My testimony mainly focuses on the “Schools First In Budgeting Amendment Act of 2021” (Schools First). Some of my statements and recommendations, however, also apply to the “Schools Full Budgeting Amendment Act of 2021.”
The fiscal year (FY) 2022 budget’s historic investment of $250 million into the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) could, if well-targeted and -monitored, help the District make great strides in alleviating its affordable housing crisis. It is essential […]
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My testimony focuses on health care benefits as a crucial part of “parity,” potential effects on workers’ eligibility for public benefits, and the next steps that the District should take to secure equitable wages for DC’s early educators.
Today, 54 organizations led by the Strengthening Families Through Behavioral Health Coalition submitted a letter to Mayor Bowser outlining the investments required to ensure the School-Based Behavioral Health Program (SBBH) can be successful at servings the […]
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate our public health and key sectors of our economy, with Black and brown residents bearing the brunt of these hardships due to longstanding inequities in health care, education, employment, and wealth-building […]
Today, DC Council will hear from the public about two pieces of legislation that will impact the future of cannabis policy in the District: The Medical Cannabis Amendment Act of 2021 and the Comprehensive Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Act of 2021.
The comprehensive bill is a crucial first step toward repairing the harms caused by decades of unjust cannabis criminalization and enforcement—particularly for DC’s Black residents. However, there are several components of this bill that should be […]
DCFPI applauds the hard work and intentionality that went into making this cannabis legalization and regulation bill arguably the best in the nation. When we were all having conversations last year on how to incorporate racial equity as a focus of DC […]
As revenues and the local economy rebound, DC lawmakers must continue to seize opportunities to make the bold investments necessary to further address long-standing racial inequities. This means ensuring that the District continues to take bold steps to […]
