STATE OF DISTRICT’S BUDGET AND FINANCES

GOOD MORNING.

I WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME THIS MORNING TO SPEAK TO THE

PEOPLE OF THE DISTRICT – HONESTLY, DIRECTLY, AND
TRANSPARENTLY– ABOUT THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT’S BUDGET
AND FINANCES.

LET ME BEGIN BY THANKING DR. NAT GANDHI AND HIS STAFF

WHO HAVE WORKED WITH ME TO DO A TOP-TO-BOTTOM REVIEW
OF THE DISTRICT’S IMMEDIATE BUDGET DEFICIT AND THE
STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES THAT WE WILL FACE NEXT FISCAL
YEAR. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK MY
COLLEAGUES, STARTING WITH CHAIRMAN-ELECT KWAME
BROWN, AND COUNCILMEMBERS….WHO HAVE JOINED US HERE
TODAY.

I’M ALSO HAPPY TO BE JOINED BY THE CO-CHAIRS OF MY

BUDGET AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TRANSITION COMMITTEE,
ALICE RIVLIN AND FORMER MAYOR ANTHONY WILLIAMS – TWO
PEOPLE WHO KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT THE DISTRICT’S
FINANCES, AND WHOSE EXPERTISE I WILL RELY ON AS WE DEAL
WITH THE CHALLENGES AHEAD.

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DURING MY CAMPAIGN FOR MAYOR, I OFTEN SPOKE ABOUT THE
NEED FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY IN DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.
NOWHERE IS THIS MORE IMPORTANT THAN IN TALKING ABOUT
THE DISTRICT’S BUDGET, AND HOW WE ARE TREATING
TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

AFTER ALL, IT’S YOUR MONEY WE’RE DEALING WITH – YOU

DESERVE TO HEAR HONEST TALK ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON
WITH IT.

THE NEXT FEW WEEKS ARE A CRITICAL TIME FOR ALL OF US. WE
ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON A VERY IMPORTANT -- AND
CONDENSED -- PROCESS TO BALANCE THE CURRENT YEAR’S
BUDGET BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

THAT LEAVES US WITH VERY LITTLE TIME TO DEAL WITH SOME

VERY SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES.

SUMMARY OF THE DISTRICT’S BUDGET AND FINANCES

AS ALL DISTRICT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS KNOW, OUR
CITY HAS NOT BEEN IMMUNE FROM THE COUNTRY’S WORST
ECONOMIC CRISIS SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION.

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AS THE NATIONAL RECESSION WREAKED HAVOC ON THE CITY’S
FINANCES, THE COUNCIL TOOK SEVERAL LONG-TERM
STRUCTURAL MEASURES TO ENSURE THE DISTRICT CONTINUES
TO LIVE WITHIN ITS MEANS.

OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE UNANIMOUSLY PASSED

LEGISLATION TO:
• PLACE A 12% CAP ON ALL GENERAL FUND TAX-SUPPORTED
DEBT;
• USE ANY END-OF-YEAR SURPLUS TO REPLENISH MONIES
THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND
BALANCE,
• DEVOTE 25% OF ALL LOCAL REVENUE GROWTH TO PAY-AS-
YOU-GO CAPITAL FUNDING IN ORDER TO GRADUALLY SHIFT
THE DISTRICT TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE APPROACH
TO CAPITAL INVESTMENTS;
• AND TO CREATE A DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE FINANCE
TO HELP AGGRESSIVELY AND ACCURATELY BILL MEDICAID
FOR ALL FEDERAL FUNDS THE DISTRICT IS ENTITLED TO
RECEIVE.

DESPITE THESE MEASURES, THE CITY FACES MANY CHALLENGES

AHEAD.

