Mayor Bowser’s been taking some heat lately over her budget and crime policies, and her approval rating is at an all-time low. We sat down to chat with her about it. Here’s a quick rundown of what we learned.
Defending Her Approval Rating:
Bowser’s approval rating fell below 50% for the first time in her tenure, according to a recent Post-Schar School poll. She blames the recent budget deficit. “I've been elected a bunch of times. I've been mayor for 10 years. They took a poll in the middle of my toughest budget, when we’ve had to ask residents and businesses for more.”
Contending with Crime:
Crime in D.C. is finally decreasing, but the psychological impact of last year’s record-breaking stats still hold. Residents point fingers in lots of directions, from the faulty 911 call center, to the messed up crime lab, to city government. For her part, Bowser blames a lot of the city’s crime problems on the DC Council and the press.
“The system didn't get sideways overnight. It happened over time, and I think a lot of people, like a lot of the press, didn't pay attention. I've screamed it from the rafters for years because I saw it coming — from decriminalizing fare evasion to defunding the police to advancing legislation that lessens penalties for crime.”
But at the end of the day, Bowser said it’s her head on the chopping block. “Regardless of who reports to me in our public safety ecosystem, I'm the one who speaks for everyone who lives and works here.”
City Cast DC host Michael Schaffer sits down with Mayor Bowser at City Hall. (Kaela Cote-Stemmermann/City Cast DC)
Struggling Finances:
D.C.’ s grappling with its strictest budget in years, with Bowser proposing cuts to some of D.C.’s beloved city programs. “A lot of people in this building aren't used to tough budgets, and why should they be?” she says. But she argues some of these cuts could and should have been prevented.
“We haven't had to be strategic around some big ticket expenditures in the District, but we always should have been.”
That’s Just the Tip of the Iceberg!
Believe it or not, this scratches the surface of what we discussed with Bowser on last week's podcast, so listen here for her take on the upcoming primary, downtown revitalization, and more.
