PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Linda Wharton-Boyd

Friday, July 31, 2009 (202) 724.8105; lwhartonboyd@dccouncil.us

BALANCING DC BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF POOR NOT AN OPTION

Restore
“DC Councilmember Michael A. Brown Led Effort to Restore Funding for TANF; Worked with Colleagues to
Restore Rapid Housing, the Grandparent Caregiver Subsidy, and Job Training”

Washington, DC – Today, Councilmember Michael A. Brown and his colleagues, under the leadership of Council
Chairman Vincent Gray, completed the daunting and difficult task of balancing the budget and ensuring that the
fiscal solvency of the District was protected. While the budget cycle was fraught with many difficult choices, the
Council was able to spread the pain of the economic recession with approximately $50 million in revenue increases
along with nearly $250 million in budget cuts.

Brown, who advocated for the combination of cuts and revenue enhancements as the fiscally responsible action to
take to address the budget shortfalls, praised the Council’s willingness to take on difficult and decisive actions on
politically unpopular issues. Some of Brown’s programs and priorities were unfortunately cut; however,
compromise and hard work led the Council to protect essential city services and to remain sensitive to those who are
most vulnerable during the current economic turmoil.

Brown led the effort to eliminate the proposed TANF sanctions that research has shown to be ineffective and overly
punitive. He also worked with Councilmember Tommy Wells to restore funds for Rapid Housing and the
Grandparent Caregiver subsidy, which will allow families to stay in their homes together and not slip into
homelessness or foster care. Further, he joined Councilmember Marion Barry to successfully advocate for the
restoration of funds for job training, which will assist the 10.9% of the population that is currently unemployed to
receive training that will prepare them for a job and a life of self-sufficiency.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that the budget is not balanced on the backs of the poor,” said Brown. “I am
very pleased that we were able to restore many cuts that would have been absolutely devastating to our most
disadvantaged residents.”

As the freshman Councilmember participating in the budget process for the first time, Brown felt that the process
was incredibly enlightening and was honored to have shared the experience with the other legislators who are
committed to public service and fiscal stewardship. He applauded his colleagues for their hard work and tenacity
throughout the budget process, stating “None of these accomplishments could have been achieved without the
cooperation and tireless commitment of my colleagues and for that I am grateful to them.”

In addition to restoring funds to help the District’s most vulnerable residents, Brown won praise from his colleagues
for setting a historical precedent with his amendment to the Convention Center Hotel Act of 2009 that he introduced
with Councilmember Kwame Brown. The amendment will require that at least 60 percent of apprenticeship, skilled
and unskilled laborers hours as well as 25 percent of journeyman hours performed on the construction of the Hotel
are reserved for DC residents.
The amendment also requires collaboration and oversight between the project contractors and the DC Department of
Employment Services to ensure that workforce requirements are met. This is the first time in the history of the
District’s Apprenticeship Program that a residency requirement of this magnitude has been added to a District
funded development project.
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