyUoACQtIw6pWRZZtFX7rnDe9MOoVIrQQdRLLAjRkyIKc8rSGhpf_WPKHDZCiKHFol-8l8PR_5wKlQYw8v1Y3IgG9Ntwauh02byzYwk-kUt2Uyivg4=&c=JJcQa-36lyhOqqOSeVjK12NQ8sO9GuAsqthith8PHK-vy7bEbKfvzg==&ch=_8vQG7ZNalM0Ppv7ORSGGsV2GY1Z2-fw055p1p6AfegegjKG3-ir7w==>
to make housing in the District more affordable across the entire city.
Using property covenants, the Generating Affordability in Neighborhoods
(GAIN) Act of 2021 allows the District to pay housing providers to convert
existing rental units into affordable units. By purchasing housing that
already exists and lowering the rents residents would pay, the city can
create affordable housing more quickly and more cost-effectively. The bill
creates a commission of real estate professionals whose task is to
proactively seek out housing units across the city and negotiate with the
owners to acquire those units for the program. The fee the District pays
the unit owner subsidizes the lower rents for residents. A tenant must earn
less than 30% or 50% of the Median Family Income to be eligible to rent a
unit in the program and would pay no more than 30% of their income for
rent.
- The “Comp Plan”: The Council finished working on the District’s
Comprehensive Plan (the Comp Plan), a 20-year framework, led by the Office
of Planning, that guides future growth and development in our city. A
longstanding priority of mine is to prevent rising rents and
over-development from displacing residents. Affordable housing must be at
the center of future development. I’m pleased to report that my office made
important changes to the Comp Plan to reduce displacement, preserve
affordable housing, and strengthen our focus on racial equity. From my
office, Senior Legislative Assistant Katie Whitehouse led our efforts on
the Comp Plan. She is responsible for our great successes. I also have to
share how much work Chairman Phil Mendelson and many of my Council
colleagues did to improve the Comp Plan during the Council’s review. We
went far with this effort because we went together.
- Preventing Discrimination: I introduced a bill
<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y1rrt7Huegj28EHoVz2TsjHVLj35N1Hox8ti4D_HM8uR5sPdRUX4Rhj75V0UVXPN0KaSCIPouPZ-hTM9HTsmqLKmJlZIEqKChxZhNRd2vqO84uWjsbXxKGR_vZVUfIKX7oay0vfEhVWhL5W1H2WRVOpaUyNiWX4IBM-DN8wzAVyerD4rO5X9gywAuAo_YL6ME__zxR5VkbtYa5AY8W0j9g==&c=JJcQa-36lyhOqqOSeVjK12NQ8sO9GuAsqthith8PHK-vy7bEbKfvzg==&ch=_8vQG7ZNalM0Ppv7ORSGGsV2GY1Z2-fw055p1p6AfegegjKG3-ir7w==>
to
add homelessness as a protected class to the Human Rights Act. The
legislation also would protects contract workers from workplace harassment
and discrimination; the Human Rights Act does not currently protect them.
