DC Fiscal Policy Institute

DC Child Poverty Back to Extreme Level After Short-Lived Progress Between 2023 and 2024, DC’s child poverty rate increased by 11.2 percentage points to reach 28.1 percent, the largest year-to-year increase in the past decade

Read more in our latest blog: loom.ly/PjnMTMo

On average from 2020 to 2024, nearly 41% of children in Ward 8, which is majority Black, lived below the poverty line, compared to 3.8% of children in Ward 3, which is majority white. It is clear that any discussion of child poverty in DC must center the needs of Black children and their families.

With Congress blocking D.C.’s tax reforms, leaders scramble to solve another fiscal crisis The city stands to lose more than $600 million in revenue in the coming years, prompting discussions about legal action or other measures to fill the hole blown in the D.C. budget.

“There will be ripple effect after ripple effect, all for literally no reason,” @tazramitchell.bsky.social said. “[Congress has] not offered a single good reason to do this and to interfere with D.C.’s budget.”


https://loom.ly/SY3LXYI

This Valentine's Day, we want to share the love —just like the 1% need to share the wealth. So, we made some cards you can send to your friends, your partners, your neighbors, or maybe even your favorite council member!

Cuts to the DC Health Care Alliance Harm DC Residents DC lawmakers made several other changes to the DC Health Care Alliance program that will greatly reduce the number of people enrolled and disproportionately harm Black and Hispanic residents.

New testimony alert! Our Director of Legislative Strategy, Kate Coventry, spoke to the DC Council about what cuts to the DC Healthcare Alliance will do to our city, and what they can do to fix it.

https://loom.ly/7BoLcO4

Today, the Senate voted to approve legislation overturning a DC law that “unlinked” the DC tax code from certain tax cuts in the OBBA. This interference in local lawmaking is an attack on DC's right to self-governance.

Join us in the fight to protect DC's autonomy: loom.ly/7kS2IEg

Today, the Senate voted to approve legislation overturning a DC law that “unlinked” the DC tax code from certain tax cuts in the OBBA. This interference in local lawmaking is an attack on DC's right to self-governance.

Join us in the fight to protect DC's autonomy: https://loom.ly/7kS2IEg

From @dcfpi.bsky.social overturning our tax law (1) imperils DC’s credit rating, making it more expensive to borrow money, (2) makes it harder for DC to meet its balanced budget requirement, and (3) makes it much harder to meet the needs of DC residents

www.dcfpi.org/all/congress...

#FreeDC

The Senate will be voting on this harmful legislation TODAY at 4:30. There is still time to make calls and remind them that DC deserves the fundamental right of self-governance!

We have some suggestions: www.dcfpi.org/all/lawmaker...

Here is a sample script you can use when you make calls!

And please help us spread the word!!

🚨 Take action now🚨

We think the vote is happening THIS WEEK.

Congress wants to undo local legislation, cost DC $700M, & overturn our efforts to cut child poverty. Call these Senators and tell them to VOTE NO ON S.J.RES.102.

Opinion: DC must restore TANF, pull children out of poverty Planned changes to Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy Families will impact 15,000 children, pushing them deeper into poverty.

“If my children can’t eat, they can’t go to school and be productive.” -a DC mother, speaking on the importance of TANF.

The planned changes to the TANF program will impact 15,000 children, pushing them deeper into poverty.

https://loom.ly/5APsDuY

Did you know that Black History Month started right here in DC? Here's to 100 years of celebrations, and many more to come! 🎉

https://loom.ly/8Hi0PaU

Call these Senators and tell them to VOTE NO ON S.J.RES.102. Check out the last slide for a script you can use!

🚨 Take action now: Ask target Senators to vote no on the disapproval resolution! 🚨

Congress wants to undo local legislation and cost DC $700 million in local revenue, and overturn our efforts to cut child poverty.

Today, the US House and Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs voted to approve a pair of bills that, if enacted by Congress, will cost DC nearly $700 million in local revenue & jeopardize efforts to reduce child poverty.

Read our full statement: https://loom.ly/jtqSwYU

The vote is TODAY. It's not too late to make calls.

The Senate votes today on a decoupling resolution that could drain DC's budget by nearly $700 million dollars, and block tax credits that could reduce child poverty by 20%.

It's time to take action. Head to DCFPI.org for information on what we can do right now.

For fiscal year 2026, no Permanent Supportive Housing vouchers were funded for individual adults experiencing chronic homelessness in the district. Join the Way Home Campaign in emailing Mayor Bowser, to make sure her final budget count for those who depend on it most.. https://loom.ly/lYmZqa8

Join us in taking action. Call these Senators and tell them to VOTE NO ON S.J.RES.102. bsky.app/profile/dcfp...

Tonight!! Register here: statics.teams.cdn.office.net/evergreen-assets/safelinks/2/atp-safelinks.html

Congress Must Allow D.C. to Spend Its Own Local Dollars Congressional Republicans, who last year barred the District of Columbia from spending $1 billion of its own revenue in its 2025 budget, are now moving to block another DC law.

Congressional Republicans, who barred D.C. from spending $1B of its own revenue in its 2025 budget, are moving to block another D.C. law. This action poses risks to D.C.'s public services & credit rating & could create filing chaos as tax season begins. www.cbpp.org/blog/congres...

Congress is meddling into DC affairs yet again. They now want to overturn a local law that would drain *local* revenue by $700m AND spike child poverty by eliminating expansions in our DC EITC & CTC.

DC residents & state/national partners--please make the calls below!

🚨 Urgent action alert! 🚨

Congress wants to undo local legislation and cost DC $700 million in local revenue, and overturn our efforts to cut child poverty. Call these Senators and tell them to VOTE NO ON S.J.RES.102. Check out the last slide for a script you can use!

As the mayor and DC Council create a spending plan for FY27, they must restore & strengthen funding for programs that help struggling residents meet their basic needs & address deep, chronic racial inequities. Read our recs for the FY27 budget: https://loom.ly/OsIDt_E

The Devastating Economic and Human Toll of Mass Deportation Mass deportation would harm DC’s economy, thwart business activity, and take a devastating toll on immigrant families and communities.

Mass deportation will harm DC’s economy, thwart business activity, and take a devastating toll on immigrant families and communities. Read our latest report, written in partnership with the Immigration Research Initiative:
https://loom.ly/kCuv1XU

States Should Adopt the Wealth Proceeds Tax to Raise New Revenue State policymakers should raise revenue to mitigate the harm to people and communities caused by federal actions and to expand critical investments that support a more prosperous future for all.

Adopting a wealth proceeds tax is an equitable and straightforward option that would raise significant revenue, and help states mitigate the harm caused to people and communities by recent federal policies such as the Republican megabill: www.cbpp.org/blog/states-...

This new year marks 25 years for the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. Our foundation is strong. Together, we can be the answers to the problems we face and build an economy and democracy that enables all to live to their fullest.

Read a letter from our Executive Director here: https://loom.ly/LIYEPSY

More Jurisdictions Are Creating Child Tax Credits Washington, D.C., will become the first locality with its own child tax credit. An expansion of the federal child tax credit during the pandemic led to dramatic reductions in child poverty.

DC's Child Tax Credit is an important tool for local families, and research has shown that the expansion of the federal child tax credit during the pandemic led to dramatic reductions in child poverty.

https://loom.ly/DDT70DI