No surprise here that Trump's highly-touted “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime” are poorly designed policies and are largely ineffective at helping low- and moderate-income households. Policymakers have far better alternatives to help workers in low-paying jobs: www.cbpp.org/research/fed...
What actually makes the economy strong & inclusive is investing in the workers who power the economy. The mayor's proposed budget gives workers the short end of the stick inc. cutting paid leave for medical needs and slashing Pay Equity Fund for childcare workers.
Find out more about how the Trump administration’s actions are harming DC’s economy and exacerbating racial disparities in @dcfpi.bsky.social's new report: loom.ly/8j1UpYM (5/5)
Federal cuts are likely sending DC into downturn just as both fed and DC gov’ts are cutting critical supports that help residents—especially Black and Latino families—weather financial crises, such as SNAP, TANF & Health Care Alliance (4/5)
(3/5) Trump’s deportation agenda threatens DC’s economy - immigrants are essential in caring for residents’ health, building homes and schools, caring for our children, and more – making up a large percentage in key occupations, including:
Federal workforce reductions are likely hitting Black DC residents particularly hard. Fed work has provided better opportunities for Black workers than many other industries and now this pathway to the middle class is at risk. (2/5)
By slashing the federal workforce, gutting the safety net, and deporting immigrants, President Trump and his allies in Congress are harming DC’s economy and exacerbating existing racial disparities (1/5)
Find out more about what workers in DC are experiencing and how DC policymakers can meet this challenging moment for DC's workers and redress chronic racial disparities in DCFPI's new report: loom.ly/8j1UpYM (4/4)
Now DC is facing an economic downturn because of federal layoffs and data shows us recessions hit Black and Latino residents the hardest and the harm lasts far beyond the end of recessions (3/4)
Employment is more precarious for Black and Latino workers — DC has among the highest racial unemployment disparities in the US (2/4)
Because of a long history of systemic racism, Black and Latino DC residents have worse outcomes by every employment measure — for ex. white DC workers’ median hourly wage in 2024 was almost 2x that of Black and Latino workers (1/4)
A Business Activity Tax would be good for DC, and we have the research to prove it.
If you want to learn more, check out our report! www.dcfpi.org/all/a-busine...
There are plenty more shocking data points in this report that my colleague and I spent months working on. Check it out!
On average from 2020 to 2024, nearly 41% of children in Ward 8, which is majority Black, lived below the poverty line, compared to 3.8% of children in Ward 3, which is majority white. It is clear that any discussion of child poverty in DC must center the needs of Black children and their families.
This Valentine's Day, we want to share the love —just like the 1% need to share the wealth. So, we made some cards you can send to your friends, your partners, your neighbors, or maybe even your favorite council member!
For those of you with Congressional representation, we in DC need your help!
Mass deportation will harm DC’s economy, thwart business activity, and take a devastating toll on immigrant families and communities. Read our latest report, written in partnership with the Immigration Research Initiative:
https://loom.ly/kCuv1XU
As the mayor and DC Council create a spending plan for FY27, they must restore & strengthen funding for programs that help struggling residents meet their basic needs & address deep, chronic racial inequities. Read our recs for the FY27 budget: https://loom.ly/OsIDt_E
DC finished out 2025 with an unemployment rate of 6.7% for Dec. That's a 1.4 percentage pt increase from Dec 2024 and the highest rate since Aug 2021 (during the pandemic), showing the toll of federal layoffs and other federal attacks on DC.
Long-delayed unemployment numbers for DC are out and the 6.2% unemployment rate is nearly a full percentage point higher than in December 2024 - showing clearly the toll that Trump's slashing of the federal workforce is having on DC.
If you live in a 2 to 4-unit building or a building that was built after 2011, the DC council has just taken away your Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) rights via today’s vote on the RENTAL Act.
Mayor Bowser's economic growth strategy has failed to reduce poverty. New Census data show an increase in DC's poverty rate to 17.3% in 2024 (from 14% in 2023) and a continued extreme racial wealth gap with Black DC residents having just 1/3 the median household income of white residents.
STATEMENT FROM COUNCILMEMBER ROBERT WHITE: URGENT CALL TO END FEDERAL OCCUPATION IN D.C.
The beauty and nightmare of DC in August 2025 all encpsulated in a few minutes.
That dystopian moment was followed a few minutes later by a beautiful moment in which another woman and I stopped to help a man who had tripped. After, she thanked me for stopping and I thanked her. I said that now more than ever we have to take care of each other, which she heartily agreed with.
Just 3 armed National Guard soldiers from South Carolina guarding that national treasure, Krispy Kreme in Dupont Circle. #freedc
(4/4) It's clear Tr**p's deployment of federal agents and national guard troops and MPD takeover have nothing to do with a supposed crime wave. It's all about intimidation, control, terrorizing immigrants and people of color, and showing people in other cities just what he can get away with.
(3/4) In the 30 minutes I was there, I saw the, I repeat, FOUR agents chit chatting and laughing with each other, getting coffee, taking a picture with a passerby, and chatting up a couple walking their dog. Even they know this assignment is BS.
(2/4) Here's a rundown of the sus stuff going down in the circle then - people walking their dogs, families pushing kids in strollers, people eating ice cream, a group of friends talking, some bikers passing through, and people playing chess. You know, stereotypical hard core drug traffickers. 😏
(1/4) Update from occupied DC - last night there were 4 DEA agents in Dupont Circle around 8pm keeping the fountain safe or something, idk. #freedc