- Driver’s Licenses: I co-introduced a bill authored by Councilmember
Silverman that ends the denial driver’s licenses for residents who owe
debts to the District. Currently, tens of thousands of residents cannot get
or renew their licenses because they owe the D.C. government amounts as
little as $100. This small debt can prevent them from continuing to work or
caring for their family. The legislation, the D.C. Driving to
Opportunity Amendment Act of 2021
<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y1rrt7Huegj28EHoVz2TsjHVLj35N1Hox8ti4D_HM8uR5sPdRUX4Rhj75V0UVXPNaTeWANTcd0ViEzkjEMVlx3mQLRL-QA4yPETZYmDfPZ7JPHgpw8dEVvyJL85VkREBvGnM58VjhIBK35z83TQMxPyBoWnmtUY-rhG3aEIDqMu_FiHePaQo6ZuSUNGwnfGSlbj-Qhc1Z0e-a9rfyzB23CP8VkwefLyBaS_W81OcFnIL11Lcv1QfPxs-1f3MRTAOjAc2LnafLRPa82VoVfEKrI0gVnMjLDc1mLdHfJQBoHfeQHPypD7F4BCT67_9uxjr-msOsFDm2G9plibktajKQM1umwtaEPUYoMsHvp-XBP8=&c=JJcQa-36lyhOqqOSeVjK12NQ8sO9GuAsqthith8PHK-vy7bEbKfvzg==&ch=_8vQG7ZNalM0Ppv7ORSGGsV2GY1Z2-fw055p1p6AfegegjKG3-ir7w==>,
would remove driver’s license issuance and renewal from the District’s
Clean Hands Law. Creating this exception to the Clean Hands Law would
remove a penalty that disproportionately impacts Black residents and people
of color in our city. The racial disparity created by the existing law is
highlighted in Driving D.C. to Opportunity
<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y1rrt7Huegj28EHoVz2TsjHVLj35N1Hox8ti4D_HM8uR5sPdRUX4Rhj75V0UVXPNakPakJY_kyaaTbLCKP9dOGZ3XiV82xU-Vp8SAQDSN2TBfxuU2V_1WmjrsfzKcMZYt8WwJTeRAfdyDa0Ch446Ul4CuWsf6rdpkFM8VV_-Lc-m6v8RcIwoDidO5S-b_dJc5NPCOPMss318s5rMfuUaCKm9CI4r1E2rw0-7yqKRniQkcZrT-gbKPh3XOI3aDbaaD70UnymYP2OtvPJJ6BA4vmV4US6RH_zu5-Hn6sZXP-iOYM2vZ2MUTMWkgPsXQ0bejmhPRFZdXM3TXO-3WBpdBA==&c=JJcQa-36lyhOqqOSeVjK12NQ8sO9GuAsqthith8PHK-vy7bEbKfvzg==&ch=_8vQG7ZNalM0Ppv7ORSGGsV2GY1Z2-fw055p1p6AfegegjKG3-ir7w==>,
a report recently released by Tzedek D.C.
- Halfway Home: The Council voted in support of a halfway home in D.C.
Ever since the District’s men’s halfway home closed in spring of 2020, men
returning from incarceration have had to go to Virginia, Maryland, or
Delaware—far away from their support systems—making reentry into the
District nearly impossible. Returning citizens have served their time and
need to be in the District to access city resources to successfully
transition back into society. While in a halfway home, they must secure
employment, find housing, and reconnect with their families and loved ones.
Relocating the District’s returning citizens in halfway homes many miles
away sets them up for failure and only further disconnects them from our
community. Successful reentry for returning citizens is critical for
rehabilitation, preventing recidivism, and promoting public safety.
- Sexual Harassment: I introduced a bill
<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y1rrt7Huegj28EHoVz2TsjHVLj35N1Hox8ti4D_HM8uR5sPdRUX4Rhj75V0UVXPNHFt_rLvpwCjsdWITi2oNAunxgorkGb1BDPPSdRHxRMdr5UTDiQooGo-x8f7WJC2fdILKZUHjCnGXsJdYRQ1XKe-Xyb7gNgrLlZOQmxmjuIwBV8fSSziRMlUreAtRjmdofn15CY5RatcQpisPFHLPmA==&c=JJcQa-36lyhOqqOSeVjK12NQ8sO9GuAsqthith8PHK-vy7bEbKfvzg==&ch=_8vQG7ZNalM0Ppv7ORSGGsV2GY1Z2-fw055p1p6AfegegjKG3-ir7w==>
requiring all D.C. agencies to report every complaint of sexual
harassment and the outcomes of those complaints to the Office of Human
Rights, which will submit an annual report to the Council outlining every
reported case. Sexual harassment in the workplace is unacceptable. The
District government, one of the largest employers in the city, must be
transparent and accountable.
- Green Food: I co-introduced, with Councilmember Mary Cheh, an
amendment to her Green Food Purchasing bill, which will require District
agencies to purchase fewer of the types of food and beverages that
contribute the most to greenhouse gas emissions (this includes beef and
dairy). While the overarching goal of the bill is right, I was concerned
that residents in residential facilities, like D.C. Jail or emergency
housing, could have significant changes made to their diets without their
input. Our amendment preserves the heart of the bill while making sure
people who will be impacted by the changes are involved in the
decision-making process. As we work hard to improve our environment, we
have to bring more people to the table. That gets us further, faster.
