Councilmember Pinto shared her thoughts about the District’s non-compete laws and talked about how she is working to develop a pragmatic approach to ensure that District workers have mobility and freedom in their career choices and that employers can maintain a competitive workforce.

In an interview with the Washington Business Journal, Councilmember Pinto spoke about the District’s non-compete laws and ways she is working on a pragmatic approach to ensuring our workers have mobility and freedom in their career choices and that employers can maintain a competitive workforce.

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.

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.