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SINCE MAY 2008, WHEN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
EXPERIENCED ITS FIRST DROP IN REVENUE IN OVER 5 YEARS, OUR
LOCAL REVENUE ESTIMATES FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR
HAVE DECLINED BY $931.5 MILLION -- AN ALMOST 16% DECLINE
IN JUST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

WHILE THE DISTRICT HAS CERTAINLY MADE MANY SERIOUS

CUTS TO ITS OPERATING BUDGET AND FOUND SOME WAYS TO
INCREASE REVENUE, THE DISTRICT’S EXPENDITURES WILL HAVE
EXCEEDED ITS REVENUES FOUR YEARS IN A ROW.

ON TOP OF THAT, WE’VE SEEN A HUGE DROP IN THE DISTRICT’S

CUMULATIVE GENERAL FUND BALANCE. SOME DECLINE IN THE
FUND BALANCE IS UNDERSTANDABLE DURING A RECESSION.
BUT WE’VE HAD A PROJECTED DROP OF 57% IN JUST FOUR YEARS
– LEAVING THE DISTRICT’S FUND BALANCE DANGEROUSLY LOW
AND UNABLE TO HELP IF REVENUE CONTINUES TO DECLINE OR
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL SPENDING PRESSURES OVER THE NEXT
TWO YEARS.

THIS SITUATION WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN WORSE, HAD THE

COUNCIL NOT TAKEN ACTION IN NOVEMBER 2008 AND JULY 2009
TO PRESERVE $166.4 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE THROUGH A
COMBINATION OF SPENDING CUTS AND REVENUE INCREASES.

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SO, TO RECAP – FOR FOUR STRAIGHT YEARS, THE DISTRICT HAS
SPENT MORE THAN ITS TAKEN IN, AND WE’VE HAD TO RAID THE
FUND BALANCE TO MAKE UP FOR IT.

AS ANY DISTRICT FAMILY OR BUSINESS WOULD TELL YOU –

THAT’S SIMPLY NOT SUSTAINABLE.

SO HOW DEEP OF A HOLE ARE WE IN?

FISCAL YEAR 2011 BUDGET GAP: $187.8 MILLION

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CURRENTLY FACES A $188 MILLION

GAP IN ITS OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011.

THAT GAP IS BASED ON REVISED CFO FIGURES THAT SHOW $99.8

MILLION LESS IN PROJECTED LOCAL REVENUE, AND $88.1
MILLION IN PROJECTED AGENCY OVERSPENDING AND OTHER
SPENDING PRESSURES – LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION COST
OVERRUNS, SALARY INCREASES, HIGHER HEALTH AND LIFE
INSURANCE COSTS, AND LESS FEDERAL DOLLARS THAN
EXPECTED. (A DETAILED LIST CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE
AT WWW.DCCOUNCIL.US)

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AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IS REQUIRED
TO MAINTAIN A BALANCED BUDGET, SO WE WILL NEED TO
COMPLETE A PLAN TO CLOSE THIS BUDGET GAP BEFORE THE END
OF DECEMBER. HAVING RECEIVED THE MAYOR’S BUDGET
PROPOSAL TODAY, THE COUNCIL HAS TWO WEEKS BEFORE IT
MUST VOTE ON A REVISED BUDGET GAP-CLOSING PLAN. THIS
REQUIRES US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A COMPRESSED BUDGET
PROCESS THAT IS BY NO MEANS IDEAL BUT DOABLE.

THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON NOVEMBER 30,

ON BOTH THE MAYOR’S BUDGET REQUEST ACT AND BUDGET
SUPPORT ACT GAP-CLOSING LEGISLATION. I ENCOURAGE
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO COME TO THE HEARING AND GIVE
US IDEAS ON HOW TO SOLVE THE BUDGET GAP WE ARE FACING.

BUT, AS YOU ADVANCE IDEAS, PLEASE LET IT BE MORE THAN

DON’T CUT THIS OR THAT WITHOUT OFFERING IDEAS TO
BALANCE THE BUDGET.

