Washington, DC – On Wednesday, February 21, at 6:30 pm, Mayor Muriel Bowser will kick off her Administration’s annual series of Budget Engagement Forums. For the fourth year in a row, the forums will give residents the opportunity to share their values and priorities with the Mayor before the fiscal year 2019 budget is finalized. The Mayor will host three forums and all are open to the community and media.
Since launching the Budget Engagement Forums in 2015, Mayor Bowser has used public feedback to make key budget decisions, directing unprecedented investments toward affordable housing, ending homelessness, supporting public schools, and creating more employment opportunities for DC residents.
“This year, we kicked off our budget engagement forums by hearing from seniors on a telephone town hall, and now, we look forward to hearing from even more Washingtonians,” said Mayor Bowser. “Through these forums, my team and I are able to hear directly from District residents – before the budget is finalized – about their budget ideas and priorities. I always look forward to this time of year because the budget engagement forums are a lively experience and a tremendous opportunity for Washingtonians to come together to discuss their experiences and vision for our city.”
The Budget Engagement Forums are scheduled for Wednesday, February 21 at the University of the District of Columbia, Thursday, February 22 at Watkins Elementary School, and Saturday, February 24 at Kramer Middle School. Residents can go to engagement.dc.gov to learn more about how to get involved in the budget process and to play the DC Budget Challenge.
At the forums, residents will receive an overview of the current budget environment, hear from other residents about their priorities, and participate in small group discussions about how the Mayor should allocate funds.
What:
Budget Engagement Forum #1
When:
Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at 6:30 pm
Who:
Mayor Muriel Bowser
Administration Officials
Where:
University of the District of Columbia (Student Center)
4200 Connecticut Avenue, NW
*Closest Metro: Van Ness-UDC Metro Station*
What:
Budget Engagement Forum #2
When:
Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 6:30 pm
Who:
Mayor Muriel Bowser
Administration Officials
Where:
Watkins Elementary School
420 12th Street, SE
*Closest Metro: Eastern Market Metro Station*
What:
Budget Engagement Forum #3
When:
Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 10 am
Who:
Mayor Muriel Bowser
Administration Officials
Where:
Kramer Middle School
1700 Q Street, SE
*Closest Metro: Anacostia Metro Station*
(Shuttle services will be provided starting at 9 am from Anacostia Metro Station to Kramer Middle School.)
Press interested in attending the event are asked to RSVP to [email protected]. To view the event online, visit mayor.dc.gov/live or tune in on Channel 16 (DCN).