Shutdown Deal Gives D.C. Budget Autonomy

Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray thanked congressional leaders and President Barack Obama for passing a provision freeing his city's budget from being caught up in federal politics — for another year, at least.

The compromise legislation that cleared Congress on Wednesday contained a provision allowing the city to spend its own local funds for at least another year.

“I offer thanks to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Senate DC Oversight Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.), Senate DC Oversight Committee Member Mary Landrieu (D-La.), House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), and President Obama for recognizing the District’s unique plight and that it is completely unjust for the District to be barred from spending our own local revenues during a federal shutdown,” Gray said in a late Wednesday statement.

Because of the city's unique status as a federal enclave, the city's budget — even local sales and property taxes — must be approved and appropriated through Congress.

The city weathered the shutdown — barely — by tapping a special emergency reserve fund and declaring every single District government employee essential.