During an interview with ABC 7 News, Councilmember Pinto talked about her recent legislation, the "Business and Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive Amendment Act of 2021" or the "BEST Act."

During an interview with ABC 7 News, Councilmember Pinto talked about her recent legislation, the "Business and Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive Amendment Act of 2021" or the "BEST Act."

In a guest column in the Georgetowner Magazine, Councilmember Pinto wrote about her new legislation, the "Business and Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive (BEST) Amendment Act of 2021", which she introduced to streamline the licensing process for new and existing businesses.

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.”

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.

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.

I am thrilled to report that the District of Columbia will be safely reopening and loosening most restrictions for businesses and some entertainment and fitness facilities on Friday, May 21, with a full reopening scheduled for Friday, June 11. This has been a challenging year for residents, businesses, and government alike. Vaccine appointments and walk-up vaccination clinics are now widely available across the city. If you need assistance with accessing vaccines, please reach out to my office. Additionally, residents between the ages of 12 and 15 are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. To mark “Bike to Work Day” and the lifting of restrictions this Friday as we bring residents and visitors downtown, I’ll be hosting “office hours” at the Golden Triangle’s Office Park at Farragut Square from 2-4 p.m. Please stop by to say hello and share any questions or concerns you have with me and my team! I would also like to take a moment to address some community concerns around Pat Handy, Georgetown Porous Flexible Pavement, and Black Lives Matters Plaza.

I am writing to wish all the mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures a very happy Mother’s Day! As we celebrate this day, I reflect on all the mothers with us in presence and in spirit. In this time of reflection, I continue to be grateful for the many sacrifices, gestures of love, and commitments to health and security that so many moms have made for their families. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for all you do to nurture and care for your children and communities. Because of your love – we are eager to celebrate you today and every day! From committing to improving access to affordable and accessible maternal health, supporting our women-owned businesses, and investing in our senior spaces, moms will continue to be centered in our priorities for our community.

I heard a quote recently that I loved: “there is no service without the served” -- and this mission continues to guide us to include the voices and ideas of our community. While we have highlighted some of these events in this newsletter, I want to encourage you to continue seeking opportunities to give back and encourage those around you to do the same. Over the last two weeks, my team and I have been out in the community every day engaging with neighbors on efforts from Earth Day clean-ups, to assisting our neighbors experiencing homelessness, and helping our neighbors get vaccinated. It was great to be in-person across the Ward and have the opportunity to engage with so many of you. In addition to engaging in community service activities, my team and I held a Ward 2 Community Safety Bike Ride on Saturday, April 24, to hear from residents about their traffic and safety concerns and worked together on ideas to make our streets safer. I would like to personally thank everyone that took part and helped us to spread the word. The Vision Zero initiative will be a priority of mine as we enter budget season. On the legislative front, the Council will hold its first vote on the District’s Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, the framework that will guide the growth and development of our city over the next 20 years, and on Monday, May 10, the District is also set to receive guidance from the federal government on how we may spend recently allocated federal dollars in our upcoming budget.

Councilmember Pinto joined her colleagues in requesting that the National Park Service close upper Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park to cars permanently.