Rallying for Referendum 8: Congress has shown that D.C. must pass D.C. budget autonomy

Opinion: As the citizens of our nation's capital prepare to head to the polls once more, there are two very important items in the upcoming April 23 special election. It is no secret that the voters of the District of Columbia have a rather bad turnout for special elections. This time, however, we have doubled the reasons why it is critical to change that abysmal record. While I will let others orate and/or write about the various candidates for the D.C Council, as a longtime District resident I hope you, your friends and neighbors will join the ongoing fight for self-determination by voting to amend the Home Rule Charter via Referendum 8 and support local budget autonomy. Allow me to explain the District's arcane budget approval system. Our Council passes a budget in June, but it then must be sent to Capitol Hill. There the 535 mandarins of questionable moral certitude and economic wisdom have us at their mercy. Our budget can linger for months on the authority to spend our money on critical city programs and services. ... (more)

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