The Committee of 100 is looking ahead to what challenges and opportunities 2025 will bring.
Early in the year, the DC Council will hold a month-long series of performance oversight hearings. The Committee of 100 plans to be an active participant in our areas of interest, holding Mayor Bowser’s Administration accountable for shortcomings and recognizing successes. The oversight hearings will be followed by hearings on the Mayor’s proposed FY2026 budget. While the budget will not be unveiled until early Spring. we anticipate that the City’s financial situation means that the budget will be tight. A large share of DC’s revenue comes from property taxes on downtown office buildings. Hardly a week goes by without news that another office building has been sold at auction for significantly less than its assessed value for tax purposes. C100 will continue to defend the safety nets, particularly in the housing area, that assist those less fortunate.
As we heard in December, WMATA’s financial status is not sustainable. C100 hopes that the region’s governments can come together with a plan to address the looming deficit and maintain service. At the same time, C100 will leverage the expertise of our members to support commuter rail as an important component of transportation infrastructure.
The Mayor’s Office of Planning is embarking on a full rewrite of the Comprehensive Plan. According to OP, the Plan will provide a long-term vision and road map for the City’s future. C100 will work to ensure that the final plan is more than a developers’ wish list. C100 will be looking for proposals that will enhance the stock of truly affordable housing and protect neighborhoods. We will also look carefully at plans to revitalize downtown. More must be done to turn downtown into a diverse community where people live and thrive.
The City was handed a win when Congress enacted legislation that will turn over control of RFK and its parking lots to the City for the next 99 years. In C100’s view, the land should be set aside for housing, especially affordable housing, and parks and recreation, not parking lots for a football stadium that will only be used for a limited number of events.
All in all, we have a challenging agenda ahead. C100 will work to collaborate with others in areas of mutual interest. We also welcome new members who can strengthen our team.
Shelly Repp
Chair, Committee of 100
chair@committeeof100.net