ON DECEMBER 7, THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE ITS FIRST AND ONLY

VOTE ON THE BUDGET REQUEST ACT AND ITS FIRST OF TWO
REQUIRED VOTES ON THE BUDGET SUPPORT ACT. THEN, ON
DECEMBER 21, AT ITS FINAL LEGISLATIVE MEETING OF THIS
SESSION, THE COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE BUDGET SUPPORT ACT
A SECOND TIME.
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DESPITE THIS VERY TIGHT TIMELINE, I WILL DO EVERYTHING
POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT THIS BUDGET GAP-CLOSING IS AS
TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE. I WILL ENSURE THAT BUDGET
DELIBERATIONS WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE ON CHANNEL 13, AND
WE WILL ENSURE THAT BUDGET DOCUMENTS ARE POSTED
PROMPTLY FOR PUBLIC VIEWING ON THE COUNCIL’S WEBSITE.

IN ADDITION TO SOLVING THIS $188 MILLION GAP, WE HAVE TO

TAKE STEPS TO PRESERVE OUR FUND BALANCE. THE BUDGET
APPROVED LAST SPRING USES $186.2 MILLION FROM THE FUND
BALANCE TO HELP BALANCE THIS BUDGET. I HAD ORIGINALLY
HOPED TO APPROVE A REVISED FISCAL YEAR 2011 BUDGET THAT
DIDN’T RELY ON THE FUND BALANCE, SO THAT THIS $186.2
MILLION COULD BE USED TO OFFSET OUR LONGER-TERM
STRUCTURAL GAP IN FISCAL YEAR 2012. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE
TIME WE HAVE REMAINING, THIS IS NO LONGER A REALISTIC
GOAL.

I DO BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAT WE CAN PRESERVE $50 MILLION

OUT OF THAT $186.2 MILLION, BY PLACING THESE FUNDS IN A
RESERVE ACCOUNT – JUST AS THE COUNCIL DID IN FISCAL YEAR
2009.

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THIS $50 MILLION RESERVE WOULD PROTECT US FROM HAVING
TO RELY UPON OUR CONGRESSIONALLY MANDATED
CONTINGENCY CASH RESERVE TO COVER UNFORESEEN
PRESSURES, BECAUSE THIS RAINY DAY FUND ACCOUNT WOULD
HAVE TO BE REPAID IN FISCAL YEARS 2012 AND 2013.

WHILE I BELIEVE THAT THIS $50 MILLION RESERVE GOAL IS

ACHIEVABLE, WE WILL NEED TO REMAIN FLEXIBLE AS WE SEE
HOW THIS COMPRESSED BUDGET PROCESS UNFOLDS. THE $50
MILLION CASH RESERVE MIGHT HAVE TO BE MADE AVAILABLE IF
REVENUE IS REVISED DOWNWARD FURTHER OR IF ADDITIONAL
SPENDING PRESSURES EMERGE.

BUT IF WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO AVOID ADDITIONAL

REVENUE DECLINES AND NEW SPENDING PRESSURES, THIS $50
MILLION CAN BE USED TO HELP OFFSET THE SEVERE
STRUCTURAL BUDGET GAP WE WILL FACE IN FISCAL YEAR 2012.

THIS IS WHERE OUR MOST DAUNTING CHALLENGES LIE.

STRUCTURAL OPERATING BUDGET DEFICIT IN FISCAL YEAR

2012: $345.1 MILLION

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EVEN AFTER SOLVING THE $188 MILLION GAP IN FISCAL YEAR
2011, WE WILL STILL FACE A GAP OF AROUND $345 MILLION IN
FISCAL YEAR 2012 WHEN THE BASELINE BUDGET IS RELEASED.
AMONG THE SOURCES OF THIS GAP ARE HIGHER THAN EXPECTED
SPENDING IN AREAS LIKE DEBT SERVICE, MEDICAID, AND
DISTRICT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (INCLUDING RETIREMENT); LESS
THAN EXPECTED FEDERAL DOLLARS; REPAYMENT OF
ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE UNITED MEDICAL CENTER; AND
LOCAL OBLIGATIONS FOR CITY PROGRAMS PREVIOUSLY PAID
FOR WITH ONE-TIME FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS.

