The Federal City Council has now formed the Recover Strong Alliance, a coalition of DC businesses, workers and community organizations dedicated to working through an unprecedented series of public health, economic and racial justice issues to help secure our city’s future and its promise.
Our primary message is that there can be no secure social safety net and progressive policy agenda without a strong recovery that leads to a robust economy. The best path to ensuring that more resources are available for government services is a policy environment that allows DC business to bounce back strongly from the pandemic.
We have developed a user-friendly tool to offer your organization, employees and colleagues a quick and urgent opportunity to weigh in at the Council to support a responsible budget, and to oppose proposed tax increases on DC businesses and residents. You can find Mayor Williams’ recent testimony to the Council here for deeper insights into our advocacy approach.
We need your help. Please take a few minutes today to submit testimony at https://recoverstrong.quorum.us/
NOTE: The deadline to submit written Committee of the Whole testimony is 5 PM THIS FRIDAY, JUNE 26.
Finally, please forward this link (https://recoverstrong.quorum.us/) to your employees and colleagues and urge them to testify as well!
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What does it mean to be part of the Recover Strong Alliance?
We agree that inequities must be addressed. Poorer individuals and people of color are bearing a disproportionate health and financial burden as a result of the coronavirus. At the same time, the murder of George Floyd, at the hands of Minneapolis law enforcement officers, further reminds us all of the sickening inequality in our nation. Our failure to recognize and develop the intrinsic worth of every person robs us – and more importantly them – of their promise.
Fortunately the Mayor’s budget proposal avoids any significant reductions in important safety net services and projects. This is even with $1.3 billion in lost tax revenue resulting from the pandemic. With a proposed per capita spending in excess of $19,600 per resident, the District government is most likely investing more in its people than any other large jurisdiction in the nation.
Some are pressuring the D.C. Council to add up to $325 million in additional spending next year, to be paid for by raising taxes on local businesses and residents. But this could slow the city’s economic recovery.
The FY21 budget proposal may actually mask the fragility of the District’s underlying economic condition. To learn more about tax policy in this new fiscal era, read this piece by Yesim Taylor of the D.C. Policy Center.
Businesses across the District of Columbia are suffering from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, which has shut down large swaths of our local economy. Small businesses and those in the retail sector have been particularly hard hit. While the District is currently moving to gradually reopen its economy, many local businesses will never return. Others face significant headwinds as they struggle to remain viable. Now more than ever, the D.C. Council must understand the perilous conditions confronting our local businesses.
Placing greater tax burdens on local businesses, workers and residents will slow our economic recovery, starving the District of funds to invest in a more equal community.
