After many hours of debate, multiple last-minute amendments, and, in my case, a very large bowl of Ben & Jerry’s, the D.C. Council voted to approve the city’s nearly $22 billion budget on Monday evening.
But the move that garnered the most attention came as the D.C. Council voted to partially repeal Initiative 82, the ballot measure twice passed by Washington voters, which sought to phase out the lower minimum wage for tipped workers. Listen to today’s City Cast to hear WAMU’s Alex Koma break it all down.
Middle Ground on I-82
On Monday, the D.C. Council passed an amendment to Initiative 82 that rolled back big swathes of it, freezing wages at the current rate of $10 an hour, gradually increasing it every two years with the goal of giving restaurants more time to adjust and plan for the changes.
The amendment was proposed Sunday by Councilmembers Charles Allen and Christina Henderson, and passed 7-5, though some members said they did not have time to consider it and some others who did adamantly opposed it.
"The voters told us what they wanted. And this is not it," said Councilmember Brianne Nadeau. "This council should stop telling voters they don't know what's best." The vote sparked an uproar among demonstrators who packed city hall and shouted “blood is on your hands." Council chambers were locked following the protest.
Major Cuts to the Most Vulnerable
To find more revenue, Bowser has proposed some unpopular cuts, scaling back the D.C. Healthcare Alliance, and tightening eligibility for Medicaid. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, who has been a critic of Bowser’s budget from the beginning, argued that the cuts — which target not only Medicaid, but also violence prevention programs and student mental health services — leave “serious holes in our social safety net for the city’s most vulnerable residents.” She and Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker were the only members who voted against the budget.
Trayon Watch
Trayon White, the former (and future) Ward 8 Councilmember, came to the Wilson building on Monday, a glaring reminder of the fact that Ward 8 has not had a representative on the Council during the deliberations over this year’s budget.
What’s Ahead
The D.C. Council remains in an uncertain political moment, struggling with how much to stand up to both Mayor Bowser and to threats of federal interference.
Now that the budget is passed, the Council will turn its attention to the Washington Commanders RFK Stadium deal. Public hearings start today, and the Council will take its first vote on Friday on a revised agreement to develop the RFK stadium campus. We don’t yet know if it has the votes to pass.
