DCSGP Testimony
DCSGP LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR 2005
Testimony given by Michele Tingling-Clemmons and David Schwartzman
Given to DC residents
Given on Saturday, April 9, 2005
For more information: HYPERLINK "http://dcstatehoodgreen.org" http://dcstatehoodgreen.org; 1739 Irving Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010; 202.232.1724
(This is an Agenda in process. We welcome your suggestions and critiques!)
DCSGP Legislative Agenda Committee Co-Chairs David Schwartzman and Michele Tingling-Clemmons thank the members and allies who contributed to the development and production of this document. We welcome your input and feedback.
April 2005
The DC Statehood Green Party Legislative Agenda for 2005
TAX FAIRLY, SPEND WISELY!
Any budget surplus should go to better meet essential needs of DC residents, especially of our youth. We strongly support the Budget Recommendations of Fair Budget Coalition (March, 2005). Because of impending cuts in federal assistance to all states and the District of Columbia and chronic under-funding of essential programs, especially since the Control Board regime, more funding must be provided locally. This will require modest tax increases for wealthy residents, elimination of corporate welfare including closure of loopholes, thereby insuring a sustainable revenue stream for the future as well as a fair tax burden. This will require a removal of the 4.7% budget cap imposed by the Council last year. The District does have the tax base to improve the quality of life for all its residents.
HOUSING
DCSGP JOINS EMPOWER DC, AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALLIANCE AND OTHER GROUPS IN SUPPORTING:
? Full funding of the Housing Production Trust Fund, no diversion of funds to other programs;
? Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning, requiring private residential developers constructing at least 10 units to have 7-15% affordable to low/moderate income residents that include accessible [to people with handicaps] units.
In addition DCSGP supports:
? Renewal and strengthening of Rent Control and tenant protections to 2010 and Reaffirming Tenants? Rights of First Refusal for purchase of their building;
? Indexing rent increases to cost of living/CPI, providing complete information on calculation of rent ceilings and tenant rights to challenge rent adjustments;
? Restoration of DC government-funded Tenants Assistance Program to insure no low-income tenant is cut off if federal Section 8 assistance is lost;
? A guaranteed right to shelter for all homeless individuals and families;
? Keeping homeless shelters open, until alternatives are provided; and
? Creation of an Independent Tenant Advisory Commission.
EMPLOYMENT
DCSGP supports:
? At least a $10.50/hour wage for DC workers (DC minimum wage is $6.60/hour, scheduled to rise to $7.00/hour by January 2006). At-Large Councilmember David Catania's Living Wage bill is an initiative in the right direction;
? Full enforcement requiring all government contractors/subcontractors to employ at least 51% of DC residents as its workforce;
? Full Funding for Interim Disability Assistance (IDA), $5.5 million;
? Restoration of Emergency Assistance for mortgage, rent and utility payments;
? Full funding for Child Care Vouchers (Empower DC);
? Funding that will insure a summer job/job training for all youth applying for employment and/or participating in educational programs;
? Increasing the reimbursement rates for childcare services;
? Cost of living adjustment for TANF families.
DC STATEHOOD AND EMPOWERMENT OF DC RESIDENTS
DCSGP supports:
? A District legal holiday on October 1 to rally behind DC Statehood and self-determination, Free DC!
? Voting Rights for non-citizen residents the Equitable Voting Rights Act is legislation that provides permanent taxpaying District residents the right to vote in all local elections. It would allow around 45,000 residents of DC who are not U.S. citizens to become active in local politics;
? Power of ANCs to introduce legislation to the City Council;
? Restoration of ANC budgets, stipends for ANC Commissioners;
? Give ANCs subpoena power over City Council, May, City Departments and Anacostia Waterfront Corporation;
? Access of ANC commissioners to detailed readable maps of their SMDs.
