April 2023 President’s Letter
Dear Members and Friends,
The last two years have unbalanced many equilibriums. It has taken a while but as in
the past we as the Federation of Community Associations of the District of Columbia
(FCADC) have righted ourselves and are moving forward with the purpose of educating
and advocating on leading civic issues affecting the District of Columbia.
Budget season is upon us. Mayor Muriel Bowser has released her $19.7 billion budget
proposal for fiscal year 2024. This budget is said to include strategic investments and a
focus on ensuring a strong and equitable comeback for DC. To get an overview and
ward-by-ward highlights, take a look at the mayor’s budget
website, https://mayor.dc.gov/page/fy-2024-fair-shot-budget.
The mayor has now released her budget to the D.C. Council that now has their chance
to review and act. D.C. Council budget hearings will be held now until April 12, 2023.
Let your voice be heard if there’s a project you want to ensure is funded. Check out the
Council calendar at https://dccouncil.gov/events/ . Hopefully, you’ll get a chance to
participate in the budget process as it is a great way to see the District government in
action.
We’ve held some informative meetings over the past two years via Zoom: Elisa
Silverman regarding Redistricting, the call for Statehood, as well as hosted an in-person
candidate’s forum at the renovated MLK Library. I mention these to ensure you do not
hesitate to forward your interests and concerns to the Federation in order for our panel
discussions to be relevant to you and all our members across the city. On the topic of
meetings and panel discussions let us know how you feel about getting back together in
person.
Finally, keep an eye out for our future events include our bi-monthly meetings (the next
is April 11 at 7:00pm), the Presidents’ Reception and Annual Holiday luncheon.
Please stay safe and healthy,
Best regards,
Phil Thomas
President