IT ALSO INCLUDES THE FUND BALANCE WE’RE USING TO CLOSE

THIS YEAR’S GAP THAT, OF COURSE, WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE TO
HELP WITH NEXT YEAR’S GAP. IN FACT, IN FISCAL YEAR 2012, FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS, WE WILL HAVE TO BALANCE THE
DISTRICT’S BUDGET USING EXISTING REVENUE, AND WITHOUT
THE FUND BALANCE TO RELY UPON.

A GAP OF $345 MILLION CLEARLY WILL REQUIRE US TO BEGIN TO

EXAMINE WHAT TRULY ARE THE CORE SERVICE FUNCTIONS OF
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THIS GOVERNMENT. WHILE I REMAIN HOPEFUL THAT THE
DISTRICT’S ECONOMY WILL TURN AROUND BEFORE WE PRESENT
OUR PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2012 BUDGET NEXT SPRING, WE
CAN’T PLAN THAT WAY. THE REALITY IS THAT IT COULD BE A
NUMBER OF YEARS BEFORE THE DISTRICT’S ECONOMY FULLY
REBOUNDS.
CHALLENGES WE WILL FACE IN BUDGET GAP-CLOSING
SO HOW DIFFICULT WILL IT BE TO TACKLE THIS HOLE IN OUR
BUDGET? LET’S FIRST TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OUR OPERATING
BUDGET.

THE DISTRICT’S TOTAL LOCAL OPERATING BUDGET IS ROUGHLY

$5.3 BILLION.

$1.5 BILLION OF THE BUDGET IS FROM FIXED COSTS, DEBT

SERVICE PAYMENTS, AND INTER-JURISDICTIONAL OBLIGATIONS –
SUCH AS METRO. THOSE COSTS DON’T GIVE US MUCH ROOM TO
PLAY WITH, AND HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO
ACHIEVE SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS FROM.

THAT LEAVES US APPROXIMATELY $3.8 BILLION FROM WHICH TO

FIND THE REMAINING SAVINGS.

OF THIS $3.8 BILLION BUDGET:

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 • ROUGHLY ONE-QUARTER GOES TO PAY FOR THE SALARIES
OF DISTRICT EMPLOYEES AT JUST THREE AGENCIES: D.C.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE METROPOLITAN POLICE
DEPARTMENT, AND FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES.
• ABOUT 25% GOES TO PAY FOR THE SALARIES OF ALL OTHER
DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.
• ANOTHER 25% IS USED TO PAY FOR THE LOCAL MATCH FOR
D.C. MEDICAID AND THE D.C. PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL
PAYMENT.
• AND THE FINAL 25% GOES TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING ELSE.

THIS ILLUSTRATES HOW DIFFICULT IT WILL BE TO SOLVE A GAP

OF OVER 10% OF THE DISTRICT’S BUDGET DURING THE NEXT TWO
YEARS, BECAUSE TRADITIONALLY, MEDICAID, PUBLIC SAFETY,
AND SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN SPARED FROM MAJOR CUTS.

WE FACE JUST AS MANY CHALLENGES WHEN WE LOOK AT THE

REVENUE SIDE OF THE LEDGER. OVER 80% OF THE DISTRICT’S
LOCAL REVENUE COMES FROM THREE SOURCES: PROPERTY TAX,
SALES TAX, AND INCOME TAX. AND AS WE’VE ALREADY SEEN,
THE ECONOMIC SLUMP WE’RE IN HAS RESULTED IN LOWER THAN
EXPECTED REVENUE.

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AND AS WE’VE ALSO SEEN IN RECENT YEARS, FEE AND FINE
INCREASES ARE NOT AN EFFECTIVE OR LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO
INCREASING THE DISTRICT’S REVENUE.

THIS MEANS THAT THE DISTRICT WOULD NOT RAISE SIGNIFICANT

REVENUE UNLESS WE TARGET ONE OR MORE OF THE MAJOR TAX
CATEGORIES.

