End of Tenure Report

Dear Resident,

Letters like this one are never easy to write because I hate to say goodbye and ending my time on the Council representing you is bittersweet. Over the last eight years we have all worked together to build a better District of Columbia through smart public policy and strong community engagement. We have made historic progress in my tenure as your At-Large Councilmember, fundamentally changing how our schools support and prepare students for academic and personal success, how our families balance their work and home lives, and how our government and elections operate more ethically.

In this final report, my staff and I thought it would be good to highlight much of what we have accomplished together since I was first sworn in. Your engagement and support have resulted in meaningful victories in every area we have worked including education, good government, health, human services, criminal justice reform, human rights, racial equity, and supporting the arts, humanities, and culture of the District of Columbia.

When I kicked off my first campaign in September 2011, I ran with the intention of only serving two terms. I have always believed at my core that holding the same seat for too long is not always what is best for the office, for the institution, or for Democracy. I am saddened that my time on the Council is coming to a close, but I am excited to keep my promise and pass the baton to the next crop of progressive leaders. There is so much that I had hoped to accomplish which now falls to them, including the woman you just elected to fill my seat, Councilmember Christina Henderson.

All of what is left to be done is now even more complicated as the city attempts to recover from this horrible pandemic that has hit our most vulnerable residents hardest. Please stay safe, wear a mask, and continue to believe in science.

Thank you for putting your trust in me over the last eight years.

Sincerely,

David Grosso

At-Large Councilmember

Chairperson, Committee on Education

Council advances a public health approach to opioid crisis in D.C.

For Immediate Release:
November 17, 2020

Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us

Council advances a public health approach to opioid crisis in D.C.

Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso on today’s passage on first reading of the Opioid Overdose Treatment and Prevention Omnibus Amendment Act of 2020, which includes portions of Councilmember Grosso’s Safe Access for Public Health Amendment Act of 2017:

“The District of Columbia, like jurisdictions across the country, faces an opioid crisis that has claimed the lives of hundreds D.C. residents–over 80 percent of whom were Black. The ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency has only made this crisis worse. For too long, we as a society have attempted to end problematic drug use through criminalization. The War on Drugs has failed. Rather than any meaningful reduction in personal drug use, we instead see overdoses, racist mass incarceration, and increased spread of infectious diseases.

“The passage of the Opioid Overdose Treatment and Prevention Omnibus Amendment Act of 2020 brings the District of Columbia closer to completely abandoning that model in favor of a harm reduction and public health approach. In addition to providing greater access to lifesaving naloxone, it ends the criminalization of drug paraphernalia possession for individuals and community-based health organizations. This small but important step will add to the already successful harm reduction policies we have enacted, reduce unnecessary and counterproductive interactions with the criminal justice system, and save lives. 

“There is much more D.C. can do.  Improving access to the District’s medical marijuana program can reduce prescriptions of opioid painkillers. Safe injection sites can prevent overdoses and connect individuals with treatment. We must also take a serious look at how drug criminalization drives users away from society and further from the medical help they need. I hope that the next Council continues moving these issues forward to protect the health and safety of all our residents, especially the most marginalized in our communities.”

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Ahead of Latina Equal Pay Day, Grosso re-introduces bill to address the gender and racial pay gap in D.C.

For Immediate Release:
October 29, 2020
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.724.8105 - mnocella@dccouncil.us

Ahead of Latina Equal Pay Day, Grosso re-introduces bill to address the gender and racial pay gap in D.C.

Washington, D.C. – In advance of Latina Equal Pay Day, Councilmember David Grosso re-introduced legislation yesterday to address the persistent pay inequities that women, especially women of color, experience in the District of Columbia.

“Leaving a job that is unfairly compensating you is no guarantee that your pay will be much better when employers make job offers based on previous, deflated wages. We can break that cycle,” Grosso said.

The Fair Wage Amendment Act of 2020 would prohibit employers in the city from requesting information about a prospective employee’s salary and benefit history before an employer makes a job and compensation offer. This would help to end a practice that perpetuates the wage gap.

The introduction comes as advocates recognize today, October 29, as Latina Equal Pay Day. The day signifies the day in the new year when the pay of Latina workers amounts to that of white, non-Hispanic men from the previous year. Latinas typically earn only 55 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men and must work nearly 23 months to earn what white men earn in 12 months.

