Earlier in March, The Senate passed the District of Columbia Local Funds Act of 2025, approving local funds for Washington, D.C. for the 2025 fiscal year while imposing a $1 billion budget cut set to take place over the course of a few months.
This bill passed on March 14, raising concerns among D.C. representatives, local officials, and Howard students, fearing it could negatively impact essential services, education and the city’s overall growth and development.
On March 10, D.C. leaders, including Mayor Muriel Bowser, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, gathered at Capitol Hill for a press conference to address the potential impact of the bill.
They called for Congress to uphold the District’s budget as previously agreed while expressing strong stances on other issues impacting residents.
The proposed budget cut comes during a time of growing demands for local government services, including public education, transportation, public safety and health care.
On March 28, President Donald Trump weighed in on the ongoing concerns about crime in Washington, D.C., with a statement posted on Truth Social.
He emphasized the need for the nation’s capital to “become CLEAN and SAFE again,” advocating for a greater police presence on the streets.
Trump called for immediate action from local and federal authorities, “The House should take up the D.C. funding “fix” that the Senate has passed, and get it done IMMEDIATELY.”
He also offered to collaborate with Bowser to address the issue but warned that if progress is not made, he would take matters into his own hands.
D.C.’s local government is heavily funded through its revenues, including local taxes, rather than federal funds.
As said by Mendelson during the press conference, the $1 billion reduction would primarily impact services that directly affect residents, businesses and visitors in the District, such as police, fire departments, public schools and transportation.
According to the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute, the proposed cuts would revert the city’s budget to 2024 levels – an amount the District cannot sustain without drastically reducing vital services.
“This would force us to reduce spending in critical areas in just six months. D.C. is not a federal agency. We are a city, county and state, and we provide direct services to the people of Washington, D.C.,” Bowser said.
Norton condemned the proposed cuts as a continuation of efforts to undermine the District’s autonomy.
“D.C. has not been treated as a federal agency for over 20 years. This move is an escalation in Republican efforts to undermine the self-governance of our residents,” she said.
Mendelson explained the cut, doubling the fiscal impact on the District in six months.
On March 26, more than 200 local organizations sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them to quickly take up the Senate bill, which would prevent the budget cut and protested in support of critical services for District residents.
The proposed changes in the draft Continuing Resolution (CR) would have severe consequences for the District of Columbia. The draft CR seeks to cut $1.1 billion from D.C.’s 2025 fiscal year general fund, primarily supported by locally generated revenues.
This would necessitate a 16 percent reduction in unspent funds, directly impacting critical services such as police, fire, emergency medical services, and education, leading to layoffs, furloughs, and hiring freezes.
Additionally, the District would be forced to cancel or reduce contracts, potentially halting essential services like security and janitorial operations at government facilities.
The budget cuts would also delay or cancel approximately $600 million in capital improvement projects, affecting infrastructure and school modernizations.
After D.C. ‘s Aaa credit rating, reviewed by Moody’s Investor Services, concluded that these cuts could lead to a downgrade, resulting in higher borrowing costs and increased financial strain on the city’s budget.
“Treating the District like a federal agency is damaging and misleading,” Mendelson said. “We operate like a state, generating and spending our funds.”
Bowser expressed confidence that the issue could be resolved through continued dialogue with Congress.
“This budget is an investment in our city’s future, and we will continue to work with our partners in the federal government to ensure that D.C. remains a strong and prosperous capital for the nation,” Bowser said.
Sara Abdelgadir, a sophomore at Howard University, majoring in international business with a minor in international affairs, expressed anxiety felt by other residents.
Originally from Montgomery County, Maryland, Abdelgadir was raised in D.C. and shared that her parents, who still work in the city, risk losing their jobs due to the budget cuts, particularly with the proposed reduction in Head Start programs.
“I am scared for what we’ll see in our future and the future of D.C. My younger sister and she’s 12. What will she do when she sees that her dreams and community are going down the drain?” she added.
Copy edited by Aniyah Genama
