Mayor Muriel Bowser presented her proposed 2025 budget to DC Council, with a focus on education, public safety, and downtown D.C. However, D.C. officials revealed that there is a $4 billion gap between resources and expenditures through Fiscal Year 2029, with costs growing at a faster rate than revenue.
The 2025 budget allocates 70% of funds to just 10 agencies, including DC Public Schools, DC Charter Schools, and the Metropolitan Police Department. The Office of Migrant Services will now be funded through the operating budget, with severe cuts to agencies like the Office of the State Superintendent of Education and the elimination of the Circulator Bus Program.
In a move to increase public safety, the Metropolitan Police Department will receive an additional $70 million for new programs and technology. The Rapid Rehousing Program will also see a budget increase to help people experiencing homelessness find permanent housing.
To raise revenue, D.C. officials plan to implement an electric vehicle tax and increase sales tax to support the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Additionally, a new tax on hotels is proposed to fund increased public safety efforts.
Despite these measures, D.C. officials are facing tough decisions, including cuts to housing assistance programs like the Home Purchase Assistance Program and the Housing Production Trust Fund. The budget also includes plans to restore the paid family leave tax and increase funding for public safety and downtown enhancements.