HEALTH/SUBSTANCE ABUSE
DCSGP supports:
? Full funding of HIV/AIDS prevention programs;
? Immediate action to restore a full-service public hospital at the site of DC General;
? A vigorous campaign led by our elected officials to reverse the Congressional ban on publicly-funded needle exchange program to reach all IV drug users. HIV infection is epidemic in our community and needle exchange is a proven approach to fight this epidemic (e.g., Washington Post editorial, 2/27/05). Residents carrying needles must not be targeted for arrest;
? Reduction of Drug Prices Through Compulsory Licensing/Eminent Domain Process (Catania?s bill).
Further explanation:
The measure will enable the District to join Florida and other states in using its eminent domain process to compel pharmaceutical companies to secure licenses to manufacture and sell drugs at affordable prices to District consumers. This has been developed as a strategy to combat the multi-year process wherein pharmaceutical companies have raised the prices of major maintenance medications in great need by the District's aging and vulnerable low-income population by an average of 250% without documentation of significant increased costs of producing these life-saving drugs. We support this bill in line with developing a sustainable quality health system to ensure that all residents have quality health care, regardless of ability to pay.
? Expansion of DC Healthcare Alliance eligibility from 200% of federal poverty level to 250% (Catania and Gray?s bill);
? Attendant Care Services, Consumer Direction in Elderly and Physical Disabilities and Community First, enabling people with disabilities to receive services at home;
? Drug treatment, not incarceration. Initiative 62 requiring this policy was passed by 78% of DC voters in November 2002. This approach must be implemented by our City Council;
? DC Health Care Ombudsman bill;
? Sufficient funding and capacity for substance abuse treatment for youth and caregivers with children in the child welfare system;
? Adequate funding for mental health services for children and youth to meet actual needs;
? Establishment of an official Commission (including community representation) to plan single-payer health coverage for all DC residents;
? Smoke-free DC, in restaurants, bars and all workplaces.
EDUCATION
To ensure the health and safety of our children as well as improve conditions for learning, the DCSGP recommends that the original Facilities Master Plan be implemented but at an accelerated pace so that renovations can be completed within a seven year period. The approximately 300 teacher positions that were eliminated in June 2004 should be immediately reinstated. This will ease overcrowded classrooms as well as restore eliminated school programs and electives. The After School Stars program should be immediately reinstated. The program provided much needed educational support to DC school children.
DCSGP supports:
? Full funding for our public schools; rehiring and filling teacher, janitorial staff and positions cut in recent years; and acceleration of repairs;
? Ensuring that textbooks and supplies arrive at schools BEFORE school opens in August/September.
? In-house special education by top-quality staff instead of subcontracting these programs out;
? Immediate restoration of art, music and PE into the curricula, of vocational education for 21st century employment, and restoration of a comprehensive adult education program;
? Limit maximum class size to maximum of 20 students for all grades;
? More oversight over Charter schools; better accountability of their programs and performance; and a freeze on new charters until a comprehensive assessment of this approach is done;
? Restoration of top quality in-house food service programs, positions, training and equipment instead of contracting out these services;
? Immediate restoration of a fully-elected School Board.
TAXES
PROPERTY TAXES
Several bills providing tax relief have been introduced for this session. Because of mushrooming assessments, especially in low income and working class neighborhoods, tax relief must be provided for residents, with low to moderate incomes, especially Seniors. However, we oppose caps on property tax increases for our wealthy residents, such as those proposed by Evans.
DCSGP supports:
Raising the homestead exemption to $60K (Evans bill calls for $45K, Mendelson and the Mayor?s budget calls for $60K). Capping tax increase on owner-occupied residential real property assessed at $300K or less to CPI of Greater Washington DC area, with special relief for low/middle income Seniors as proposed by Fenty/Barry. Progressively increase cap up to 25% for property assessed at $500K or above, with credit provided on DC income tax indexed to individual/family income (similar to Mendelson's bill).
Further explanation:
While we oppose tax relief for our wealthy residents, we recognize that some low and moderate income homeowners have found their assessments have grown into the high priced range, even above $500K. Thus, a mechanism to protect these homeowners should be implemented in new legislation, namely a provision for a property tax credit indexed to income level for the DC state income tax payment.
