Dear Neighbor,

The DC Council held its legislative meeting on Tuesday, where we passed the Secure DC Omnibus. It was a long day of thoughtful conversation, and I am hopeful for the positive impact this package of legislation can have on our communities. Please see below for a full update on Tuesday’s meetings.

I also sent my budget priorities to the mayor this week. Planning for the next fiscal year will be a difficult exercise as we grapple with the expiration of federal American Rescue Plan Act funding, a public transit system that requires unprecedented investment, inflationary pressures, and modest revenue growth at a time when our city faces serious social and economic challenges. But as we move through the budget process, we must also be mindful to preserve our social safety net and invest in our future. The costs flowing from a failure to do so will far outweigh any presumed savings. It is my hope that the mayor will include my budget priorities in the proposal she sends to the Council on March 20. While not an exhaustive list of programs I support, they reflect important, realistic, reasonable, and effective investments toward a more vibrant, just, and equitable city. 

With budget season upon us, that means we’re soon to enter spring. Cherry blossoms will bloom soon, daylight saving time begins Sunday, and Pepco is offering free trees to customers to plant at their homes.

Thank you again for this honor to serve you. It’s my privilege to work every day toward a Ward 3 for all.

Best,

Matt Frumin

Ward 3 Councilmember

It is often said that budgets are moral documents. This is all the more true when budgets are constrained versus when the coffers are full. We must work toward a safer, stronger District through investments in education, economic opportunity, housing and supportive services, and a more connected city. As I evaluate the budget the Council will receive later this month, I will be assessing whether it:

• fully funds our schools and invests in the District’s youth, 
• promotes affordable, abundant housing,
• expands economic opportunity, 
• invests in safer streets and accessible transit, 
• fosters safe, healthy neighborhoods, 
• supports District seniors, and
• invests in local arts, culture, and recreation.

As we seek to realize these priorities through the budget process, we must be strategic about how funds are allocated, where efficiencies can be achieved, and where reductions are required. We must also be open to measures that will increase revenue to avoid pitting one priority against another or the needs of one community against another. Even in challenging times, we can expand opportunities for all residents.

The DC Council unanimously approved the Secure DC Omnibus in its second of two readings Tuesday. This legislation addresses a breadth of public safety initiatives, and I am hopeful for the positive impact it can have in our communities. Led by Councilmember Brooke Pinto, countless hours of intentional work and conversation went into this legislative process, the result of which now goes to mayoral review. As I have previously stressed, while this legislation is important for accountability and enforcement, we must continue to focus on a holistic approach to public safety with investments to ensure all our residents have realistic hope for their futures. Opportunity is the path to public safety, and I will work with my colleagues to advance public education, economic opportunity, and supportive services.

The Council also passed the Restaurant Revitalization and Dram Shop Clarification Act. The bill limits service fees at bars and restaurants to 20%, includes regulations on food delivery apps, and reduces the cost of liquor liability insurance. See the Washington Post story for more information.

The DC Council finished seven weeks of Performance Oversight Hearings on Friday, March 1, which means the District government now moves to FY25 budget preparation. See below for the expected timeline, and I will keep you updated as we progress.

• March 20: Mayor transmits her Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget and Financial Plan to the Council
• March 25 - April 10: Committee hearings on agencies and proposals
• April 11: Committee of the Whole hearing
• April 23 - 25: Committee budget markups
• May 1: Council work session
• May 14: Council consideration of the Fiscal Year 2025 Local Budget Act and the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Support Act 
• May 28: Council consideration of the Fiscal Year 2025 Local Budget Act, Fiscal Year 2025 Federal Portion Budget Request Act, and the Fiscal Year 2024 Revised Local Budget Emergency Adjustment Act
• TBD: Council consideration of the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Support Act

Concerned residents have contacted my office about the Metrobus proposal WMATA released in December, which represented a worst-case scenario for service. The proposal included threats to service as a warning of what would happen if DC, Maryland, and Virginia did not support WMATA in avoiding its fiscal cliff. Thankfully, all three jurisdictions have made significant financial pledges, which caused WMATA to provide an updated presentation and begin the Better Bus network redesign. 

At the WMATA oversight hearing on February 16, I asked General Manager Randy Clarke for details on any anticipated changes in FY25. He confirmed that the sweeping cuts proposed in the December scenario have not been withdrawn yet because promised funds from each jurisdiction still need to be formally approved and delivered through their respective budget processes. As such, the original service cuts continue to be the subject of comments and were included in the survey that concluded on March 5. However, when the funds are delivered (which I fully expect to be the case), WMATA will not implement the sweeping cuts. Instead, we will be in the world of the updated February presentation, which maintains service levels with modest changes on some routes on certain holidays and proposed fare increases. 

That is not to say there might not be changes, but the draconian cuts floated in December are no longer in the mix as a practical matter. Based on General Manager Clarke’s testimony at the oversight hearing, I anticipate a new version of the Better Bus network will be circulated this spring for another round of comments, and then WMATA will move to implementation. I recognize this is complicated, and I pressed the general manager for clarity at the recent hearing. 