- AAPI Heritage Month: I introduced a resolution
<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y1rrt7Huegj28EHoVz2TsjHVLj35N1Hox8ti4D_HM8uR5sPdRUX4Rhj75V0UVXPNf0CNDDBcDlD26R8hx8g7MH5Gknwc1IWtXXZvpoO5G7p79WHo7wkTxCsOGTLomYhSwkMhm4NkW16nsN06UEpuzaJGPx6UtCgUJouHRcgBwS9TwdAYSpJXyVgo4xm9OmP6jO0ondxyI2G4wFu5zTtzpg==&c=JJcQa-36lyhOqqOSeVjK12NQ8sO9GuAsqthith8PHK-vy7bEbKfvzg==&ch=_8vQG7ZNalM0Ppv7ORSGGsV2GY1Z2-fw055p1p6AfegegjKG3-ir7w==>
in May celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. To
our Asian American and Pacific Islander residents and visitors: you are
loved and respected. A large and diverse community stands with you. To my
fellow District residents, please continue rallying around this community.
They will be overlooked no longer.
OTHER NEWS
- D.C. Action’s new D.C. Kids Count 2021 Report
<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y1rrt7Huegj28EHoVz2TsjHVLj35N1Hox8ti4D_HM8uR5sPdRUX4Rhj75V0UVXPNN_3nJrmF43QUrDSl-ifRfx_9ybryFTBc3Kn8NIK0bEMfxB4Nsl8B2YO5ayDFntv_6kT11ePMDIm5D9OyuyYtiXX9B2pmYosjKxCuYXpYKdxyv5dHHtXHbw==&c=JJcQa-36lyhOqqOSeVjK12NQ8sO9GuAsqthith8PHK-vy7bEbKfvzg==&ch=_8vQG7ZNalM0Ppv7ORSGGsV2GY1Z2-fw055p1p6AfegegjKG3-ir7w==>
sheds
light on the scope of racial disparities by breaking out data by both Ward
and race. It tracks child and young adult well-being by measuring
demographics, economic justice, education, early childhood, health and
safety, and voting and democracy. Check it out.
NEED TO REACH ME OR A MEMBER OF MY TEAM?
PERSONAL OFFICE STAFF
- Robert White | Councilmember | rwhite@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Mtokufa Ngwenya | Chief of Staff | mngwenya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Angela Fowlkes | Senior Legislative Assistant | afowlkes@xxxxxxxxxxxx
<shilgendorf@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Katie Whitehouse | Senior Legislative Assistant |
kwhitehouse@xxxxxxxxxxxx <astrickland@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Andre Strickland | Constituent Services Director |
astrickland@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Kelly Wilkins | Constituent Services Specialist |
knwilkinsland@xxxxxxxxxxxx <astrickland@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Angie Minor | Executive Assistant | aminor@xxxxxxxxxxxx
<astrickland@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Joe Crea | Communications Director | jcrea@xxxxxxxxxxxx
COMMITTEE OFFICE STAFF
- Shawn Hilgendorf | Committee Director | shilgendorf@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Kirti Suri | Deputy Committee Director | ksuri@xxxxxxxxxxxx
<dwilliams@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Estelle Mitchell |Legislative Counsel | emitchell@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Sean Cuddihy | Legislative Counsel | scuddihy@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember, At-Large | Council of the District of
Columbia
Phone: (202) 724-8174 | Fax: (202) 727-8210 | www.RobertWhiteAtLarge.com
<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y1rrt7Huegj28EHoVz2TsjHVLj35N1Hox8ti4D_HM8uR5sPdRUX4RjIn_Ep90p4kM65OMOxTP3cc5W-k73Piaz0EeKZAmtKblZXstCnhEc5sq1MTFFUQKYpAxuzqtv7Z2Vv8LAQkUbtYAFGv2TlQZd4ikuP838Mn&c=JJcQa-36lyhOqqOSeVjK12NQ8sO9GuAsqthith8PHK-vy7bEbKfvzg==&ch=_8vQG7ZNalM0Ppv7ORSGGsV2GY1Z2-fw055p1p6AfegegjKG3-ir7w==>
The Office of At Large District Council Member Robert C White Jr | 1350
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 107, Washington, DC 20004
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