Dear Neighbor,

Today, the Council passed our Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget in the first of two votes, which included many of the priorities I have fought for on your behalf. As the District faces budget pressures with drastic cuts to the federal workforce and vacant buildings leading to falling valuations, it is critical that the Council approves a budget that maintains and advances our District values while also ensuring sustainable future growth. I remain committed to prioritizing public safety, economic resilience and growth, and support for young people and seniors.

Our investments in public safety include:

• Fully funding MPD and providing additional funding for improvements at the MPD training academy facility to support recruitment and hiring efforts

• Increasing funding for officer recruitment and retention across our public safety agencies including Fire & EMS, DOC, and OUC to ensure safety and security across the District

• Approving the ability to provide retroactive pay increases for union contracts including for our firefighters

• Funding the implementation of in-house DNA testing at the Department of Forensic Sciences to help solve crimes

• Funding Access to Justice grants to provide low-resource residents with legal services including for housing and employment issues

• Funding Victim Services grants to ensure survivors of crime can access needed resources and supports through a continuum of care

• Funding for the JUSTIS criminal justice information sharing database to facilitate the sharing of criminal justice information across agencies

• Merging the District’s violence intervention programs under the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) with assurances from the Executive to improve efficiency and efficacy of our VI programs  

Our investments in economic resilience and growth include:

• Funding for the Chinatown-Gallery Place Taskforce recommendations to protect existing Chinese-owned businesses and support new development in this area

• Funding for Gallery Square to invest in continued growth in this area

• Funding for the Chinatown Lease Program to provide financial assistance to small businesses in Chinatown

• Expanding the area in which housing projects are eligible for tax abatements under the Housing in Downtown program, which plays an important role in spurring development  

• Funding for our Main Streets programs to provide support and resources for local businesses and community organizations

• Expanding access to public restrooms at MLK Library and Dupont Circle  

Our investments to support young people and seniors include:

• Funding for the Early Literacy Education Task Force recommendations to ensure all K-5 educators are trained in structured literacy so they are equipped with the tools they need to effectively teach literacy

• Funding for the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund to address the historically low wages of early childhood educators

• Funding for the childcare subsidy to provide low and moderate-income families access to high-quality education and care  

• Increasing funding for the District’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to help DC families in need  

• Expanding the DHS Truancy pilot to address the student attendance crisis and reduce chronic absenteeism

• Funding for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington, which provides programming to kids from all eight wards at the Jelleff Community Center

• Funding the Community Schools Incentive Initiative grants awarded at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), which fund partnerships that coordinate educational, developmental, family, health and after-school-care programs

• Funding improvements at Bundy Field to better serve wheelchair users and to provide a water source for dogs  

• Funding to replace playground equipment at Volta Park and to resurface the playground for kids to enjoy  

While I am thrilled for all of our major budget wins, I am also disappointed a compromise path forward that I worked on for tipped workers was amended out of the budget today. Minimum wage in DC is $17.95 -- the highest in the nation! Before Initiative 82, tipped workers had a base wage of $5.95 and made the rest in tips. Employers were required to make up the difference up to the regular minimum wage if tips were not enough. But in 2022, I-82 was passed via ballot initiative which eliminates the tipped minimum wage in phases. This has resulted in harm to workers, many of whom were making more money before I-82, price hikes and confusion for customers, and too many restaurants and bars closing. The proposal would have replaced I-82 with tipped worker base wage at $8 an hour, but would provide for a super minimum wage of $20/hour if tips don’t exceed that. It also would have capped service fees at 10%. This compromise is good for workers, restaurants, and customers. Unfortunately, the compromise did not pass today. I plan to continue working with my colleagues before the second vote on this important issue.

Priorities ahead of final budget vote

Over the next two weeks as the Council finalizes the budget, I will be focused on many outstanding priority issues, including but not limited to:

• Continuing to work on a compromise for tipped workers to address the impact of Initiative 82 to support workers, customers, and restaurants

• Working with the Executive to ensure the six Cure the Streets violence interruption sites funded at ONSE will have continuity  

• Working to better support and preserve legacy Chinatown residents and businesses

The Council will hold the second and final vote on the budget on Monday, July 28th. The Council is also holding public hearings on the RFK development proposal on Tuesday, July 29th and Wednesday, July 30th. Public witnesses will testify on Tuesday, July 29th. You can sign up to testify here.

Yours in service,

Brooke

Legislative Updates

Cell phone-free schools

The Council passed Councilmember Pinto’s legislation to remove personal cell phones from the classroom. TheDisconnect Act of 2025, formerly known as the Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025, requires local education agencies to adopt and implement a policy that prohibits students from using wireless communication devices including cell phones and gaming devices during the full school day. Removing distracting devices during the school day will better equip our students to focus, empower our teachers to teach, and ensure that our kids are engaging with one another in person.

In the Community

Over the last two weeks, Councilmember Pinto and Team Pinto have met with residents, advocacy groups, and District officials in Ward 2 and across the District, including:

• Speaking at the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District annual meeting to discuss all the ways our city is investing in the neighborhood and making it inviting to neighbors of all ages

• Meeting with restaurant workers to discuss ways to help bolster earnings and job security for the tens of thousands of restaurant employees in the District

• Joining the 12th and M Street NW public safety walk with residents, ANC 2F, MPD, and DC Housing Authority Police to discuss community safety concerns and solutions for this neighborhood  

• Attending ANC meeting for ANCs 2B, 2C, 2F, and 2G

Announcements

Join Councilmember Pinto for community office hours at Stead Park Recreation Center on July 16th! You can sign up to join us here.

Join Councilmember Pinto for community office hours at the Rose Park Farmers Market on July 23rd! You can sign up to join us here.

Trash, Recycling, and Food Waste Collections

Due to sustained high temperatures during the summer months, please be prepared for early trash, recycling, and food waste collection starting at 5:30 am through September 5th, 2025. Residents are advised to place all waste materials at their point of collection the night before their scheduled collection day to ensure pickup.

Container Delivery and Repair Update:

All container service requests for repairs, removals, and deliveries will continue to be addressed on residents’ trash and recycling collection days across all wards. Please place containers at your collection point. For removals, turn containers upside down.

Spring/Summer Services:

The District’s full complement of spring/summer services is in full swing. These services include Street and Alley Cleaning, Grass Cutting & Mowing, and Graffiti Removal. Service request submissions are now available via 311 for Street Cleaning, Alley Cleaning, Grass Cutting & Mowing services.

Through the Helping Hand Program, DPW offers assistance to community groups that organize Saturday neighborhood clean-up projects. The program runs seasonally from March 1st to October 1st. Applications must be submitted 2 weeks prior to the event. Click here for more information.

Food Waste Bin Installations:

DPW has installed Food Waste Smart Bins in the District and more are coming! Composting has never been easier. Find & unlock a smart bin near you today by clicking here.

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