By Liane Scott, on May 16th, 2012 
Don’t tell me you can’t fight city hall. Yesterday (May 15, 2012) advocates fighting to maintain and improve essential social services in the District of Columbia, packed the city council hearing room as they voted on this year’s fiscal budget. As a result, the city council passed the Budget Request Act with $25 million restored to affordable housing programs. A victory without question but more needs to be done. The final vote on the budget won’t happen until June 5, 2012. Between now and then, council members must be convinced to use fiscal reserves and/or raise more revenue to fully fund TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families), homeless services, the subsidized child care program and more. For more information on what programs still need support, which council members need to be lobbied, etc., go to the Fair Budget Coalition’s campaign website Make One City Possible.
For more on what’s at stake should the city continue to cut social services, check out the fabulous video below from the Day in the Strife protest, produced by Laura Gwizdak. I don’t know where the mainstream media was that day. The halls were packed with DC residents actively participating in the political process. Personally and professionally, I call that news.
By Liane Scott, on May 14th, 2012 On Thursday May 10, the Fair Budget Coalition sponsored A Day in The Strife, an action at the Wilson Building in protest of Mayor Gray’s proposed cuts to the city’s budget, most of which will once again fall on the backs of the poor. For details of what’s in the budget and what’s left out, a good article to read is Kesh Ladduwahetty’s Washington Post article A Tea Party Budget for D.C. The following video from a Day in the Strife highlights what’s at stake for DC residents who will be directly impacted.
By Liane Scott, on May 10th, 2012
By Guest Contributor, on May 7th, 2012 Cross-posted from the Fair Budget Coalition Facebook Page
When faced with the impossible choices that many DC residents have to make, what would DC Council members choose? Pay rent or buy groceries? Buy a metrocard to get to work or school supplies for your kids? Over the last few years the Mayor and DC Council have cut funding to safety net programs like affordable housing, homeless serivces, TANF, Child Care and more. This year millions more in cuts to these programs are on the chopping block. Meanwhile, DC residents are forced to make impossible choices to make ends meet. Join us as we fight CUTS to the safety net and show the Councilmembers what it’s really like to live in poverty. A DAY IN THE STRIFE: A Tour of Life on the Poverty Line Thursday, May 10th: 10:00am-Noon At the Wilson Building 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW Lunch will be provided Bring your ID to enter the building And BRING AN EXTRA SHOE to carry along as we tour! We want to ask Councilmembers to picture what it’s like to walk a mile in our shoes. For more information contact 202-328-1262 or makeonecitypossible@gmail.com To learn more about the campaign, visit: www.makeonecitypossible.com This event is organized by the Fair Budget Coalition @FairBudgetDC www.facebook.com/FairBudgetDC
By Liane Scott, on May 2nd, 2012 DC Youth We Want To Hear From You! If you are 21 years old or younger and want to share your opinions on what’s happening in your city, then come out & be heard! Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s Youth Town Hall Budget Meeting Saturday, May 5, 2012 | 12:00pm to 1:30pm The Charles Sumner School Museum & Archives 1201 17th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 Questions? Want to reserve a table for your organization? Contact the DC Youth Advisory Council at (202) 727-7968 or dcyac@dc.gov.
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