Dear Neighbor,
Last week, on behalf of Ward 2 residents, I shared myfiscal year 2024 budget requests with Mayor Bowser. In compiling these requests, I met with many of you to discuss what you want to see in next year’s budget, including at my annual Ward 2 Community Budget Forum. The requests I laid out reflect the primary concerns I hear from Ward 2 residents: promoting public safety, supporting unhoused residents and ending homelessness, and investing in small businesses and economic recovery.
Some highlights of the letter include:
- Increased investment in the Metropolitan Police Department to address the shortage in officers available to respond to serious public safety incidents.
- Expanded investment in school-based violence interruption initiatives and continued funding of violence interruption programming.
- Funding to respond to the increased prevalence of domestic violence.
- New investments in bridge housing and supportive services for unhoused residents
- Increased salaries and support to hire additional outreach workers and case managers
- Dedicated funding for downtown recovery through conversions, tax abatements, and grants
- Ensuring safe, sustainable, and reliable public transit and transportations options
I look forward to working with Mayor Bowser and my Council colleagues over the course of the next several weeks to get our Ward 2 priorities funded. The next step of the budget process will be Mayor Bowser sending her proposed budget to the Council. The Council will then hold budget hearings on each agency and we will ultimately propose and pass a finalized budget. I will keep you updated as we continue working to create a budget that delivers improved services for all DC residents.
My best,
Brooke
Budget Requests: On behalf of Ward 2 residents, Councilmember Pinto sent her budget request letter to Mayor Bowser. Her requests reflect the primary concerns she heard from Ward 2 residents: promoting public safety, supporting unhoused residents and ending homelessness, and investing in small businesses and economic recovery.
Want to know how the budget process works? Check out this infographic below to learn more!
Working with Council Colleagues to Co-introduce Important Legislation:
- Increasing Access to Neighborhood Pools: Councilmember Pinto joined Councilmember Janeese Lewis George as a co-introducer on legislation to require pools be open to the public at least one day per weekend.
- Expanding Paid Family Leave: Councilmember Pinto joined Councilmember Janeese Lewis George as a co-introducer on legislation to provide DC workers between jobs with the paid family leave benefits they already earned.
- Holding People Accountable for Illegal Dumping: Councilmember Pinto joined Councilmember Vincent Gray as a co-introducer on legislation to expand the Office of the Attorney General’s ability to hold people accountable for illegal dumping.
- Building Our Pipeline of Mental and Behavioral Health Professionals: Councilmember Pinto joined Councilmember Robert White as a co-introducer on legislation to fund a Master of Social Work degree program at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and provide DC residents with scholarships to enroll in master’s degree programs that lead to social work or counseling occupations.
- Reducing Barriers to Homeownership: Councilmember Pinto joined Councilmember Christina Henderson as a co-introducer on legislation to incorporate community land trusts (CLTs) into the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) structure and establish a one-stop shop of resources for homeowners and aspiring homeowners in the District.
- Expanding DPR Recreation Center Hours: Councilmember Pinto joined Councilmember Charles Allen as a co-introducer on legislation to expand recreation center hours to Saturday and Sunday.
Oversight: We’re deep in oversight season. Over the past couple of weeks, Councilmember Pinto has held oversight hearings on a number of important agencies, including the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants, the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, and the Criminal Code Reform Commission.
Yesterday, Councilmember Pinto held an oversight hearing on the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and the Office of the Attorney General. You can watch the whole hearing here.
Public Roundtable on Gun Violence Prevention: Councilmember Pinto will also be hosting a public roundtable on Gun Violence on March 3rd, 4th and 6th. Register here to share your concerns and ideas.
Youth Hearing: Councilmember Pinto is also co-hosting a Youth Hearing this weekend with Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White to hear directly from young people about their biggest concerns in our communities. Sign up to testify here.
WATCH:WUSA9:DC council to hold public safety hearing.“’I feel a huge sense of responsibility and obligation with this committee. Public safety is top of mind for D.C. residents in every one of our eight wards,’ Pinto said. ‘And it's really important that we engage in proper coordination and oversight to make sure that the investments that we have made as the city are working, and that they're working in concert. And that's one of my key focuses for chairing this committee.’”
The Washington Times: D.C. mayor’s amended criminal code rewrite to get committee hearing, public safety chair says. “’As I have said from the beginning, I will continue working with the Mayor to strengthen the legislation and give a full hearing to any proposed legislation regarding the criminal code that is presented to the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety,’ Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto said in a statement to The Washington Times.”
Metro Weekly: Stonewall Bocce Fights to Remain on Logan Circle. “But organizers say they didn’t hear back from any government officials, with the exception of Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto, whose office sought to lobby the NPS with the idea that Stonewall Bocce might be issued a permit as a “community event” rather than as an athletic league.”
DCist: New Bill Would Create More Public Restrooms In D.C. Parks and Business Districts. “Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto co-introduced the Expanding Access to Public Restrooms Act of 2023 last week with six of her colleagues. If passed and enacted, it would require the Department of Parks and Recreation to include public restrooms in new or “substantially renovated” parks that are one acre or larger. The bill would also create a fund for business revitalization programs to support the construction and maintenance of public restrooms.”
In the last few weeks, Councilmember Pinto and Team Pinto have been out and about in Ward 2 and across the city including to:
- Meeting with all Ward 2 ANC Commissioners one on one for in-depth meetings on their constituents’ priorities
- Cutting the ribbon for new solar panels at the Hotel Monaco with New Columbia Solar
- Attending ANC 2C’s Community Meeting
- Meeting with residents at McPherson Square to hear about their needs and obstacles to housing
- Attending ANC 2A’s Monthly Meeting
Team Pinto is going on neighborhood walks with each of our amazing Ward 2 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners! This week, we’re highlighting ANC 2G04 and Commissioner Steven McCarty. Brian from Team Pinto met with Commissioner McCarty to walk ANC 2G04, the area that surrounds and includes Blagden Alley. They discussed how our office can support Commissioner McCarty’s efforts to make sure residents' concerns about public safety, noise, and trash are addressed. If you live in ANC 2G04, you can reach Commissioner McCarty at 2G04@anc.dc.gov.
Fun Fact: ANC 2G04 is home to some of the most popular murals in the city!
- We’re hiring! We’re looking for a Legislative Counseland Legislative Policy Advisor to join our team! You can apply here and please share with folks you think might be interested!
- Humanities DC has grant funding available for individuals, groups and organizations who use the humanities to explore the people, cultures, histories, and connections that make DC a vibrant place to be. Learn more and apply here: https://humanitiesdc.org/grant-opportunities/