Fair Budget Coalition

A modest, targeted cap gains tax on 1% of DC residents would have helped folks make ends meet as other essential programs were slashed in the budget.
Thank you @cmzparker5.bsky.social @brianneknadeau.bsky.social @cmlewisgeorgew4.bsky.social @cmcharlesallen.bsky.social @robertwhitedc.bsky.social❣️❣️

@win-dc.bsky.social @fairbudgetdc.bsky.social @rfk4community.bsky.social

We mourn the passing of David Schwartzman, beloved FBC Steering Committee member & lifelong activist for human rights, peace, racial and economic justice.

David was a force to be reckoned with and always, always showed up to fight for liberation.

His passing is a great loss.

We'll be there! We never miss a party, um, we mean, a budget work session.

On Tuesday at 9:30AM, we’ll hold a second budget work session, continuing the ongoing work of today’s marathon day-plus-evening effort.

Watch video of today’s session:
www.youtube.com/live/WSscrmw...

Info on viewing Tuesday’s session:
dccouncil.gov/notice-of-bu...

Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen says he doesn't buy the mayor's argument that hard economics require cutting social service programs. On the Politics Hour, he says it's balancing the budget on the backs of the District's most vulnerable, and "it's not fair."

Ways, you ask? We got ways to reverse cuts! @cmbrookepinto.bsky.social we'd love to talk about some ways we can get this done!
We'll reach out, with our partners at @justrecoverydc.bsky.social too. Together, we truly can make a better DC where all can thrive!
#ChooseDC #TaxJusticeforRacialJustice

We could explore nonregressive revenue raisers!!!! See @dcfpi.bsky.social and @fairbudgetdc.bsky.social for more ideas!!!!!

Why is cutting victim services and to our most vulnerable neighbors necessary for tax and other incentives for businesses?

#FundDVSurvivorServices #FundHealing

[btw, it was DCCADV that caught that whole $5M error last year] We're here to help. Stay connected: l.dccadv.coalitionmanager.org/wgt/0toq9/xw...

Pro tip:
@fairbudgetdc.bsky.social holds community engagement events to help everyone understand the budget because "the budget is everybody's business"

An important 🧵on federal SNAP cuts
⬇️⬇️⬇️

WE KEEP US SAFE

If Donald Trump truly wants the District to be ‘safe’ and ‘beautiful,’ the best thing the administration and members of Congress can do is restore critically needed federal funding that gives vulnerable people in D.C. a chance to live healthy lives with their basic needs met. -Monica Hopkins, Executive Director, ACLU-D.C.

There is never a good time to spend $100 million on a military parade to soothe Donald Trump’s ego. But right now is the absolute worst time.

This is what needs to happen - a full public examination of this (mega) deal and an understanding of the opportunity costs and tradeoffs. Residents need more than assurances that the billionaire will deliver a good deal for residents.
That's some next level nerve to ask for approval without details

We need a budget that prioritizes affordable housing, deep investments in education like big expansion of community schools, real community safety. Instead, we’re getting austerity from supposed “Democrats”. I’m with @justrecoverydc.bsky.social and @fairbudgetdc.bsky.social. Ready for this fight!

"Young people do not lack ambition, we lack investments" -Aaron Booe @fairbudgetdc.bsky.social, constituent leader

We loved having @robertwhitedc.bsky.social join over 150 community members to talk all about housing security!

💌Join your neighbors and councilmembers, incl
@robertwhitedc.bsky.social & @cmfrumin.bsky.social
who chair the committees most important to housing concerns

Register at bit.ly/FBCHousingTo... for this Thursday's Housing Town Hall @ Sycamore & Oak to talk about YOUR housing priorities 🏠🏚️

FBC Housing Town Hall We are inviting DC to show up and out to send a message to the council that they must Choose us - and that means fighting to fund our housing. Join us in community on Thursday, May 15, from 5:30-8:30 ...