“Closing the wage gap is not just a gender equity issue,” Grosso said. “The disparities that Black, Latina, and other women see in their paychecks compared to their white peers makes this a racial justice issue.”

According to the National Women’s Law Center, women in the U.S. who work full-time, year-round are typically paid only 82 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts. As a result, women earn $10,157 less per year, leaving them and their families shortchanged. The pay gap is even wider for women of color who earn even less and must work far into the following year to make the amount that their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts earn.

Black, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women typically make only 63 cents for every dollar paid to their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts, whereas for Native American women it is 60 cents. As of now, the wage gap translates into an annual loss of approximately $24,110 for Black women, $29,098 for Latinas, and $24,656 for Native American women.

“Equal pay for equal work is a simple concept. Yet, even in D.C., the wage gap that women experience persists.”

Councilmember Grosso first introduced this legislation in 2016.

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Councilmember Grosso responds to letter from CFSA's Director following the introduction of ABLE account legislation

On September 11, 2020, Brenda Donald, Director of the Children and Family Services Agency (CFSA) sent a letter of follow-up questions to Councilmember Grosso following his introduction of the ABLE Accounts for Youth in the Care Amendment Act of 2020 and The Overpayment of Benefits Amendment Act of 2020 on July 31, 2020.

Included in the letter are questions regarding youth eligibility and clarification of CFSA’s responsibilities regarding overpayment and ABLE account

Councilmember Grosso has since responded and you can find the questions and responses below and here.

Letter to Councilmember Grosso Regarding the ABLE and the Overpayment of Benefits Bills September 11 2020 - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. Letter to Councilmember Grosso Regarding the ABLE and the Overpayment of Benefits Bills from CFSA

COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING 31350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004 David Grosso Committee Member Councilmember At-Large Government Operations Chairperson, Committee on Education Health Human Services Labor and Workforce Development September 38, 2020 Brenda Donald Director Child and Family Services Agency 200 | Street, S.E.

Councilmember Grosso applauds Superintendent Kang’s service to the District of Columbia

For Immediate Release
September 16, 2020

Contact
Matthew Nocella, mnocella@dccouncil.us, 202.286.1987

Councilmember Grosso applauds Superintendent Kang’s service to the District of Columbia

Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso regarding State Superintendent Hanseul Kang’s decision to step down from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education next month:

“In my time as chairperson of the Committee on Education, I have had the pleasure of working closely with Superintendent Kang and I have appreciated her depth of knowledge and candor. She has provided steady leadership at OSSE for the last five and a half years and brought the agency into a new era, improving its responsiveness, results, and reputation. The departure of Superintendent Kang is a significant loss for the District of Columbia’s education sector.

“I appreciate her service to the District and wish her luck in her new endeavor. Her commitment and her experience will be invaluable to those that hope to improve education for countless students across the United States.”

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Councilmember Grosso's FY2021 Budget Victories

On July 28th, the Council finalized a budget that was crafted in the face of devastating economic impacts brought on by a global pandemic.

As chairperson of the Committee on Education for nearly six years, Councilmember Grosso’s number one priority has always been to ensure that our schools have the resources they need to improve learning for all residents across the District of Columbia. 

Below are the budget highlights for fiscal year 2021, which represents the fourth straight budget of increased investments in our schools and a continuation of Grosso’s work to replace the school-to-prison pipeline with school environments that make our students feel safe, loved, and valued.
 
Education Investments

1. Maintains the 3 percent increase in per student funding marking the fourth straight budget cycle of growing education investments, with additional funding students at risk of academic failure.

2. Ends Metropolitan Police Department’s management of the security services contract for D.C. Public Schools in favor of DCPS managing it directly, and reinvests costs savings into our students’ social-emotional learning.

3. Enacts and fully funds Grosso’s School Expenditure Transparency Amendment Act which provides the public a clearer understanding of how both traditional public and public charter schools expend public dollars, as well as require greater transparency from charter schools by making them subject to the Open Meetings Act.

4. Provides $3.2 million to offer students the school-based mental health resources they need to achieve academic success.

5. Supports the social, emotional, and positive behavioral health of our students with additional investments in grants from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to support positive school climate and trauma-informed emotional services.

6. Ensures more students are reading at grade level by third grade with an additional $900,000 at OSSE for the successful early literacy intervention grant programs, continuing Grosso’s steadfast support for the program.

