DC Fiscal Policy Institute

Don’t miss The Road Ahead: Finding Clarity Amidst the Chaos—a powerful discussion of ideas and strategies to shape DC’s future, featuring some incredible speakers. We hope you’ll join us on Tuesday, December 9th!

Registration and info: https://loom.ly/S0jDMUY

Opinion: D.C. is headed toward a child care cliff But it’s not too late for the mayor to do something about it.

We need to fully fund early education, and our friends and partners at Under3DC are here to explain why: https://loom.ly/R2qWyqA

This #GivingTuesday, every dollar you give will be matched—up to $10,000.

The threats are real. The moment is urgent. The energy is here. Join us and double your impact today.

Donate now: loom.ly/7kS2IEg

This Giving Tuesday, we’re not sitting back—and neither should you. Every dollar you give today will be matched—up to $10,000. That means your gift goes twice as far!

Donate now: loom.ly/7kS2IEg

Looking to stay informed about how the latest federal actions are affecting the District? Subscribe to DCFPI’s Federal Threats Watch to receive timely updates on federal threats to DC’s revenue and spending.

✉️: https://loom.ly/OJeWcT0

Happy Thanksgiving from the team at DCFPI!

The Road Ahead: Finding Clarity Amidst the Chaos The Road Ahead will address the urgent policy threats putting at risk the health, safety, and economic well-being of DC residents.

Don’t miss The Road Ahead: Finding Clarity Amidst the Chaos—a powerful discussion of ideas and strategies to shape DC’s future. We hope you’ll join us on Tuesday, December 9th!

Registration and info: https://loom.ly/S0jDMUY

Minding the Grocery Gap in the District of Columbia – A 2025 Update, the latest report from our friends at @dchunger.bsky.social, highlights disparities that continue to exacerbate food insecurity, health inequities, & economic instability for residents.

🔗: www.dchunger.org/wp-content/u...

Taking Trump’s lead, House votes to change D.C. bail, policing laws As the Republican-led House considers sweeping changes to D.C.’s criminal justice system, two more bills pass — with some Democratic support.

Last night, the House passed two bills that will unravel years of criminal justice reform in DC. This unprecedented act of federal interference is a threat to the District's right to self-governance.

www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

The House is voting today on two bills that will put hard-fought reforms to DC’s justice system in the crosshairs.

But what happens in DC doesn’t stay here. When it’s DC today, it’s always America tomorrow. We can stop it right here, right now. #FreeDC

Federal Efforts to Reinstate Cash Bail in DC Disproportionately Harms Black Residents Cash bail harms people with low incomes who are unable to pay for bail, and Black DC residents have lower incomes and higher poverty rates than other races due to historic and systemic racism.

Cash bail penalizes residents with low incomes, no matter the ultimate result of a trial, who are unable to pay for bail. And Black DC residents have lower incomes and higher poverty rates than other races due to historic and systemic racism.

Learn more: https://loom.ly/vdXS7Dc

"We are united in our forceful opposition to the bills recently advanced by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. These bills are an affront to Home Rule and the principles of democracy and local self-governance on which this country was founded. The District is home to more than 700,000 residents who pay taxes and serve in the military. Like all Americans, they deserve the right to elect local leaders who have the authority to determine the local policies that govern them. We urge members of Congress to reject this unprecedented federal overreach and vote against these bills." Muriel Bowser, Mayor for the District of Columbia Brian Schwalb, Attorney General for the District of Columbia Phil Mendelson, Council Chairman for the District of Columbia

We stand united against all 13 anti–DC Home Rule bills in Congress.

DC is home to more than 700,000 residents who pay taxes, run businesses, and serve in the military. Like all Americans, we deserve the right to set our own local laws.

Congress should reject this unprecedented federal overreach.

It's not a coincidence that every map of issues facing DC looks the same; it's structural racism.
https://loom.ly/WPmTDrw

A Business Activity Tax Would Make DC’s Tax System More Equitable While Raising Revenue By enacting a Business Activity Tax—a new, simple, broad-based value-added tax, DC would make business taxation fairer and more racially equitable while raising significant revenue for the District.