LET ME BE CLEAR – ALL OPTIONS WILL HAVE TO BE ON THE

TABLE IF WE’RE GOING TO FIX THIS GAP IN OUR OPERATING
BUDGET.

BUT LET ME BE EQUALLY CLEAR ABOUT THIS – I KNOW THAT

TOO MANY DISTRICT FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES ARE HURTING
FROM THE RECESSION AS MUCH AS OR EVEN MORE THAN THE
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT. SO I WILL NOT ASK DISTRICT
RESIDENTS OR BUSINESSES TO PAY ONE SINGLE DOLLAR IN TAX
INCREASES WITHOUT FIRST ASSURING THEM THAT WE HAVE
SCRUBBED THE BUDGET AND FOUND EVERY LAST DOLLAR IN
SAVINGS FIRST.

AND, THAT WE CAN BE CLEAR ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF

NOT RAISING NEW REVENUE.

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CHALLENGES IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET
IF THINGS AREN’T BAD ENOUGH LOOKING AT THE OPERATING
BUDGET, THE CHALLENGES IN THE DISTRICT’S CAPITAL BUDGET
ARE PERHAPS EVEN MORE SERIOUS. SINCE 2002, THE DISTRICT’S
OUTSTANDING DEBT HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED, GOING FROM
$3.5 BILLION IN 2002 TO $7.1 BILLION IN 2010. HAD THE COUNCIL
NOT ESTABLISHED A 12% DEBT CEILING, WE WOULD LIKELY NOW
BE WELL ABOVE 12%.

WITH RECENT REDUCTIONS IN REVENUE, ABOUT $120 MILLION

WILL NEED TO BE REDUCED EACH YEAR FROM THE DISTRICT’S
ANNUAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN TO STAY WITHIN THE
DEBT CAP BY FISCAL YEAR 2014.

ADDITIONALLY, AFTER WORKING WITH THE CHIEF FINANCIAL

OFFICER, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED $44.7 MILLION OF CAPITAL FULL-
TIME EMPLOYEE/EQUIVALENTS (KNOWN AS FTE’S) AND
CONTRACTING SERVICES THAT MORE APPROPRIATELY BELONG
IN THE OPERATING BUDGET. IN FISCAL YEAR 2012, WE WILL
LIKELY SHIFT ALL OR A PORTION OF THESE FTES AND SERVICES
BACK TO THE OPERATING BUDGET, IN ORDER TO RESTORE
APPROPRIATE BUDGETING AND RELIEVE $44.7 MILLION OF
PRESSURE ANNUALLY FROM THE CAPITAL BUDGET. BUT DOING
SO WILL OBVIOUSLY ADD MORE PRESSURE TO THE GAP WE FACE
ON THE OPERATING SIDE OF THE BUDGET IN FISCAL YEAR 2012.
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TO FIX THIS, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NEEDS TO DO A BETTER
JOB OF SETTING PRIORITIES AND MAKING TOUGH CHOICES
ABOUT WHICH CAPITAL PROJECTS IT DECIDES TO FINANCE.
SIMPLY PUT, AS IS TRUE WITH ANY FAMILY OR BUSINESS FACING
TOUGH TIMES, IT’S TIME WE DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE
PROJECTS WE NEED VERSUS THE PROJECTS THAT WE WANT.

I AM GOING TO PROPOSE A FREEZE ON ALL CAPITAL PROJECTS

NOT YET UNDERWAY. I THEN INTEND TO ESTABLISH A BLUE
RIBBON PANEL OF CAPITAL EXPERTS TO MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS ON PRIORITIZING OUR CAPITAL NEEDS
WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE 12% DEBT CAP. AND, ONCE AGAIN,
I WILL ASK MAYOR WILLIAMS AND DR. RIVLIN TO ASSIST.
EXCEPTIONS TO THE FREEZE WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE-
BY-CASE BASIS.

AFTER THE BLUE RIBBON PANEL RELEASES ITS CAPITAL

FINDINGS, FISCAL YEAR 2011 CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE
CONSISTENT WITH THE PANEL’S REPORT MAY BE UNFROZEN
WITH LITTLE OR NO DELAY TO THE PROJECT’S TIMETABLE.