7. Additional $5 million in child care center subsidies.

8. Improves D.C. libraries with $4.2 million to D.C. Public Library for collections in advance of the grand re-opening of the renovated Martin Luther King, Jr. Central Library and to maintain staff and hours at neighborhood branch libraries. $1 million for general improvements across the D.C. Public Library system, including moving up the planning for the Chevy Chase Library modernization and preserving the funding that Grosso requested for the Parklands-Turner standalone branch library.

Community Investments

1. Invests $5 million in community-based mental health service organizations allowing them to support our residents behavioral health needs while expanding school-based mental health work.

2. Fully funds the Strengthening Reproductive Rights Amendment Act to add protections for reproductive health freedom and abortion rights to the D.C. Human Rights Act.

3. Redirects over $500,000 to the Office of Human Rights for additional staff to clear the years-long backlog of discrimination and hate crimes investigations at the Office of Human Rights and restore the Bullying Prevention Coordinator.

4. Supports LGBTQ young adults experiencing homeslessness with $600,000 for transitional housing

5. Creates a study of D.C. government practices in hiring, retaining, and promoting transgender people, co-authored with Councilmember Robert White, including recommendations for how to improve and be a model for other employers.

6. Supports Councilmember Allen’s amendment continuing combined reporting for corporate income which raises $7.4 million for increased investments in school-based mental health, violence interruption, funding for excluded and undocumented workers,local rent supplement vouchers, and emergency rental assistance.

7. Approves Councilmember Trayon White’s amendment to lower the threshold for the estate tax raising $1.8 million to invest in violence interruption, school based mental health, and mentoring grants for at-risk middle school youth.

8. Approves Councilmember Nadeau’s amendment to end high tech incentives and raise $17 million for greater investments in school-based mental health, health care access, permanent and temporary housing supports, early childhood center grants, and homeless outreach.

 
Other Budget Highlights

1. Funds the complete implementation of the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act–introduced by Councilmembers Grosso and Silverman–by investing in enforcement at the Office of Human Rights  to hold employers accountable and investing in navigators to help both employers and employees understand the tapestry of leave laws in the District of Columbia.

2. Permanently ends the celebration of Columbus Day in the District of Columbia in favor of honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

3. Reverses Mayor’s cuts to violence interruption and increased the grants as well as the Pathways Program created by the NEAR Act, while reducing the MPD budget.

4. Reverses Mayor’s cuts to homeless outreach and prevention programs and added 50 units of permanent supportive housing for individuals.

5. Maintains Mayor’s investments in TANF, Medicaid local match, and D.C. Healthcare Alliance to cover expected increased reliance on safety net programs as a result of the pandemic and economic downturn.

6. Reverses Mayor’s cuts to Emergency Rental Assistance Program and increased it by over $5 million.

7. Creates a new $9 million fund for excluded workers.

Washington Football Team’s name retirement is a win for activists

For Immediate Release
July 13, 2020

Contact
Matthew Nocella, mnocella@dccouncil.us, 202.286.1987

Washington Football Team’s name retirement is a win for activists

Washington, D.C. – Councilmember David Grosso released the following statement regarding the announcement by the Washington Football Team that they would end the use of its name, a dictionary-defined racial slur, and racist logo:

“I am overjoyed at the Washington Football Team’s commitment to end their use of a racial slur for the team’s name and racist imagery for its logo and mascot. No longer will Native Americans be dishonored and disrespected every Sunday, every time a news outlet reports on that name, or every time a fan dons their apparel.

“A lot of praise will be lavished on the corporate sponsors who finally began to speak up and threaten Dan Snyder’s bottom line. But, there are so many Native individuals and groups and their allies who have been fighting for this change for decades and whose hard work and dedication deserve recognition. Suzan Harjo, Amanda Blackhorse, Crystal Echo Hawk, David Glass, Ray Halbritter, the National Congress of American Indians, Kevin Gover at the National Museum of the American Indian, Rebrand Washington Football and anyone who stood up and spoke out against this nearly 90 year injustice. They made a demand and those in power have finally conceded. This is their moment.

“Over the years I have had the honor of meeting with them, protesting with them, delivering petitions with them, and doing what I could to put the pressure on the team from the Council of the District of Columbia. I thank them all for allowing me to be a part of this movement and for never taking ‘NEVER’ as an answer.”