A Business Activity Tax is a simple reform that would make our tax system more equitable by ensuring that businesses operating within DC pay their fair share. We estimate that a 2% BAT rate could generate approximately $500 million a year.

https://loom.ly/4ZBYy94

With Republicans in Congress pursuing trillions in tax cuts, DC’s wealthiest residents can afford to pay more in local taxes to help preserve funding for DC’s critical human needs programs as the District heads into a recession.

https://loom.ly/JLcWbFE

#DCstatehood is a racial justice issue

Federal Efforts to Reinstate Cash Bail in DC Disproportionately Harms Black Residents Cash bail harms people with low incomes who are unable to pay for bail, and Black DC residents have lower incomes and higher poverty rates than other races due to historic and systemic racism.

Federal efforts to bring back cash bail in DC would harm Black residents and reverse decades of progress. @dcfpi.bsky.social explains why fair, risk-based pretrial systems keep communities safe and equitable. www.dcfpi.org/all/federal-...

The DC Council voted Tuesday to unlink portions of the local tax code from the federal one, a move that prevents the District from losing nearly $700 million over a 5-year period. This is a big win for tax justice in the District!

https://loom.ly/zpoq3Mc

Thank you @cmzparker5.bsky.social for championing a DC child tax credit! Both the EITC and CTC reduce child poverty, improve the life trajectories of children, and boost inclusive economic growth.

Today, DC took a huge step toward combating poverty across the District.
 
We just passed an amendment that will deliver real cash relief to working families through the EITC and Child Tax Credit — two of our most powerful tools to lift families out of poverty.

a photo of two Black girls coloring with overlaid text that reads, "nearly 1 in 2 Black children in DC live in poverty."

Nearly 1 in 2 Black children in DC live in poverty. That statistic should shock the conscience. The child tax credit is a proven tool to reduce poverty among kids and give them a better future.

In addition to a vote on an emergency bill to reject federal tax cuts that would cost DC $658 million in local funds, DC Council is voting today on Councilmember Parker's amendment to use funds to restore a DC Child Tax Credit.

Several of the wasteful and poorly targeted tax cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will be replicated in the local tax code unless the DC Council approves this emergency bill, which would protect $658 billion in local funds that can be used to support residents in need.

DC government is using local funds to cover the gap from the federal shutdown and Administration’s refusal to address this emergency and leave working families out.

We will ensure our residents on SNAP and WIC are getting the food and support they need. It’s the right call to make.

Help is on the way for families who rely on SNAP/WIC benefits to help feed their families: the
DC Government will use $30 million in contingency funds to ensure benefits are paid in November despite the federal government shutdown.

Live now! brianneknadeau.com/live/

NEW: We just filed a lawsuit alongside 25 states to restore SNAP food assistance during the federal shutdown.

141,000 DC residents rely on SNAP to afford their meals — including 47,000 children and 24,000 seniors.

We will do everything in our power to prevent DC families from going hungry.

DC Council Should Reject Ineffective Corporate Giveaways The budget in front of the DC Council would invest scarce resources into disproven “trickle-down” tactics at the expense of health care and supports for workers and families. Send an email now: The DC Council must reject wasteful and ineffective corporate giveaways that won’t grow the economy.   The current budget would: Subsidize a billionaire and wealthy sports team co-owners to build a stadium in spite of consensus from economists that stadiums do not have a strong economic be...

📣 ACTION ALERT

DC lawmakers must act to protect $658 million in local funds that could be used for housing, health care, & support for residents. Send an email: the DC Council should amend DC’s tax code to prevent costly federal tax cuts from draining our budget. https://loom.ly/smq56N0

Nearly 140,000 DC residents will be cut off from food assistance at the end of the month unless the Trump Administration releases contingency funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). A disruption of food benefits on this scale would be unprecedented.

Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...

"In the two years since the state started charging a 4% surtax on incomes over $1 million, the effort has created a $5.7 billion windfall, with the surplus being used to fund bridge repairs, bolster literacy programs and address the transportation system’s budget deficit."

Taxing the rich works!