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CONCLUSION
IN CONCLUSION, THE FISCAL CHALLENGES WE FACE ARE
DAUNTING. AND THE DECISIONS WE ARE ABOUT TO MAKE ARE
TOUGH. AS YOUR NEXT MAYOR, I COMMIT TO ADDRESSING
THESE CHALLENGES HEAD ON. I WILL NOT USE SHORT-SIGHTED
BUDGET GIMMICKS TO PUSH THE PROBLEM OFF UNTIL LATER.
THE BUDGET THAT I PROPOSE NEXT SPRING WILL BE
STRAIGHTFORWARD AND WE WILL MAKE THE TOUGH CHOICES
THAT ARE NECESSARY TO SECURE THE DISTRICT’S FINANCIAL
FUTURE.

MANY OF THESE DECISIONS ARE GOING TO BE PAINFUL. AND LET

ME BE CLEAR UP FRONT – EVERYONE IS GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE
A HIT AND SHARE IN THE SACRIFICE. THAT’S THE ONLY WAY
WE’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP OUR CITY ON SOUND
FINANCIAL FOOTING IN BOTH THE SHORT AND LONG TERM.

THAT’S WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER,

THE PROCESS FOR DEALING WITH THE CURRENT YEAR’S BUDGET
SHORTFALL IS GOING TO BE COMPRESSED. BUT WE STILL NEED
TO HEAR FROM YOU. COME TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON NOV. 30.
SEND US YOUR COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS ON OUR WEBSITE.
HOWEVER YOU DO IT, MAKE SURE WE HEAR FROM YOU.

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AND AS WE LOOK TOWARDS NEXT YEAR’S BUDGET CRISIS, I
PROMISE TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
BY FULLY INVOLVING THE PUBLIC AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN
BUDGET DEVELOPMENT, PEOPLE NOT ONLY WILL BE BETTER
ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE TOUGH CHOICES WE ARE MAKING,
BUT THEY WILL HAVE A VOICE IN THE PROCESS. AS I’VE SAID
MANY TIMES BEFORE, THAT IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN TRULY
COME TOGETHER AS ONE CITY, IN WHICH EVERYONE HAS TO
MAKE SACRIFICES, BUT NO ONE IS TREATED UNFAIRLY.

AND WHILE WE’RE WORKING ON DEALING WITH OUR CURRENT

FISCAL CHALLENGES, WE’RE GOING TO SIMULTANEOUSLY WORK
ON GETTING OUR ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK, CREATING MORE
JOBS FOR DISTRICT RESIDENTS, AND HELPING OUR SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS SUCCEED. RECENTLY WE ANNOUNCED THAT
WE WILL HOLD A DISTRICT JOB CREATION SUMMIT ON
DECEMBER 13. IF WE HELP MORE DISTRICT RESIDENTS GET BACK
TO WORK, AND HELP MORE DISTRICT SMALL BUSINESSES THRIVE,
IT NOT ONLY HELPS DISTRICT FAMILIES, BUT WILL HELP CREATE
THE REVENUE WE NEED TO INVEST IN THE CITY’S CORE
SERVICES.

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FINALLY, LET ME SAY THIS. AS WE ENTER THIS WEEK OF
THANKSGIVING, ALLOW ME TO OFFER MY THANKS TO THE
PEOPLE OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WHO HAVE PROVEN TIME
AND AGAIN THEIR RESILIENCE AND WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE
TO HELP CREATE A GREAT CITY. AS WE PREPARE TO FACE A NEW
SET OF CHALLENGES, I KNOW THAT EVERYONE WILL STEP UP
AND DO THEIR SHARE ONCE AGAIN – AND FOR THAT, I AM
HUMBLED AND EXTEND MY PERSONAL THANKS.

IT IS THAT SPIRIT WHICH TRULY MAKES US ONE CITY.

THANK YOU.

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