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Chief Newsham has to go

For Immediate Release:
July 9, 2020
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, mnocella@dccouncil.us, 202.286.1987

Chief Newsham has to go

Statement of At-Large Councilmember David Grosso

Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso regarding the letter he sent to Mayor Muriel Bowser formally requesting her to relieve Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham of his position:

“Police impunity has persisted for too long, including right here in the District of Columbia. Earlier this week, the Council took what I hope is only a first step into reforming, reimagining, and ultimately dismantling the police department as we know it today. The Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 is an effort to hold individual police officers more accountable for their misconduct than we have in the past. However, D.C. has needed a culture shift at the Metropolitan Police Department for years now, one that requires us to demand more accountability of the police leadership that enables this misconduct. In order for D.C. to move forward on this reform, Chief Newsham needs to go.

“Chief Newsham has regularly engaged in an adversarial, rather than collaborative, relationship with the Council, even on piecemeal reforms. If we were to judge the bill and annual budget the Council passed based on the reaction of the Chief of Police, as well as the mayor, you would think we were firing half the officers in the city. The Chief has insulted the Council, Councilmember Allen in particular, and implied that this bill will increase crime and police brutality. A less generous reading of his comments may view them as threats.

“The recent demonstrations on our streets are a direct response to policing not only in the United States, but specifically about how MPD is managed and conducts itself in the District of Columbia. As I wrote to the Mayor, Chief Newsham pushes an outdated tough on crime approach to policing that results in violence and harassment of untold numbers of people, mostly Black, across our city. Meanwhile, crime keeps increasing. He has been responsible for thousands of illegal arrests and has cost our city millions in settlements. He has shown his contempt for protestors from Pershing Park to the 2017 Inauguration to Black Lives Matter Plaza, where he continues to direct police to attack demonstrators, using tear gas and violence in direct contradiction of the law we passed just weeks ago.

“While I noted many of these problems when the Chief was first appointed, and I voted against him, I hoped I would be proven wrong. All of the evidence, including this week’s credible revelation that he has misrepresented MPD’s involvement in the June 1 police attack on protestors, shows that, unfortunately, I was not. With whatever shred of confidence I had left for him now squandered, the time has come for new leadership at MPD.”

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You can read the letter to the Mayor here and below:

Letter to Mayor Bowser Re MPD Chief by Team_Grosso on Scribd

Paid family leave benefits start July 1 in D.C.

For Immediate Release:
June 26, 2020
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, mnocella@dccouncil.us, 202.286.1987

Paid family leave benefits start July 1 in D.C.

Washington, D.C. – Councilmember David Grosso released the following statement regarding the Chief Financial Officer’s certification of sufficient funds to begin the payout of benefits on July 1, 2020 under the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act, which Councilmember Grosso introduced along with Councilmember Elissa Silverman:

“This is monumental. Today’s certification by the CFO finally makes universal paid family leave a reality in the District of Columbia and creates an economy that works for both residents and businesses alike. No longer will working families in D.C. be forced to make the difficult choice between earning a paycheck or caring for a new family member or ailing loved one. Businesses across the District now have a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining highly qualified employees with a progressive benefit that they can offer to every employee  at a fraction of the cost of providing it themselves.

“I want to thank Councilmember Elissa Silverman for her partnership in introducing this bill and her tenacious oversight of its implementation. I also greatly appreciate the hard work of Department of Employment Services Director Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes and the advocacy efforts of the D.C. Paid Leave Coalition, the National Partnership for Women and Families, Family Values @ Work, and others in articulating the need for paid family leave in the District of Columbia.  We would not be where we are today without all of their incredible work.”

Under the program employees who have a child through birth, adoption, foster care or other legal placement will be eligible for up to eight weeks of paid leave.  It also provides up to six weeks of paid leave to D.C. workers to care for a family member experiencing a serious health condition, and up to two weeks for a personal serious health condition. Workers will be able to receive up to 90 percent of their wages in those periods, capped at $1,000 per week.

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Grosso proposes budget that maintains D.C.’s growing investments in education

For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2020
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, mnocella@dccouncil.us, 202.286.1987

Grosso proposes budget that maintains D.C.’s growing investments in education

Washington, D.C. – Today, Councilmember David Grosso, chairperson of the Committee on Education, circulated the committee’s draft fiscal year 2021 budget report that maintains increased funding for the District of Columbia’s students, fosters positive and supportive learning environments, and provides the public with greater transparency in the use of public dollars in the education sector.

