Official First Vote Statement on the FY 2027 Budget

DC Action applauds Chairman Phil Mendelson and the DC Council for restoring $99 million for child care and early childhood development programs, protecting funding for out-of-school time, as well as restoring $1.5 million in funding for the District’s youth homelessness system.

Today, the DC Council took its first vote on the District’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget. While final votes will not occur for another two weeks or more, the budget approved today represents significant improvement over Mayor Bowser’s proposed budget, reducing some of the Mayor’s most egregious  cuts to programs children, youth, and working families count on across the District. While DC Action’s full asks were not met, the Council was able to restore an impressive nearly $100 million in early education funding and reverse many, many other cuts – both large and small – detailed in the table below. We applaud their efforts and urge them to go further before final adoption of the budget.    

This budget progress reflects the sustained and collective advocacy of our coalitions and thousands of residents who called, emailed, testified, rallied, and met with their councilmembers all spring to demand a budget that reflects our values; DC Action’s coalitions and supporters generated more than 3,000 emails to the DC Council, delivered over 150 testimonies, and sustained a weekly presence in the Wilson building with nearly 300 community members participating in walk-arounds and lobby days to keep up the pressure to restore critical funding for early childhood educators, child care subsidies, and services for youth experiencing homelessness, while also protecting investments in out-of-school time and many other essential programs. The DC Council’s funding fixes will make a real difference in the lives of the District’s kids and families, even as more work remains to be done.

It is important to note, however, that many of the DC Council’s restorations rely on one-time funding. Unless lawmakers act to secure multi-year funding, these programs will again be at risk next year. Families deserve better. The District has the resources to pass a more responsible and resilient plan for recurring funding, but doing so requires ensuring that our wealthiest households (those earning $500,000+/annually) and profitable corporations avoiding District taxes pay their fair share through enactment of a Wealth Proceeds Tax and a Business Activity Tax. Lawmakers should adopt these proposals on second reading of the budget to close the remaining funding gaps and protect essential programs for years to come.

Despite today’s progress, there are still too many programs left underfunded: the Pay Equity Fund, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Paid Family Leave, school-based behavioral health, the DC Health Care Alliance, Emergency Rental Assistance Program, housing vouchers, and more. This is unacceptable and we will continue advocating for their full restoration ahead of the second vote. We call on the DC Council to listen to residents and advocates and pass a final budget that advances equity, stability, and opportunity for the District’s children, youth, and working families.

Detailed Summary of Changes to the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget