The fight over D.C.’s budget continues after Mayor Muriel Bowser failed to sign the city’s annual spending plan into law, a move that has delayed the launch of two new sports betting apps.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser visits the D.C. Emergency Operations Center in Washington, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, and speaks before President Joe Biden. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)(AP/Evan Vucci) District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser visits the D.C. Emergency Operations Center in Washington, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, and speaks before President Joe Biden. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)(AP/Evan Vucci)
The battle over Washington’s budget continues after Mayor Muriel Bowser failed to sign the city’s annual spending plan into law, a move that has delayed the launch of two new sports betting apps.
Governor Bowser sent the $21 billion budget bill passed by the Legislature back to the Legislature on Tuesday, but stopped short of vetoing it outright.
In a letter to D.C. Council Speaker Phil Mendelsohn, Bowser wrote that she could not support a “budget that unnecessarily raises residents’ property and income taxes, increases paid family leave taxes to unprecedented levels, and harms our public schools.”
She criticized the proposed repeal of tax cuts earlier this year and said new tax increases were “unsustainable.”
The Legislature passed a new “mansion tax” on single-family homes and condominiums valued at more than $2.5 million. These homes are taxed at the regular rate of 85 cents per $100 of assessed value up to $2.5 million, then $1 per $100 of assessed value above that.
In his letter, Bowser suggested the city council should instead take more time over the summer break to identify waste and cut even more services to save money.
Because he did not sign the bill, two sports betting apps, Bet MGM and Caesar’s, cannot yet launch in D.C. They were scheduled to launch on Monday, and their approval to operate in D.C. was tied to the bill.
In response to the letter, Mendelson wrote, “The final budget proposal has received very little criticism from across the community. Only the Mayor seems to be still upset. Is the Mayor, with his critical letter, once again calling for the Council to take note of and intervene in our community’s issues?”
The budget that was passed included significant cuts to the DC Circulator bus service, as well as provisions to build a youth recreation center on the RFK Stadium site and funding for a new prison.
Even if the budget remains unsigned, it will go into effect after 30 days of council review. If the council rejects the budget, the city council and mayor will have to draft a new budget.
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