Budget Wins and Looking Ahead

Dear Ward 5 neighbors, 

The Council took its first vote on the FY26 budget this week, passing an important milestone in this delayed and difficult budget season. You’ve heard me detail many of the concerns I had with the Mayor’s original proposal, and while there’s still work to do before our second vote on July 28, I want to take a moment to detail some of the important wins. In Ward 5 especially, I am proud we were able to secure investments for: 

• Parks, Gardens, and Libraries
  • Maintaining funds for recreation center redevelopment and modernizations at:
    • Crummell Community Center in Ivy City
    • Langdon Park Recreation Center
    • Harry Thomas Recreation Center in Eckington
    • Brentwood Recreation Center
  • New parks at:
    • Riggs Rd and South Dakota Ave in Riggs Park/Fort Totten 
    • 19th at L St NE in Carver-Langston
  • Equipment and resurfacing needs at:
    • Joseph Cole Recreation Center playground in Trinidad
    • Langdon Park playground
    • North Michigan Park playground
    • Theodore Hagans Cultural Center HVAC system in Fort Lincoln
  • The new DC Public Library coming to the Edgewood/Eckington area
  • Community gardens, including:
    • Funds for Wangari Gardens to secure a water source, spigot, and meter
       
• Transportation
  • DDOT:
    • A new project within Vision Zero called High Injury Network Quick Delivery Projects
    • A Rhode Island Avenue capital project funded for Phase 1
    • Maintaining trails projects for the Metropolitan Branch Trail and Arboretum Bridge to Maryland Ave NE connection
    • Significantly restoring the bus priority projects budget
    • Dedicated funds to fix drainage issues on the Metropolitan Branch Trail between R St and Florida Ave NE 
    • One-time funds to plan for future H St and Benning Rd transit 
  • WMATA: 
    • NoMa Metro Station pedestrian tunnel funding restored to FY27-28 after Mayor had delayed  
       
• Education: 
  • DCPS 
    • 2025 small capital project spending plan for Ward 5 schools:
      • Langdon Classroom and Corridor Floor Replacement
      • Langdon Tile Replacement 
      • McKinley Tech Concessions Stand/Restroom
      • Phelps ACE Welcome Center Re-design 
      • Emery electrical heavy-up and new roof
    • 2026 small capital project spending plan for Ward 5 schools:
      • One-time funds to renovate Langdon Elementary School’s cafeteria and kitchen to address odor and rodent issues 
    • Modernizations: 
      • Langley modernization 2029-2030 
      • Burroughs modernization underway, funding continues
      • Bunker Hill modernization 2029-2030
    • Additional “schools first” funding for Ward 5 schools: 
      • Dunbar High School
      • Luke C. Moore High School
      • Langdon Elementary School 
  • Advanced Technical Center in Eckington: funds to renovate the first floor to allow for a partnership with a healthcare provider in the District and enable more students to be served through ATC programming
  • Funds in FY25 to close out the UDC-Backus expansion project
     
• Public Safety and Livability
  • Safe Passage in Brookland will continue 
  • Cure the Streets in Ward 5 will continue 
  • Throne Restroom extended in Alethia Tanner Park; new Throne Restroom coming to Starburst Plaza in FY26 
     
• Development
  • Fund for Rhode Island Avenue development 
  • Granting the Mayor authority to exercise eminent domain over Joe Mamo Lot (Square 3100, Lot 48) 
  • Tax abatement for McMillan parcels to ensure delivery of small format grocer and senior affordable units 
     
• Seniors: 
  • One-time funding for the Connector Card Program
  • Funding support for Senior Villages, which will help older residents to continue living safely and comfortably in their homes
  • One-time funding to support workforce development training for future senior companions with DACL’s three lead agencies