Each fiscal year, the mayor and DC Council decide how to raise and allocate the District’s resources through the budget, with input from residents about what is important to them. This year, many DC residents—particularly Black, brown, and immigrant residents with low incomes—are in crisis. Historic federal program cuts will leave DC residents worse off through lost health coverage, less money for groceries, and fewer supports they need to stay on their feet and unlock their full potential. The Trump Administration’s extreme agenda has also slashed thousands of jobs held by federal workers who operate critical programs in DC and the region. Still, Mayor Bowser and DC Council made significant cuts to critical local programs last year.
Lawmakers need to adequately fund policies and systems that reduce poverty and address racial disparities, rather than turn their backs on residents with the fewest resources. Read the DC Fiscal Policy Institute’s recommendations for the revised fiscal year (FY) 2026 and FY 2027 budgets.
Performance Oversight Testimony
DC Council holds oversight hearings on the performance of each agency to review the agency’s operations and effectiveness in implementing its budget over the last year. Below is testimony from DCFPI staff at these hearings.
- The DC Council Needs to Fund Housing and Housing Support Services
- The DC Council Needs to Focus on the Root Causes of the Housing Affordability Crisis
- The FY 2027 Budget Fails to Meet the Housing Needs of DC Residents
- Restoring Tax Credits Would Benefit Nearly 62,000 DC Children
- Years of Top-Down Investments Have Not Resulted in Widespread Economic Benefits
- Council Must Use All the Tools at Its Disposal, Including New Revenue, to Protect the Safety Net
- TANF Time Limit and Increased Sanctions Will Worsen Inequality for DC Families
- The Council Needs to Reverse Cuts That Will Upend DC’s Early Education System
- DOC Should Not Balance Their Budget on the Backs of the Most Vulnerable
- DC Council Should Redirect Funds From Ineffective Tax Breaks Into the Hands of Workers
- Cuts to DC’s Paid Leave Program Will Harm District Residents
- The District Needs to Preserve its Affordable Housing
- The District Needs To Better Support Young Workers
- The EASE Act Would Ensure Incarcerated Residents Can Contact Elected Officials
- Criminal-Legal Fines and Fees Cause Financial Harm to DOC Residents
- The DC Council Should Invest in Comprehensive Affordable Housing Solutions
- ERAP Should Be a Critical Part of The District’s Response to Housing Instability
- TANF Should Be an Element of DC’s Economic Growth Agenda
- Implementation of Federal Cuts to SNAP is Critical to Preventing Harm to DC Residents
- Child Care Workers Deserve Quality, Affordable Health Care
- DC Families Deserve High-Quality and Affordable Child Care
- The DC Council Can Do More to End Homelessness
- DC Council Should More Closely Examine Spending on Trickle-Down Economic Strategies
- Cuts to the DC Health Care Alliance Harm DC Residents
Budget Timeline
DC’s fiscal year begins October 1 and ends September 30. In the spring, the mayor presents a budget to DC Council, which then reviews, changes, and approves it before it is sent back to the mayor to sign into law and submitted to the US Congress, which can choose to modify or reject it.
Resident’s Guide to the Budget
This guide breaks down the process of how DC creates its budget, including how to read budget documents and where in the process residents can influence the decisions of elected officials. Read it here.
Further Resources
Four Ways Residents Can Influence the DC Budget
How to Testify Effectively before the DC Council
DC’s Tools to Create and Preserve Affordable Housing
How DC Funds Its Public Schools
The fight for racially-just budget, tax, and policy decisions can’t happen without you. Sign up to DCFPI’s email list or follow us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram so we can send you regular updates on our efforts and ways you can get involved.
