Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  From the streets of Ward 5 to the halls of Congress, this week has been full of all the ways we're pushing back together against federal overreach. On Tuesday evening at the intersection of Florida Ave & North Capitol St, we protested together to say, "Enough!" and "No more!" to the surge…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  Last night, hundreds of you joined for our Ward 5 Town Hall on Federal Overreach. It was a reminder to me of how invested our community is in looking out for one another and resisting this moment of authoritarian intrusion on local government.  The call to action in this moment is…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  What's happening in our city right now is not about crime, and it's important that we properly frame this moment. We must resist the normalization of federal troops patrolling our neighborhood streets and the characterization that the District is in an emergency requiring federal overreach into our local affairs.  Keep reading the newsletter here

August 15, 2025 Dear Ward 5 neighbors, I know many of you are rightfully concerned for our city in this moment. On Monday, President Trump issued executive orders invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, a provision that permits the president to request the services of the Metropolitan Police Department for federal…

I've been huddling for much of this week with elected officials from around the country to discuss education policy as part of the Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows program. District students are top-of-mind for me, and I have deeply appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with other policy-makers on strategies for helping our students succeed.   As summer starts to wind down and we get…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  It would be hard to imagine a busier week on the Council than the one we just wrapped up. From our second budget vote on Monday that lasted nearly 8 hours, to two days of RFK redevelopment hearings that stretched late into the night, to today's vote on the redevelopment deal, we tackled massive issues and…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  The Council is about to head into a busy week where we will face big decisions. On Monday, we will take our second vote on the FY26 budget. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we are holding public hearings on the RFK Campus Redevelopment Act of 2025. And just yesterday, Chairman Mendelson announced that the Council will hold its first…

Read Original Notice of Intent to Move Amendments Here Read LBA Amendment Here Read BSA Amendment Here Council of the District of Columbia OFFICE OF WARD 5 COUNCILMEMBER ZACHARY PARKER Memorandum                 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004     TO:                 Chairman Phil Mendelson FROM:          Councilmember Zachary Parker RE:                 Notice of Intent to Move Amendments at the July 28 Legislative…

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…

Dear Ward 5 neighbors,  The Council takes up its first of two votes on the FY 2026 budget this coming Monday. On Thursday, I shared with my colleagues my perspective about the work ahead of us during our final deliberations, and today I want to share my thinking directly with you as well.  The FY 2026 budget is one…