No New Taxes in $10.1 Billion DC Budget

DC Mayor Vincent Gray sent his $10.1 billion budget to the District Council, Thursday. The budget—without raising taxes—expands affordable housing, adds funds to support public safety and more.

“After two years of sometimes-difficult decisions made to strengthen our fiscal health and hard work to grow our economy, we are now in the position to begin investing for tomorrow and funding our priorities at a higher level,” Mayor Gray said in a press release. “This budget makes significant investments that will boost the quality of life for all District residents — including a historic investment in the expansion of affordable housing.”

According to the press release, the budget includes the following investments that might interest Georgetown Patch readers:

• Expanding hours and days of service to seven days a week at all the District’s public libraries;
• The beginning of a $400 million, six-year investment in the District’s streetcar program and a $6.2 million annual operating subsidy – including completion of the District’s 1st streetcar line (Minnesota Avenue to Georgetown), completion of the engineering for the Anacostia Line and a study on adding additional north-south lines;
• A $16 million investment in the District’s bicycle infrastructure, including new bike lanes and trails, continued bike-friendly improvements to streetscapes, and the addition of 10 new Capital Bikeshare stations;
• A $162 million investment in construction and modernization of high schools, including the construction of Ballou High School, Dunbar High School, Ellington High School of the Arts, and Roosevelt High School and the modernization planning and design for Spingarn Career and Technical Education Center in FY 2014;
• Funding to keep the DMV located at Georgetown Park

Of course there is plenty more at stake. How does the budget impact your local organization?