The proposed 3 percent increase in per student funding is maintained in Grosso’s report, marking the fourth straight budget cycle of growing education investments.

“The ongoing public health emergency has hit the District’s economy hard and our students harder,” said Grosso. “As D.C. begins to recover, we have an obligation to students, especially Black and Latinx students and those who are economically disadvantaged, to continue the trend of increasing investments in the academic growth and emotional well-being of our students.”

In the report, Grosso recommends ending the Metropolitan Police Department’s management of the  security services contract for D.C. Public Schools in favor of DCPS managing it directly. 

“In the wake of police killings of unarmed Black Americans, the District of Columbia, along with the rest of the nation, is re-examining the role of police in all aspects of our lives, including in our children’s schools. The safety of our students is a priority but our current staffing of schools indicates that we are more interested in policing our students than we are in ensuring their academic success or supporting their mental and behavioral health,” said Grosso. “After discussions with many school leaders and students, I believe our students’ safety can better be provided for by DCPS–whose primary mission is the academic success and social-emotional development of our young people–without MPD’s involvement.”

The Committee is also set to recommend enactment and full funding of his School Expenditure Transparency Amendment Act, which would provide the public a clearer understanding of how both traditional public and public charter schools expend public dollars, as well as require greater transparency from charter schools by making them subject to the Open Meetings Act.

 “Over the past several years, there has been significant confusion around funding for both DCPS and charter schools,” Grosso said. “This has raised many questions from the public and elected officials about annual school funding cuts and increased calls for more transparency from both sectors. Enacting these provisions through the budget will provide the public and policymakers a more transparent way to digest and engage with how the District of Columbia funds schools.”

Other investment highlights from the Committee report include:

• Supports the social, emotional, and positive behavioral health of our students: The committee is making additional investments in grants from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to support positive school climate and trauma-informed emotional services.

• Ensures more students are reading at grade level by third grade: The committee invested an additional $900,000 at OSSE for the successful early literacy intervention grant programs, continuing Grosso’s steadfast support for the program.

• $1.4 million in early childhood development subsidies.

• Improving D.C. libraries: As D.C. Public Library prepares to celebrate the opening of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Central Library, the committee is investing $1 million for general improvements  across the D.C. Public Library system as well as moving up the planning for the Chevy Chase Library modernization. The committee also preserved the funding that Grosso requested for the Parklands-Turner standalone branch library which was included in the mayor’s proposal. 

The Committee on Education received virtual, written, and voicemail testimony from over 330 individuals despite the ongoing public health emergency and modified Council budget process. 

“I want to thank everyone who provided testimony to the Committee on Education. The input you provided on school-based mental health, school safety, and more have been invaluable. Your involvement holds us accountable and drives the Committee to make equitable decisions for our students and schools.

“I also want to thank students, caregivers, educators, and administrators for their dedication to distance learning during the pandemic. These are unprecedented and uncertain times but I know that everyone is continuing to work together to set our students up for success.”

The Committee on Education will consider the budget report tomorrow, Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 2:30 pm via virtual meeting platform.

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Report and Recommendations of the Committee on Education on the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget for Agencies Under Its Purview

Today, June 24, 2020, Councilmember David Grosso, Chairperson of the Committee on Education released the draft Report and Recommendations of the Committee on Education on the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget for Agencies Under Its Purview.

You can now access the documents below:

• Draft FY21 Budget Report

• Proposed Budget Support Act subtitles

The Committee on Education will mark-up the District of Columbia FY21 Budget on Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 2:30 p.m.

Councilmember Grosso files resolution to disapprove school security contract administered by MPD

For Immediate Release:
June 19, 2020
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, mnocella@dccouncil.us, 202.286.1987

Councilmember Grosso files resolution to disapprove school security contract administered by MPD

Washington, D.C. – Councilmember David Grosso, chairperson of the Committee on Education, today filed a resolution to disapprove D.C. Public School’s security contract with Security Assurance Management, Inc. which is administered by the Metropolitan Police Department.

