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Mendelson Seeks Referendum On D.C. Budget Autonomy
| Source: |
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WAMU Radio (DC) |
| Date: |
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Tuesday, October 2, 2012 |
| Author: |
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Patrick Madden |
Listen to the audio here
D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson is expected to introduce a referendum to let D.C. residents decide whether to give the city more say on how it spends local dollars. While the push for budget autonomy is not new, past efforts relied on working with members of Congress.
D.C.'s home rule charter prohibits the city from spending its own tax dollars without congressional approval. But a new analysis by advocacy groups DC Appleseed and DC Vote contends the District could pass a referendum changing its charter to give Congress less control over D.C.'s budget.
If the referendum passes, it would need to survive a 35-day review in Congress. Supporters believe the bill could let D.C. set its own fiscal calendar and detach from the federal appropriations process, which causes problems for D.C. when there are threats of a federal government shutdown.
Past efforts at budget autonomy have stalled because of congressional interference. If approved by the D.C. Council, the referendum would be placed on a future ballot.
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