One year of military occupation in DC. A statement from DCFPI, read by DCFPI staff.
Shira
@shira-m.bsky.social
Advocating for economic and racial justice in DC. All opinions are my own.
This is a really great, informative resource! Check it out!
DC Fiscal Policy Institute@dcfpi.bsky.social · 5d agoProperty tax is one of DC’s largest sources of local revenue. By building a tax system based on ability to pay—with the wealthiest paying the greatest share of their income in taxes —the District can build an economy of shared abundance. Read more in our property tax primer: https://loom.ly/e20Aako
Today, the US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform advanced H.R. 9720, D.C. Taxing Authority Review Act, on a party-line vote, which would strip DC of control over its own tax code. Read our statement: dcfpi.org/press-releas...
Tomorrow, the House Oversight Committee marks up a bill that would let Congress block DC tax or fee changes, even if residents debated and passed them. It responds to ideas under debate that would make our tax code fairer: the Business Activity Tax and Wealth Proceeds Tax.
DC Council is creating 3 new tax breaks for developers to build housing and commercial space. In return, they must build some affordable housing, prioritize hiring DC residents and contract with DC businesses BUT the tax breaks lack clawbacks to ensure that happens bit.ly/441vTyI
Years of Top-Down Investments Have Not Resulted in Widespread Economic Benefits | DC Fiscal Policy Institute
The gap between the wealthiest and poorest DC residents has continued unabated, more Black residents have been displaced, and the District has made no progress on chronic racial economic disparities.
bit.ly
Important read on the proposed Wealth Proceeds Tax in DC that would fund important priorities for children, families, and vulnerable individuals. Spoiler alert: WaPo editorial got it all wrong!
ITEP@itep.org · 2mo agoDC City Council is considering a version of our Wealth Proceeds Tax — a tax on passive investment income, such as capital gains, from wealthy households. The Washington Post editorial page on Monday mischaracterized this proposal and its implications, so let’s clear things up.
.@cmcharlesallen.bsky.social on Mayor Bowser's trickle down budget proposal: "simply saying the word growth over and over again is not the same as supporting it." Fully agree - dcfpi.org/all/years-of...
Years of Top-Down Investments Have Not Resulted in Widespread Economic Benefits | DC Fiscal Policy Institute
The gap between the wealthiest and poorest DC residents has continued unabated, more Black residents have been displaced, and the District has made no progress on chronic racial economic disparities.
dcfpi.org
Today the DC Council votes on a budget that creates several new tax breaks for developers with little evidence presented on the need for them or conversation about if they’ll support inclusive growth that benefits DC residents.
Today is the first budget vote. We know that the budget needs to support a strong and equitable economy, where residents have their needs met and have opportunity; so today we're here reminding the Council of their responsibility to the people of DC.
Tell the DC Council that paid leave is essential and shouldn't be cut! See the link below to send a message to your Councilmembers.
DC Fiscal Policy Institute@dcfpi.bsky.social · 2mo agoContact your DC Councilmembers to urge them to keep the universal paid leave program whole at: actionnetwork.org/letters/keep...
The DC Council may move forward with cuts to family caregiving and medical leave, which will disproportionately harm Black workers and workers with lower incomes. Learn more: loom.ly/qmvTKis
DC educators, parents & kids deserve better-the Mayor wants to eliminate the highly-effective Pay Equity Fund that supports teachers of our littlest residents. Meanwhile DC is putting nearly $400m next year toward RFK stadium and Cap One arena @nbcwashington.com www.nbcwashington.com/investigatio...
‘Where are our priorities?' DC childcare pay fight clashes with sports deals
Proposed cuts to childcare workers’ pay come in a year D.C. is ramping up spending on marquee sports projects.
nbcwashington.com
Mayor Bowser wants to cut DC's paid leave program so workers can't take paid leave for their own or a loved one's serious illness or injury from Oct 1, 2026-Sept 30, 2027. Medical needs don't take a year off and neither should DC's paid leave program. www.nbcwashington.com/video/local/...
DC looks at shrinking paid medical leave claims
D.C. is considering shrinking paid medical leave claims to close budget gaps. News4’s Ted Oberg spoke to D.C. budget analysts who cry foul.
nbcwashington.com
We don't need to be giving corporations top-down tax breaks. We need to be supporting our most vulnerable residents. Today @shira-m.bsky.social is testifying before the council to explain why!
As I’ll testify at the Council today, DC is set to spend nearly $191 million over the next four years on tax abatements & fee reductions for corporations. More spending on disproven trickle-down growth strategies won’t result in better outcomes for residents. dcfpi.org/all/dc-counc...
DC Council Should Redirect Funds From Ineffective Tax Breaks Into the Hands of Workers | DC Fiscal Policy Institute
To shepherd DC through these tough economic times and drive inclusive growth, the mayor and DMPED should focus on growing DC’s economy from the bottom up and middle out and shoring up the financial we...
dcfpi.org
The mayor is trying to stop workers from taking paid leave for their own or a family member's serious medical conditions for an entire year, but people's medical needs won't pause for a year. Get the facts below.