“The District of Columbia, along with the rest of the nation, is re-examining the role of police in all aspects of our lives, including in our children’s schools. Currently, DCPS has one counselor for every 408 students. It has one psychologist for every 402 students and has one DCPS hired social worker for every 217 students. On the other hand, there is 1 security officer or special police officer for every 129 students. To me it appears as if we are more interested in policing our students than we are in ensuring their academic success,” said Grosso. “I am in active conversations with education leaders on how we move schools forward and better utilize the funding for this contract to invest in and support our students. The disapproval resolution allows the Committee on Education and the Council to continue those conversations throughout the remainder of the budget process.”

Councilmembers Robert White and Charles Allen, both members of the Committee on Education, along with Councilmembers Brianne Nadeau and Kenyan McDuffie, joined Grosso in introducing the disapproval resolution.

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Councilmember Grosso to offer amendments to demilitarize and reduce MPD

For Immediate Release:
June 8, 2020
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, mnocella@dccouncil.us, 202.286.1987

Councilmember Grosso to offer amendments to demilitarize and reduce MPD

Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso who will offer several amendments to the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 that will begin the demilitarization and reduction of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in the wake of sustained protests in the District of Columbia and across the globe: 

“The past few weeks were another painful moment in the long history of white supremacy and police brutality that have plagued our nation since its founding. The protests in cities across the world have called out for police reform and I applaud Councilmember Charles Allen and the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety for their quick work among all that is going on to be responsive to community demands and pull this package together. My concern, though, is that the bill does not go far enough to fundamentally alter the dynamics of policing in the District of Columbia.

 “Last week, we were all furious and unnerved by the occupation of the District of Columbia with the non-consensual deployment of federal troops and unmarked officers to our city streets, as well as the conduct of our own police department on Swann Street NW. For many of our residents, every day feels like an occupation because of how the police operate in their communities.

“The over policing of our communities and militarization of our police force must end.

“Tomorrow, I will propose four amendments. The first three will seek to reduce the use of military-style equipment and tactics by the police. The first would prohibit use of tear gas and other chemical agents on protesters, in accordance with permanent legislation introduced last week by Councilmember Brianne Nadeau. The second would further demilitarize the police by prohibiting use of rubber bullets and limiting the use of riot gear at demonstrations. Third, I’m proposing a ban on MPD participating in trainings with entities that practice discrimination or with any military or intelligence agency.

“The final amendment would limit MPD to a sworn officer force of 3,500. D.C. currently has 3,863 sworn officers, approximately 55 per 10,000 residents. That’s double the national average and well above other cities of its size or larger. D.C. would still lead the pack of similar cities with 50 officers per 10,000 residents under this new limit.”

“Even with these amendments the work will be incomplete. Police departments across the nation have grown too large and are relied upon for far too many of the issues that face our residents.  Mental health. Homelessness. Substance abuse. Student discipline. This is the result of decades of failure by elected officials to solve non-violent issues in our communities without the police. I’m committed to making changes in the mayor’s budget proposal currently before the Council that will divert funding for the police in favor of investments in making our communities safe through greater economic security and strong social services. I will work with my colleagues to make that happen.”

“I had also planned to offer an amendment to tomorrow’s legislation to end stop-and-frisk, but have withheld that action for now in response to community requests. I will instead work with advocates and community members making the demands for changes to stop-and-frisk, as well as my colleagues, to introduce stand-alone emergency legislation on the topic at the next legislative meeting of the Council.”

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DISB finally completes public bank feasibility study

Nearly three years ago, Councilmember Grosso funded a study to determine the feasibility of establishing a public bank in the District of Columbia. Such an institution would enable D.C. to serve as a participation lender, partnering with–instead of competing against–local banks to drive lending to small businesses and others that have been historically denied access to credit.

Today, the D.C. Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking finally published the feasibility study, which can be found here and below.

Over the coming months, the District will examine policies to create a stronger, more equitable financial footing for D.C., its businesses, and its workers. North Dakota’s experience shows that a public bank is one of them.

Public Bank Feasibility Study (FINAL) by Team_Grosso on Scribd

D.C. residents need confidence in their elections

For Immediate Release:
June 3, 2020
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.286.1987 - mnocella@dccouncil.us

D.C. residents need confidence in their elections

Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso on the administration of the June 2, 2020 primary election in the District of Columbia:

“Our nation and city are in historically uncertain times. The District of Columbia should not add a mismanaged election and its ambiguous outcome to the mix. The people must have confidence that their voices were heard at the ballot box and will be in the future.