An interesting dimension of the coming Better Bus plan is that WMATA may roll out one version showing their plan at current levels of service and another showing what might be possible with more funding. This spring and summer are going to be an important period for those interested in the future of our bus system to offer comments on the WMATA proposals. 

As planning moves forward, I fully understand the concerns about bus service. I will forcefully advocate to protect it and will almost certainly be advocating to expand service.

MPD Second District will hold a community safety walk for Police Service Area (PSA) 201 on Tuesday, March 26, at 4 pm. Meet MPD officers and others to start a walk from Aberfoyle Place and Barnaby Street, NW.

MPD is warning the public of a phone scam in which people impersonate members of MPD, attempt to extort people by claiming an arrest warrant has been issued against them for not appearing for jury duty, and ask for money to remove the warrant. MPD will never solicit monetary funds, bank information, or social security information. Even if the callers have some public information about you, that does not mean they are legitimate. Verify by contacting the appropriate agency. If you have questions about your jury summons, contact the D.C. Court Juror Office at 202-879-4604 or jurorhelp@dcsc.gov. If you have been a victim of this scam in the District of Columbia, contact the Financial and Cyber Crimes Unit at 202-727-4159 or mpd.fraud-unit@dc.gov.

Finally, I applaud the work of the MPD Carjacking Task Force in arresting and charging a man suspected of six carjacking offenses, including a January 23 incident on Brandywine Street NW. Thank you, MPD, for continuing to work to make our streets safer.

Over the last year, the Deputy Mayor for Education has led the Boundary and Student Assignment Study, an important project that determines where our students go to school for the next decade. Yesterday, the advisory committee working on this project held its final meeting. I was pleased to see that in the proposed recommendations, it appears the DME has listened to the concerns raised by members of the Janney and Mann, and Oyster and Eaton elementary schools regarding proposed boundary changes that would have harmed the walkability and community that are essential to our neighborhood public schools (see slide 20 on Janney/Mann and slide 15 on Oyster/Eaton). Instead, the DME will monitor enrollment and look for other solutions should there be issues in the future. The DME still must turn these PowerPoint recommendations into a final set of recommendations to the mayor toward the end of this month, and the mayor will then act on them.

I was the point person for Ward 3 10 years ago when we looked at school boundaries and student assignment policies, and I know these processes are difficult and require a lot of patience, diplomacy, and consensus building. We all owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Anna Johnson, who was the point person for Ward 3 on this iteration of the process. She did a sensational job landing this airplane. And thank you to all the school community members, Parent Teacher Organizations, and Local School Advisory Teams who reached out and engaged with me, my office, and the Deputy Mayor for Education's team to ensure the final recommendations reflected the realities and needs of our incredible school communities. 

This month’s Workday in the Ward will be in Spring Valley. From 8 am to 5 pm, my team will be at Compass Coffee, 4850 Massachusetts Avenue NW, to meet constituents, answer questions, and provide connections to government and community resources. See the schedule to speak with me, members of my team, and representatives from District departments:

8 – 10 am

Coffee with the Councilmember

10 – 11 am

MPD, Office of the Attorney General, Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services

11 am – 12 pm

Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Department of Buildings

1 – 2 pm

Department of Public Works Solid Waste Education and Enforcement Program

2 – 4 pm

District Department of Transportation

3 – 4 pm

Department of Parks and Recreation

As spring approaches, DPW has begun residential street sweeping, which will continue through October 31. During this time, motorists are asked to obey posted signs indicating the schedule of parking restrictions, so streets are swept thoroughly. Parking is generally prohibited for two-hour intervals (9:30 to 11:30 am or 12:30 to 2:30 pm) during sweeping hours. DPW is issuing warnings to vehicles parked on signed streets through today, March 7. Afterward, $45 fines will be issued to violators.

I will speak at the Ward 3 Education Network March 12 meeting at 7 pm, focusing on school budgets. Join the conversation over Zoom by registering in advance.

Advisory Neighborhood Commission Meetings

• ANC3A: Tuesday, March 19, 7 pm, at the McLean Gardens Ballroom and Zoom
• ANC3B: Thursday, March 14, 7 pm, Zoom
• ANC3C: Monday, March 18, 7 pm, Zoom
• ANC3D: Wednesday, April 1, 7 pm, Zoom
• ANC3E: Thursday, March 14, 7:30 pm, Zoom
• ANC3F: Tuesday, March 19, 7 pm, Zoom
• ANC3/4G: Mondays, March 11 and 25, 7 pm, at Chevy Chase Community Center and Zoom

Thank you for taking the time to read this week’s newsletter. If you have thoughts about what else you would like to see in these email updates and our social media, please directly contact tcogan@dccouncil.gov.

Councilmember Matt Frumin

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 408

202-724-8062