Newsletters

We have all been horrified by the gun violence epidemic that continues to plague our city. After suffering the tragic loss of 6-year-old Nyiah Courtney, and hearing shots outside of the Nationals Stadium, we also witnessed recent shootings in the 14th street corridor and in other neighborhoods throughout our city.Please know that I am devoted to working with my colleagues, our Mayor, Attorney General, the Metropolitan Police Department, the United States Department of Justice, and other public safety partners to provide a comprehensive approach to address this violence to include increasing investments in violence interruption, community investment and diversion programs, and also ensuring people who commit these unacceptable crimes are held accountable. We will be receiving support from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the illegal firearms that have been flowing into our city from other jurisdictions. On the legislative front, I have co-introduced legislation to bring a ranked-choice voting system to our city and voted to establish a bonds program to help secure the financial futures of our youngest residents to help close the racial wealth gap. The Council also took its first votes on legislation concerning the Fiscal Year 2022 budget to pass sweeping supports for our residents, families, parks, and businesses. You can read more on these items in this newsletter.

Newsletters

Today, the Council convened for the first budget votes on the Fiscal Year 2022 Local Budget Support Act of 2021 and the Fiscal Year 2022 Local Budget Act of 2021, legislation that will dictate the spending of our local dollars and provide the legislation needed to ensure that our priorities are met.At the start of this budget cycle, I shared with you my goals of ensuring that we come together to support our small businesses, expand affordable housing options especially for our neighbors experiencing homelessness, empowering women and girls, and making our neighborhoods and communities safer for all residents.In this letter, I am proud to share with you some of the priorities we are funding to meet the needs of Ward 2 families, residents, and businesses, as well as taking very important steps to improve outcomes in the areas of childcare, education, transportation and sustainability, and the arts for residents across the city.‍ Today, I also voted against a tax increase proposed and ultimately passed by my colleagues. I’ve included my reasoning for that vote below at the bottom of this letter.

Newsletters

It is wonderful to connect with you on what marks my first full year in office! Yesterday marked one year since I was sworn in to serve the residents of Ward 2. It has been my honor to join you as we work to make Ward 2 an even better place to live, work, study, and visit! Thank you all for putting your trust in me to do this work; I will never lose sight of who this work is for and the important impacts our decisions have on the lives of our neighbors. We are in for a busy week at the Council and are heading into the final stretch of budget oversight. As we have concluded all public hearings, each Council Committee will now review and vote on the budgets of the agencies and offices under its purview. After that, the committee-level budgets will be compiled and passed on for a full council vote. I am proud of the progress my colleagues and I have made. Together, we have funded programs to support our economic recovery, provide additional means to develop affordable housing, move our unhoused neighbors into housing, support teachers and students, and make our communities safer.

Press Releases

Today, Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto introduced the “Business and Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive (BEST) Amendment Act of 2021” to streamline the licensing process for new and existing businesses.This legislation will make it easier for residents to contribute their ideas for the betterment of their communities, creation of jobs, employment of our local workforce, and generation of new tax dollars for programs and initiatives reflective of our city’s values.“Doing business in Washington, DC should be accessible, efficient, and cost-effective. As our city works to recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19, it is imperative that we act quickly to reform our existing business incorporation and licensing model in order to support our entrepreneurs,” said Councilmember Pinto, “We must provide financial relief as we remove systemic barriers that prevent members from underserved communities from successfully participating in our city’s diverse marketplace – that is why I am focused on stimulating equitable economic growth in our city and region.”

Newsletters

With the release of the Mayor’s budget proposal on May 27, we have officially entered budget season, the time during which government and public witnesses can provide testimony to help determine how to best fund our government priorities. The DC budget should reflect the interests and priorities of residents. To ensure collaboration, I encourage you to attend and participate in the public budget hearings that will span the month of June. You can also email my team to share your budget priorities. Keep reading to learn more about the dates of specific hearings and participation instructions.

Press Releases

Yesterday, I joined my Council colleagues at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Ward 2 for the release of Mayor Bowser’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget and Financial Plan. During the live press conference, the Mayor shared details on how money would be spent to support Covid recovery, job creation, public safety, affordable housing, transportation, and education. I am proud to say that many of the issues for which I advocated are included in the proposed budget, and in some cases, at unprecedented levels. The additional stimulus funds from the federal government, have positioned the District to not only recover from the COVID-19 pandemic but reach new heights in years to come.