Chairman Phil Mendelson

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The Official Bluesky account of DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson

In recent years, major injuries and traffic fatalities have decreased significantly across the District. H.R. 5242 threatens to take us backwards by preventing us from deploying traffic cameras and enforcing restrictions on right turns. Enactment of these restrictions will inevitably lead to more speeding, more dangerous driving, and more serious injuries on our roads. Without cameras to assist in traffic enforcement, our local police will need to spend more time on traffic safety, diverting them from other important public safety responsibilities. A ban on cameras will also short-circuit recent successes by the District’s Attorney General in holding the most dangerous drivers accountable in court. Some of these drivers have been caught on camera committing serious traffic violations hundreds of times. This ban on enforcement of right-turn restrictions will especially endanger pedestrians, many of whom are constituents of Committee members visiting from around the country.Around 85 percent of visitors to the District never drive a car here; they walk to attractions, restaurants, and events. Our restrictions on right turns have led to a decline of more than 90 percent in drivers failing to yield to pedestrians at certain intersections that have been analyzed. Banning the District from implementing pedestrian protections threatens this progress. Thank you for your interest in these issues. We hope the Committee will consider the real-world consequences of this legislation for the thousands of residents and your constituents who rely on the safety of our streets every day. We welcome the opportunity to continue a dialogue on this issue and remain committed to working with Congress to ensure that the District can continue building safer streets for all who live in and visit our nation's capital.
Disapproval would wreak havoc on tax filings already underway in the District of Columbia - in effect "changing the rules in the middle of the game." Early taxpayers would have to re-file. All instruction materials would instantly become inaccurate. It would take at least another month to correct and re-publish them. Decoupling certain provisions of the local tax code from the federal tax code will retain approximately $600 million in local dollars for the District. This is roughly the same amount that the District is being asked, by Maryland and Virginia, to pay as an increase in its contribution to the regional public transportation system, WMATA. The Council's action - decoupling - is not unique to the District. Last fall, 12 states (including Alabama, Colorado, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) decoupled from various parts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Decoupling is not the same as raising taxes. Rather, it maintains the status quo for taxpayers regarding local taxes. On the local level, nothing changes, while taxpayers may realize a reduction in their tax liability on the federal level. Congressional intervention in DC tax policy will have a negative impact on the District's bond rating. Rating agencies have explicitly cited Congressional intervention, such as last March's CR which sequestered a portion of D.C. revenues, as a negative factor that lowered the District from Triple-A. The Council's action was not meant as a rebuke or rejection of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3). Rather, it was meant to avoid local revenue losses. Of the 84 tax-related provisions in OB3, only 14 are decoupled. Adopting the disapproval resolutions will have absolutely no effect on the federal budget or federal operations. It will only hurt the District.
Shoveling & Salt *Shovel early and often, before snow becomes icy *a little salt goes a long way (just a 12oz mug covers 20 ft of concrete Protect Your Pipes *wrap pipes with insulation or newspaper if they are exposed to cold air Prep your supplies *extra food and water *warm layers, blankets *comfort items for kids like books and games. Safely Heating Your Home *Never leave a fireplace unattended *Make sure you have working smoke alarms + carbon monoxide detector *Keep items at least 3 feet away from space heaters, fireplaces + other heat sources *Never heat your home with a cooking oven or stove Calling for Help During hypothermia season, the Shelter Hotline is available 24/7. If you need help or see someone outside who needs shelter or a welfare check, please call the Shelter Hotline at 202-399-7093 or dial 311. If there is an immediate risk to safety, call 911. cold.dc.gov for info on shelters Visit snow.dc.gov or snow.dc.gov for more info
You're invited to a Meet Up with Mendo. Join DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson to chat about any and everything happening in the District. ALL residents are welcome! SATURDAY 10am-11:30am Tatte's Georgetown Location at 1545 Wisconsin Ave NW
Despite the narrative being presented by Republican sponsors, these bills will actually set back public safety in the Nation’s Capital. These bills are one more argument against Congressional interference – because scoring national, partisan points should not take precedence over what is best for the District’s public safety.
“The shutdown and subsequent threats to employees’ livelihoods by the federal government is disappointing, unfortunately unsurprising, and ultimately avoidable,” Mendelson said. “The Republicans hold control of both Houses of the Legislature as well as the Presidency. This is a problem of their own doing. “But make no mistake, the District government will continue to function. The District is well-managed and we have funds in our coffers, so we will continue operations. The federal government could learn by the example set by the District of Columbia government.”
DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson issued the following statement about today’s House vote on H.R.4922 and H.R.5140: “The bills being voted on today in the House, make the District less safe,” Mendelson said. “In the past two years, the Council has clarified laws and imposed new penalties for violating the law, including shoplifting, carjacking, strangulation, and felony endangerment with a firearm. More recently, we worked with the Mayor to establish curfews to prevent the types of large gatherings that had contributed to violence and other crimes in the past. These House bills are a completely unnecessary intrusion on the District’s ability to make and enforce our laws. “These bills will increase criminal behavior. Data shows juveniles tried as adults are more likely to re-offend than those tried in the juvenile justice system – a system built on the principles of rehabilitation through education and counseling, not punishment. Fourteen-year-olds should not be put in adult prison. “We now turn our sights on the Senate, and we will continue to meet with lawmakers on the Hill on both sides of the aisle in an effort to shut down these harmful bills that severely damage the District’s public safety.”
“Today’s House Committee markup will hurt public safety and is a direct affront to the District’s autonomy,” Mendelson said. “Lawmakers who have not been elected by District residents and have slim knowledge of District laws have no place trying to legislate for our residents. “Some of these bills are duplicative of laws already on the books here, some would grind government functions in the District to a halt, and some will increase criminal recidivism. These bills would hurt our police department, hurt our District of Columbia Public Schools, and hurt the ability of Attorney General to protect DC residents. “This is an unprecedented assault on our city. We will continue to lean on our ‘warrior on the Hill,’ Eleanor Holmes Norton, and our local allies, as we fight against this undemocratic attempt to control the District government and District residents. “Because of today’s markup, the Council will redouble our efforts to educate members of Congress so that these bills die. We all want a safe city, a beautiful city that residents and visitors – and even federal officials – can enjoy.”
“This is a manufactured intrusion on local authority. Violent crime in the District is at the lowest rates we’ve seen in 30 years. Federalizing the Metropolitan Police Department is unwarranted because there is no Federal emergency. Further, the National Guard has no public safety training or knowledge of local laws. The Guard’s role does not include investigating or solving crimes in the District. Calling out the National Guard is an unnecessary deployment with no real mission.”
“After many weeks of negotiations and work, I’m pleased that we were able to approve this legislation on first reading. This is a pivotal step toward developing the land at the RFK campus quickly and completely. At the same time, I’m pleased that we were able to vastly improve the legislation from what was introduced – so that District residents will see more benefits.”