Brian Powell and Marina Streznewski in front of the John A. Wilson Building
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“We want a budget that is fair,” said Marina Streznewski, coordinator of the DC Jobs Council and chair of the steering committee of the Fair Budget Coalition, which organized last week’s demonstration against Mayor Gray’s proposed budget cuts.
Addressing protesters outside the John A. Wilson Building, Streznewski said, “We know [the budget] has to be balanced. We know that Wall Street is watching us. We know that Congress is trying to take away what little autonomy we have. And we still want a fair budget. A budget that helps us take care of our most vulnerable neighbors and that doesn’t leave people out in the cold and that doesn’t have people go hungry.”
The DC Fiscal Policy Institute noted, “Mayor Gray’s budget proposal contains close to $190 million in cuts, most of which would fall on human services and other low-income programs. Two out of every three dollars in cuts comes from human services, even though that part of the budget makes up only one out of every four dollars overall.”
One of the safety net programs on the chopping block is Interim Disability Assistance (IDA). U.S. residents with a disability can apply for Social Security Income (SSI) benefits, but the process can take months, if not years.
IDA provides District residents with $270 a month while they wait for their SSI benefits. If approved, the federal government provides a reimbursement. All told, the District recoups approximately 40 percent of its IDA spending. The mayor’s budget proposes to eliminate the IDA’s $4 million in funding.
Brian Powell, a native Washingtonian, explained the importance of the program. “Before I got on IDA I had a good job making decent money. Got hurt on the job. Wanted to work, couldn’t work. Wish I could work now but it’s just not happening. IDA made the difference between me being homeless and destitute and not.”
“We hear on the news all the time [about] how money is being misspent at UDC, luxury vehicles being leased, squabbling over tickets for concerts and baseball games, high-priced employees that are family members, and you’re telling me that you can’t give us $270 a month? I can’t understand that.”
The D.C. Council faces a difficult choice: go along with Mayor Gray’s proposed harsh cuts or go after more revenue. If the Council chooses the former, the Fair Budget Coalition fears they could be “creat[ing] a recipe for disaster.”
“These cuts will lead to an increase in homelessness, emergency room visits, and children without support, which ultimately will weaken the District’s ability to recover from the recession. If residents are unable to access the tools that promote economic security, the District as a whole cannot flourish.”
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