Newsroom

We're about a month out from the official start of the District's budget season. As a top item below, I'm sharing my letter to the Mayor with several of my budget recommendations for Ward 6, the entire city, and a few specific to the Committee on Transportation and the Environment that I'm now chairing.

The following letter was sent by Councilmember Charles Allen to Mayor Muriel Bowser as she formulates her FY24 budget recommendations that will be released in late March, kickstarting the District's annual budget process.

Eligible Residents Must File Taxes to Be Automatically Enrolled and Receive New Monthly

Last weekend, I had the pleasure to join neighbors at Westminster's Black History Month program and then later to join a tour at the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum to mark Rosa Parks birthday, now celebrated with a push to achieve greater transit equity. 

No one should fool themselves that Congressional Republican interference in duly enacted legislation is out of genuine concern for the safety of District residents. This is their latest cynical attempt to score GOP points on the backs of people who pay federal taxes and serve in the military but, unlike their own constituents, can’t fight back because they don’t have a voice in the halls of Congress. Pretending that it is anything else is beyond insulting, especially given these same GOP members incited the violent assault on January 6 – in our backyard – before abandoning the DC police officers who saved them from their own mob.

Bill aims for households earning under $80k to be able to install new stove and heat at no cost; would require electrification for all major renovations at DC Housing properties.

Just in time for the weekend, Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen is introducing legislation that would expand DC’s Recreation Centers’ weekend hours. Currently, the majority of the District’s recreation and community centers are not open on weekends, or at most for a few hours on Saturday morning, denying an important space for District residents of all ages, but especially young people who may have few other places to safely go.

Today, Councilmember Charles Allen is introducing legislation to expand and encourage e-bike ridership and availability in the District of Columbia by creating both a rebate program for residents and providing support to District bike shops to be ready to handle the surge in demand for e-bikes.

Recognizing the growing demand for electric vehicles far outpaces the current charging infrastructure in the District to support that growth, Councilmember Charles Allen is introducing legislation to put the District on track to install at a minimum 7,500 charging stations in every part of the District by 2027, with every member of the Council signed on as a co-introducer.

Hard to believe January is already almost over! My team and I have been busy getting out in the Ward to connect with folks — speaking of, make sure to check out my upcoming office hour dates below! We're also gearing up for a busy season of performance oversight hearings on the Council (more on that below). This week, I also had the pleasure of meeting with several Ward 6 parent leaders of DC PAVE at the Wilson Building to discuss their priorities and vision for education in the District — just one of many groups of residents I've had the pleasure to sit down with and talk through their annual priorities as we gear up for oversight and budget season.