Updated June 16, 2021 at 1:30 ET with recordings.
Community thru Covid’s presentation of political education from Serve Your City’s “DC 101” continues with straight forward discussion of the budget process and how folks can influence the choices our elected officials make in the next few weeks. Today, we hear an overview of how the Budget Process works in DC in an ordinary year plus how this year is somewhat different due to the pandemic.
The DC 101 “Budget Justice” panel includes
- Qubilah Huddleston, of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute;
- Samantha Davis, from the Black Swan Academy;
- Stephanie Sneed, representing the Fair Budget Coalition; and
- Robert Warren, People for Fairness Coalition.
We heard a bit from Robert Warren on the May 19 program, and we’ll hear more next week. DC 101 conversations are moderated by Maurice Cook, of Serve Your City DC/Ward 6 Mutual Aid.
Please note that Stephanie Sneed is now director of The Fund for Black-Led Change. (Fair Budget Coalition is seeking a new coalition director — pass the word.)
Learn more about the budget demands and issues discussed in today’s program from DCFPI budget tool kit, Fair Budget Coalition — including tax platforms, and Black Youth Agenda from Black Swan Academy.
A schedule of this year’s budget season in DC is available from DC Council, along with instructions for submitting testimony — usually accepted for weeks after a particular hearing takes place. Budget oversight hearings are available live, in audio and video, and recordings; when two or more hearings are scheduled simultaneously, chairs of the committees use their own Facebook pages and/or via YouTube to stream and record.
Today’s “Community thru Covid” includes excerpts from the April 26 program. The full presentation, as recorded live, is available through Serve Your City DC’s Facebook page. ASL interpretation is included in that presentation; contact SYC for access to Spanish translation.
Community thru Covid airs Wednesdays at 11 a.m. ET. via We Act Radio (audio only). Many shows also broadcast from We Act Radio’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Recordings and more information posted shortly after air time. Subscribe for updates.
Slides from the presentation (text description for slide 1, below, in English and Spanish; slides 2-4 in English and Spanish coming or available on request).
1) Budget History and Home Rule
Prior to 1973, Congress and the U.S. President were responsible for all DC budget decisions. Following Home Rule Act of 1973, the DC Council still submits its budget to Congress, and the President retains veto power.
2) Budget Calendar Overview
3) Where Does the Money Come From
4) Two Different DCs
Graphic text/descriptions
1 — Budget History & Home Rule [Historia presupuestario y Autonomía]
Page divider says /Divisor de página dice “Home Rule Act (1973)/Acto de Autonomía (1973).
To the left/A la izquierda: Pre-1973/Antes de 1973
Congress & President/El congreso y el presidente >> [collection of people]
To the right/A la derecha:
DC Mayor and Council/Alcalde y Ayuntamiento de DC >> Congress & President/El congreso y el presidente >> DC Mayor and Council/Alcalde y Ayuntamiento de DC >> [collection of people]
Community Thru CRT: 