DCFPI would like to thank Dr. Natwar Gandhi, DC’s Chief Financial Officer, for his fifteen years of service to the District of Columbia. During his tenure, the District made significant strides in developing a sophisticated financial management system that has contributed greatly to keeping the city’s financial health strong.
Dr. Gandhi has much to be proud of. Under his leadership, for example, the Office of Budget and Planning developed an online tool to help the public access budget information quickly, which is extremely important to anyone interested in how the city spends its resources. The Office of Revenue Analysis began sharing information on the long-term fiscal impact of proposed legislation, to help uncover when proposed legislation had been designed to hide costs by pushing those costs into the out years. And at Dr. Gandhi’s suggestion, the District has set a 12 percent cap on the portion of the city’s budget that can be used for debt service. Without a cap, there are no constraints with regards to debt-financed projects, and projects were often done on a first come, first served basis. Now, policymakers must make choices and set priorities over the use of economic development resources.
We are grateful for your service, Dr. Gandhi, and wish you much success in your future endeavors!