Send a message to DC Council that they must #ChooseUs - and that means fighting to fund housing security for all. Join @fairbudgetdc.bsky.social at their Housing Town Hall on May 15 to share your experiences with DC Council members. RSVP: actionnetwork.org/events/fbc-h...

"Sports economists widely agree that NFL stadiums “do not generate significant local economic growth” and that they are “typically just gigantic giveaways to billionaire owners at the expense of taxpayers.”

How many billions of dollars would a Commanders stadium subsidy be? An investimagation I had a long chat with University of Colorado Denver economist Geoffrey Propheter on Friday to try to nail down exactly how much the total subsidy — in government cash, discounted land, and tax breaks...

This is a good deep dive ("investimagation") into the public subsidy going to the Commanders stadium by @neildemause.bsky.social and @gpropheter.bsky.social. It's *A LOT* more than the widely reported $850 million.
www.fieldofschemes.com/2025/05/12/2...

How many billions of dollars would a Commanders stadium subsidy be? An investimagation I had a long chat with University of Colorado Denver economist Geoffrey Propheter on Friday to try to nail down exactly how much the total subsidy — in government cash, discounted land, and tax breaks...

The Commanders stadium itself, it's becoming clear, is only an amuse-bouche for the far bigger subsidy Josh Harris is set to receive via rent-free use of city-controlled property for private commercial development.

Immigrants are and have been a pillar of DC’s diverse and strong community. They are essential workers, caregivers, and entrepreneurs, and they are woven into the story of DC and our country. These federal actions to stoke fear & confusion at restaurants are cruel to the workers and hurt local biz.

A coalition of progressive groups, led by @dcfpi.bsky.social and @dcjwj.bsky.social, claim in a new letter to Bowser that the mayor could avert the $400M she's planning in 2025 cuts with some other maneuvers, including drawing on reserve funds.

Here's the full letter:
www.dcfpi.org/wp-content/u...

DC’s families and communities should not bear the burden of fiscal austerity caused by federal dysfunction.

We call on the Mayor to submit a revised Supplemental Fiscal Year 2025 budget that fully leverages every available fiscal tool to ensure the continuity and strength of our city.

The Economics of Sports Stadiums: Does public financing of sports stadiums create local economic growth, or just help billionaires improve their profit margin? KARTHIK VEGESNA - APRIL 4, 2019 Sports fans can be irrational. To someone watching from

The vast amount of studies into this subject actually consistently prove that publicly-funded stadiums do not provide a return on their investment.

econreview.studentorg.berkeley.edu/the-economic...

Honored to join @yeonetwork.bsky.social’s Our Fight, Our Future convening for a powerful discussion on how cities & states can take on corporate greed.

The path forward starts with fair elections, progressive taxation, & investing in our communities by putting power back in the hands of the people.

Hold a work session to define city-wide priorities & a strategy to fund them in FY26, @cmnadeauoffice.bsky.social @cmbrookepinto.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social @cmlewisgeorgew4.bsky.social @cmzparker5.bsky.social @cmcharlesallen.bsky.social @ CM Wendell Felder

Hold a work session to define city-wide priorities & a strategy to fund them in FY26, #DCBudget @chmnmendelson.bsky.social @ CM Kenyan McDuffie @anitabondsdc.bsky.social @robertwhitedc.bsky.social @cmchenderson.bsky.social

@chmnmendelson.bsky.social & @councilofdc.bsky.social need to protect residents whose lives are under siege from fed & local budget cuts

@erinpalmerdc.bsky.social & @katharinelandfield.bsky.social explain why Council needs 2 use its full power 2 set budget priorities thedcline.org/2025/05/01/e...

PAVE co-hosted the DC Education Budget Action Forum w/
@empowereddc.bsky.social, DC Action, @fairbudgetdc.bsky.social, Black Swan Academy, Care Washington DC & @teachingchange.bsky.social! It was a powerful night of community 💜