Dear Neighbor,
It was great to see so many neighbors recently at Bike to Work Day Downtown, Open Streets on 7th Street in Shaw, the Alley Party in Logan Circle, and the Friends of Volta Park annual gathering in Georgetown!
We are so proud to celebrate Pride Month in DC all month long this June. Ward 2 is home to so many LGBTQQIA+ residents. With hateful and bigoted laws on the rise across the country, we cannot take for granted the progress we have made on LGBTQQIA+ rights and furthering equality here at home. DC is so proud to be a welcoming place to visit and call home, thanks to the hard-work, determination, and resilience of our LGBTQQIA community and allies. This month we remember that history as we work to build a more inclusive city! For more information on Capital Pride events throughout the rest of the month click here.
Last week the Council took final votes on the Budget Support Act and the Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) Redistricting legislation. Over the last several months, I met with hundreds of neighbors, advocates, and community organizations, and I’m so proud of the work we’ve done together to ensure that Ward 2 priorities were funded in the budget and that the map recommended by the Ward 2 ANC redistricting taskforce was included in the final legislation. You can read more details about the budget priorities here and the final redistricting maps will be available here.
The Budget
I am enthusiastic to share with you some of the priorities I fought for in the budget. This budget will make critical investments in our education system and recreation facilities & programs. We have taken a comprehensive approach to investing in all aspects of our public safety apparatus in this budget including the Metropolitan Police Department, the Department of Behavioral Health, and the Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement.
One of my biggest priorities for this budget has been to make substantial investments to ensure that as we build back from the impacts of the pandemic, we support our excluded workers, support and retain our existing businesses, uplift our small, minority, and women-owned businesses, and invest in greater resilience for Downtown and the Golden Triangle. This budget also includes major investments to prevent homelessness, provide housing vouchers for neighbors who are experiencing homelessness, and to increase the supply of affordable housing. We are making our communities greener, cleaner, and more sustainable through investments in environmental projects and sustainability as well as investments in transportation & infrastructure.
I’m looking forward to working with you over the next year to ensure these investments are implemented with community input to best serve all residents.
ANC Redistricting
The decennial redistricting process has now concluded! As you know, once every ten years, after the completion of the census, the Council redraws the ward, ANC, and Single Member District (SMD) boundary lines and this week the final new lines were passed by the Council. This final vote is the culmination of scores of community meetings across the city, the participation of hundreds of neighbors, and many months of work by community members in consultation with our office. I would like to extend my gratitude to At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman, who chaired the redistricting process, and to Genevieve Hulick and Victoria Casarrubias on my team who worked diligently on these maps for the last several months.
Ward taskforces across the city proposed the new lines for the ANCs and SMDs. I am so proud of the neighbors I appointed to the Ward 2 Taskforce. Thank you so much to our Ward 2 Taskforce Chair Austin Naughton and appointed members Barbara Kahlow, James Harnett, Anthony Musa, Paul Cadario, Howard Marks, Kindy French, Donald Friedman, Monica Roache, Eric Langenbacher, Evelyn Boyd Simmons, Gretchen Wharton, Ankit Jain, and Robert Meehan. The members of the taskforce participated in a dozen public meetings, two town halls, and donated hundreds of hours of time to the endeavor of redrawing the lines of the ANCs. The final map voted on by the Council included nearly all the recommendations of the taskforce with a few technical and clarifying changes. I’m grateful to the taskforce’s commitment to transparency in a process that engaged the community on this important civic work.
Though the final votes on the budget and redistricting are over, the Council still has a few more weeks of legislative votes before recess. As always, you can view our upcoming hearing schedule here. I look forward to seeing many of you in the community this summer!
Yours in service,
Brooke
Voting in the Primary
Councilmember Pinto sits on the Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety. The Committee has compiled the helpful information below on voting in the Primary:
#VoteSafe by making a plan.
Important Upcoming Dates to Remember
- June 10-19: Early voting during “Election Week”. Polls are open 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early Voting Vote Center Locations.
- June 21: Election Day! Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.Election Day Vote Center Locations.
- June 28: Deadline for the Board of Elections to receive ballots that are returned by mail
Vote early in one of four ways:
- Return your ballot quickly by mail – no postage required. Leave plenty of time for your ballot to reach the Board. Ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day (June 21), and they must be received by the Board no later than June 28.
- Return your ballot in one of the Board’s 55 secure drop boxes across the District until 8 p.m. on Election Day
- Drop off your ballot at any Vote Center from 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. during “Election Week” (June 10-19) and from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Election Day (June 21)
- Vote early in person at any Vote Center during “Election Week” (June 10-19) from 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Early Voting Vote Center Locations.
Vote on Election Day
If you choose to vote in person on Election Day, plan ahead! Bring water, snacks, and a mask, and dress comfortably. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Vote Center Locations on Election Day.
For more information on the primary and how to cast your vote visit: https://dcboe.org/PrimaryElection2022
IN THE NEWS
WUSA 9: Councilmember Pinto spoke with WUSA9 about HVAC and air conditioning issues in our schools. After hearing directly from parents about high temperatures in classrooms at Thomson Elementary, Councilmember Pinto reached out to DGS to ensure that repairs were made quickly and temporary units were installed to provide relief. Councilmember Pinto supported funds in the budget for a new Department of General Services dashboard to help better track need repairs in schools and District owned buildings across the city.
The Georgetowner: The Friends of Volta Park recently hosted their annual gathering. Councilmember Pinto spoke and praised the commitment to making Volta Park a wonderful place for neighbors to gather and play in the heart of Georgetown. Councilmember Pinto ensured the inclusion of $700,000 in last year’s budget. The needed re-turf of the field funded in the budget will start this fall!
TEAM PINTO IN THE COMMUNITY
Councilmember Pinto and the team were thrilled to be in the community at recent events including:
Doll Gordon’s 20th Anniversary Alley Party in Logan Circle
Joining neighbors for Open Streets on 7th Street
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Suited for Change which empowers Women in the District with business training and attire.
Touring Shaw with DC Commission on Arts & Humanity Commissioner Gretchen Wharton and Executive Director of Shaw Main Streets Alex Padro and discussed concerns and opportunities to partner on public safety, safer streets, and supporting our businesses & artists.
Swearing in new ANC 2D Commissioner Carol Feld
The Grand-Opening of the Washington Literacy Center.
DC Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs, Spring Fashion Fete.
Covenant House’s First Annual Spring Sleep Out.
Seabury’s Leadership and Aging Celebration with Wendell Felder, Chair of the Ward 7 Democrats.
DC Building Industry Association Annual Achievement Awards Celebration.
Georgetown Village 10-Year Anniversary Celebration.
Kalorama Park Reception with Rock Creek Conservancy.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The DC Department of Parks & Recreation will be hosting Late Night Hype at Kennedy Rec Center on Friday June 17th
With the change of seasons, we tend to see more rodents in our neighborhoods in Spring time. If you notice rats in your neighborhood, you can fill out a 311 request for a rodent inspection and abatement. One of the easiest ways to keep rodents away is to make sure trashcan lids are fully closed and leaky trash is not left out all week. DC Health has some additional helpful tips for residents and for business owners for rodent control.
Street sweeping has resumed! Make sure you check the signs when you park!