DC Fiscal Policy Institute@dcfpi.bsky.social · 4mo agoGet the facts about paid family leave. And then join us in taking action: https://loom.ly/05fk3iQ
We’re proud to be a part of this month’s Candidate Forums on The Future of Safety & Justice in DC! 📅 April 28 — Mayoral Candidate Forum UDC Student Center, 4200 Connecticut Ave NW 📅 April 30— Congressional Delegate Candidate Forum THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave SE RSVP: bit.ly/CandidateForumsDC
No surprise here that Trump's highly-touted “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime” are poorly designed policies and are largely ineffective at helping low- and moderate-income households. Policymakers have far better alternatives to help workers in low-paying jobs: www.cbpp.org/research/fed...
Overhyped Deductions for Tipped Income and Overtime Do Little for Workers
The deductions are some of the smallest provisions in the law, in both the number of people they affect and fiscal cost. They also are poorly designed tax policies and policymakers have far better alt...
cbpp.org
What actually makes the economy strong & inclusive is investing in the workers who power the economy. The mayor's proposed budget gives workers the short end of the stick inc. cutting paid leave for medical needs and slashing Pay Equity Fund for childcare workers.
Mayor Muriel Bowser@mayorbowser.dc.gov · 4mo agoLet's set DC up for growth by: 1. Making it easier & less expensive to do business 2. More predictable to do business 3. Keeping & expanding DC employers 4. Redeveloping fed buildings 5. Investing in Downtown & diversifying economy 6. Continuing to develop great neighborhoods
By slashing the federal workforce, gutting the safety net, and deporting immigrants, President Trump and his allies in Congress are harming DC’s economy and exacerbating existing racial disparities (1/5)
Because of a long history of systemic racism, Black and Latino DC residents have worse outcomes by every employment measure — for ex. white DC workers’ median hourly wage in 2024 was almost 2x that of Black and Latino workers (1/4)
A Business Activity Tax would be good for DC, and we have the research to prove it. If you want to learn more, check out our report! www.dcfpi.org/all/a-busine...
A Business Activity Tax Would Make DC’s Tax System More Equitable While Raising Revenue
By enacting a Business Activity Tax—a new, simple, broad-based value-added tax, DC would make business taxation fairer and more racially equitable while raising significant revenue for the District.
dcfpi.org
Alex Koma@alexkoma.bsky.social · 5mo agoDC for Democracy got pretty much every at-large candidate for tonight's forum: some interesting differences between them, but notable that every one said they'd support the business activity tax (favored by JLG to fund childcare and backed by most of the Tax Revision Commission...)
There are plenty more shocking data points in this report that my colleague and I spent months working on. Check it out!
DC Fiscal Policy Institute@dcfpi.bsky.social · 5mo agoNo, that's not a typo; 20% of people in DC hold 54% of the wealth. And much of the economic inequality in DC is driven by racial disparities. We break it all down in our latest report, The State of Working DC. Find it at https://loom.ly/8j1UpYM
On average from 2020 to 2024, nearly 41% of children in Ward 8, which is majority Black, lived below the poverty line, compared to 3.8% of children in Ward 3, which is majority white. It is clear that any discussion of child poverty in DC must center the needs of Black children and their families.
This Valentine's Day, we want to share the love —just like the 1% need to share the wealth. So, we made some cards you can send to your friends, your partners, your neighbors, or maybe even your favorite council member!
For those of you with Congressional representation, we in DC need your help!
DC Fiscal Policy Institute@dcfpi.bsky.social · 7mo ago🚨 Urgent action alert! 🚨 Congress wants to undo local legislation and cost DC $700 million in local revenue, and overturn our efforts to cut child poverty. Call these Senators and tell them to VOTE NO ON S.J.RES.102. Check out the last slide for a script you can use!
Mass deportation will harm DC’s economy, thwart business activity, and take a devastating toll on immigrant families and communities. Read our latest report, written in partnership with the Immigration Research Initiative: https://loom.ly/kCuv1XU
The Devastating Economic and Human Toll of Mass Deportation
Mass deportation would harm DC’s economy, thwart business activity, and take a devastating toll on immigrant families and communities.
dcfpi.org
As the mayor and DC Council create a spending plan for FY27, they must restore & strengthen funding for programs that help struggling residents meet their basic needs & address deep, chronic racial inequities. Read our recs for the FY27 budget: https://loom.ly/OsIDt_E
DC finished out 2025 with an unemployment rate of 6.7% for Dec. That's a 1.4 percentage pt increase from Dec 2024 and the highest rate since Aug 2021 (during the pandemic), showing the toll of federal layoffs and other federal attacks on DC.
Long-delayed unemployment numbers for DC are out and the 6.2% unemployment rate is nearly a full percentage point higher than in December 2024 - showing clearly the toll that Trump's slashing of the federal workforce is having on DC.