Hypotheticals— DC Budget shortfalls

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This would be the perfect time to start require entry tolls into the District for all drivers registered in other states.
Treat DC like central London or Paris. Congestion pricing baby!
MD and VA may not have to pay those camera tickets, but ain’t no escaping a toll!
Will it be expensive to implement? Yes. But it’ll pay for itself quickly.

No can do. Jurisdictions are prohibited from placing tolls on existing interstates--adding a toll to an untolled highway means either expanding capacity and tolling the new lanes only or building an entirely new interstate. Plus you can't only charge drivers from other states.

Besides, any attempt to implement NYC-style congestion pricing would be blocked by Congress. Until DC achieves budget and legislative autonomy, it's a total non-starter.

[Anonymous]

Apparently school business managers received an email from Bowser saying all hiring is frozen and no supplies can be bought for the rest of the school year (toilet paper, paper towels, copier paper, etc.)

[Anonymous]

There is a spending freeze in place at DCPS and I believe all DC government agencies but you can apply for a waiver. Not sure those items you mentioned can’t be purchased….that wouldn’t really go over well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a spending freeze in place at DCPS and I believe all DC government agencies but you can apply for a waiver. Not sure those items you mentioned can’t be purchased….that wouldn’t really go over well. [/quote

Are you new to DCPS? I’ve been at schools that NEVER buy copy paper for staff or give a single ream to each teacher for the entire year.

I’ve also been at schools that run out of toilet paper and staff brings their own. It’s a common occurrence in MS and HS that bathrooms have no toilet paper or paper towels.

This has been going on for years and has nothing to do with the current budget.

[Anonymous]

Actually, I’m not new to DCPS. I work for them. What you’re describing since it is apparently chronic at your school sounds like an issue with not spending the school based budget for those supplies appropriately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I’m not new to DCPS. I work for them. What you’re describing since it is apparently chronic at your school sounds like an issue with not spending the school based budget for those supplies appropriately.

np: Our school skimps on that stuff and begs parents for it because our budget for staff is horribly insufficient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Apparently school business managers received an email from Bowser saying all hiring is frozen and no supplies can be bought for the rest of the school year (toilet paper, paper towels, copier paper, etc.)

Our school’s business manager emailed the LSAT today to confirm that hiring is proceeding as normal, admin premium *is not* frozen, and custodial overtime *is* frozen starting next week. Non-personnel spending (supplies) is currently frozen as it is for almost all of DC Gov, but DCPS is working on getting their p-cards turned back on. This is per Patrick Ashley, Deputy Chancellor for Finance.

[Anonymous]

Basically anything anyone needs to buy in DCPS needs a very lengthy waiver process to be completed. That’s including despite the fact that it’s for budgeted items.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Basically anything anyone needs to buy in DCPS needs a very lengthy waiver process to be completed. That’s including despite the fact that it’s for budgeted items.

It's quite sad. I have a budget too but it's dependent upon receiving a paycheck. It's a miracle DC has been able to do as much as it has so far with the threat that the paycheck is not coming. Or maybe it's not a miracle. Maybe it's wishful thinking that Congress/the President will come through. Either way, as someone who works in a school, we are anxiously awaiting news of whether there will still be the same jobs or not for the upcoming school year.

[Anonymous]

The piles of public money going to build Trump’s Nazi stadium would go a long way towards fixing DCPS budget situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The piles of public money going to build Trump’s Nazi stadium would go a long way towards fixing DCPS budget situation.

DC has the money to fix DCPS's budget situation. It's just that Congress won't let us spend our own money.