Fiscal Responsibility
I have worked hard during my tenure on the Council remind my colleagues of the importance of fiscal responsibility, even in good economic times. Fourteen years of balanced budgets and an AAA bond rating have put us in a much better position than most jurisdictions in America. While the days of the Control Board are behind us, I will continue to bring sound fiscal policy to the Council and ensure that we do not give anyone on Capitol Hill a reason to intervene in the District’s finances.
As Chairman of the Council’s Finance and Revenue Committee, I led the District from a $518 million deficit in 1999 to a $1.6 billion surplus in 2006. We did this by taking a close look at our spending patterns and trimming the fat from an inefficient government. For the first time in my twenty years on the Council, I voted “no” on the FY 2011 budget. I was unable to support the budget for several reasons, namely because the Council chose to put off the difficult decisions necessary to make and instead to impose an additional financial burden on our residents and small businesses. We continued to spend down our fund balance and borrowed millions of additional dollars, while at the same time raising fines and penalties for residents and small business owners.
The FY 2012 budget is the largest in the District’s history, at a time when virtually every other state and city in America is cutting spending. With 60% budget growth in the last decade, we must take a hard look at our spending and ability to run an efficient and effective government. I do not believe we can tax our way out of this situation. Again, we must make the difficult decisions we are elected to make when it comes to ensuring the fiscal strength of the District. As such, I also voted “no” on this budget, for these very reasons.
My concerns about unsustainable growth and our ability to compete with surrounding jurisdictions keep me committed to working to continue to attract businesses and residents to our city and ensure our financial stability as we move forward.