Half Billion Dollar Shortfall

[Anonymous]

Fenty is leaving the city with a 480 million dollar shortfall. What did he do with all the money. Heck, when Sharon Pratt Kelly was kicked out of the mayor seat, she only left a 331 million dollar deficit. That also led to a control board takeover. So my question to long time DC residents who have followed the politics hour, do you think the new republican congress will appoint another control board because of this half billion dollar deficit. I think it was Newt Gingrich congress that appointed the first control board.

[Anonymous]

I don't follow DC politics closely, but is this somehow out of line with all the other local governments across the country facing huge deficits? MoCo had a $1 billion deficit last year and I think it's about $300 million this year (so far). Also the original federal stimulus plan is over. It was meant only for FY10 and FY11. FY12 is going to be very painful for a lot of local governments, particularly in education.

In other words, is it really Fenty, or is it just the economy itself?

[Anonymous]

Congress cannot implement a control board to run MoCo. It can appoint a control board to run the District of Columbia. In the council hearings of December 7, 2010, more than one council member lamented that DC's financial crisis was headed toward another control board takeover.