? A progressively increase on the cap on commercial and non-owner-occupied residential real property based on assessed value;
? Senior Citizens Housing Expenses Tax Relief Act of 2005 (Fenty and Barry), covering both homeowners and renters;
? Immediate implementation of Initiative 51 which would provide sunshine (open hearings) for real property tax assessment appeals. Initiative 51 was passed by 80% of DC voters in 1996 but never implemented;
? Protection of owners of limited-equity co-op housing and other related low and moderate income properties from property tax increases changing their affordability (Tax Justice Campaign).
DC INCOME AND SALES TAXES
DCSGP supports:
Raising the personal exemption and standard deduction for DC income taxes to the federal level (Catania's bill), which will provide substantial tax relief for lower/middle income individuals and families and a less regressive local tax structure. However, without a modest increase in the tax rate for wealthy residents (now at 9.0%) revenue will thereby decline instead of increasing to better meet essential needs. Child and Dependent Care Tax credit should be made refundable.
OUR ALTERNATIVE: FAIR TAXES FOR DC!
? Repeal Tax Parity which favors wealthy individuals and corporations;
? Lower sales and excise taxes on essentials (such as clothing and utilities; this is the most regressive part of our local tax burden);
? Insure the wealthy pay their fair share by raising their DC income tax rate, by basing our income taxes on the present federal structure (will also simplify filing!) thereby giving tax relief to the $50K and under bracket, while generating essential revenue to meet basic needs of our residents.
Fact: DC millionaires with a taxable income of at least $2 billion/year now pay DC taxes at a rate of 6% while low/middle income residents pay from 8-11%. Even a flat local tax structure would generate hundreds of millions more in revenue needed to offset federal cuts and better meet essential needs such as schools, affordable housing and provision of health care for all.
Mayor/Council should join campaign to get institutions like the World Bank/IMF, FANNIE MAE to pay their fair share of taxes as a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes). The Council should hold public hearings starting this session to implement this campaign.
ENVIRONMENT
The passage of the landmark Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) bill was a major step forward in bringing clean energy to District residents and to the reducing the global warming impact from our energy use. There is a lot more
to do. DC can become a model Green city with state-of-the-art sustainability in housing, transportation and energy generation.
DCSGP supports:
? Enforcement of and support for the District?s Recycling law.
? Immediate implementation of recommendations of Lead Emergency Action for the District (1/28/05), including creation of independent review of WASA's
and Washington Aqueduct's management, infrastructure, treatment practices, public outreach and operation and maintenance;
? Fueling all new city-owned buses by non-polluting natural gas.
? Reversal of the decision to reopen Klingle Road;
? $1 parking tax (parking lots/garages), with revenue designated to DC's mass transit needs;
? Banning transport of hazardous materials through the District;
? Immediate action to establish a Task Force to generate a comprehensive plan for Greening the District, by retrofitting photovoltaics, solar heating and cooling, green roofs on existing infrastructure, promoting water harvesting, thereby generating 21st century employment for District residents, reducing air and water pollution.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Extensive public testimony has been given demonstrating the decisions, needs, operations, and maintenance of the District?s two systems, Fire and EMS, require such very different analyses processes, training and equipment requiring different skills, aptitudes, and abilities. Other cities have seen fit to separate their comparable combined Fire/EMS systems, including Austin/Travis County, TX, Louisville, KY, and Pittsburgh, PA. The inequitable treatment, supply, opportunities and training of the DC EMS personnel, compared to those of the uniformed fire fighters within the combined Fire/EMS areas, along with serious demoralization of the remaining EMS staff compromises health and well-being of District residents.
DCSGP supports:
Bill #15-837 introduced to the DC City Council by Councilmember Carol Schwartz to establish the District of Columbia Emergency Medical Services Agency as a separate administrative unit to enable the EMS to benefit from the full use and management of its own funds; to control its own staff hiring and better hire District residents; to enable the EMS to benefit from particular Federal grants available for emergency medical training and supplies.