“Yesterday, there were widespread reports of missing absentee ballots, excessively long wait times at polling centers, and confusion created by the Mayor’s unnecessary and ill-advised curfew that was imposed on an Election Day. The Board of Elections owes the public and the D.C. Council an explanation of what went wrong and how these failings will not be repeated in two weeks for the Ward 2 Special Election and in the November General Election. Additionally, the Board should stand by its previous commitment to release election results on a regular basis as they are calculated.”

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D.C. should rescind curfew and demilitarize police

For Immediate Release:
June 2, 2020
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, 202.286.1987 - mnocella@dccouncil.us

D.C. should rescind curfew and demilitarize police

Washington, D.C. – The following is a statement from Councilmember David Grosso:

“I share the outrage of many residents of our city about what occurred during the curfew last night. It began with an assault on protestors exercising their First Amendment rights in Lafayette Square shortly before 7pm and continued into the night, including downtown D.C. being buzzed by helicopters and protestors corralled by police on Swann Street, NW. The people have a right to peaceably assemble, but even that is being curtailed as the Secret Service has announced that access to Lafayette Square to the public will be prohibited indefinitely. 

“The curfew and militarization of the police are only serving to increase conflicts between residents and police. 

“The Mayor must:

• Rescind tonight’s curfew;

• End coordination with federal authorities who have demonstrated no interest in maintaining peace; and

• Provide a full accounting to the Council and the public of the Metropolitan Police Department’s actions last night, in particular the deeply upsetting and terrifying images we saw on Swann Street, NW. 

“This is a time of great pain, fear, and rightful outrage. We need leadership that is focused on healing, transparency, and accountability.”

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A Letter to the Community: We must confront racism in our institutions and in ourselves

Dear Residents,

My heart breaks over the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Ahmaud Arbery in recent weeks. Their deaths catalyzed protests for racial justice and police reforms that are long overdue across the nation, and here in the District of Columbia. Tragically, law enforcement has too often met those protests against police violence with more aggression. Our city has been in need of a new approach to policing for some time—a transformation of the Metropolitan Police Department into an agency whose highest priorities include non-violence, community engagement, internal accountability, and intervention when officers see misconduct. 

This outrage at the injustice of racism comes at a time when the nation is in the midst of a once-in-a-century pandemic and record unemployment, all of which have been felt disproportionately by Black Americans. Our nation is in great pain and our future uncertain, especially as these concurrent crises are overseen by national leadership that at best seems uninterested in bringing about change and at worse intent on stoking the flames of racial animus.  

Unfortunately, police reforms are not enough. The recent killings are merely symptoms of the systemic racism that runs through our country’s veins. This nation was built on the idea that Black bodies should be controlled, and Black lives are expendable. Though we have made progress, racism and white supremacy have not been stamped out and have been perpetuated from generation to generation.  

White supremacy has been encoded in each of us, in every stage of our development. Most importantly, it is baked into our institutions.  To have true racial justice in our country, we can’t only focus on it when another Black American is murdered. Our Black neighbors experience racism every day, when walking down the street, when at work, and even with friends. As white people, we must all take a hard look at ourselves, recognize that racism is a part of our world, and actively seek to confront it. It isn’t comfortable, but it is necessary, and it is a question of life and death.

Currently, the budget proposal before the D.C. Council expands our police department and continues the trend toward greater police militarization. The District of Columbia already has more police officers per capita than any other city in the nation, and yet our city is not any safer. What we truly need is an approach to our city’s safety that focuses on ensuring the economic security and physical and mental well-being of our residents. Investments in those areas go a lot further than continuing the failed approaches of the past.

I encourage all who have been tweeting, posting, and marching to get involved in our local government NOW. Make your voice heard at the Council’s hearings on the Metropolitan Police Department’s annual budget, and on the budgets that affect the health and economic security of our residents. D.C. is also in the midst of selecting the next leaders of our city.  With tomorrow being the last day to vote in the D.C. primary, I urge you to voice your thoughts on how D.C. approaches policing and racial justice through the ballot box as you weigh the names seeking elected office.

With love,

David Grosso
Councilmember, At-Large

DBH responds to Councilmember Grosso's Performance Oversight Follow-Up Letter

On February 18, 2020, Councilmember Grosso sent a letter of follow-up questions to the Department of Behavioral Health following their performance oversight hearing.

Included in the letter are questions regarding school-based mental health practices, interventions for young people and their families, and DBH’s response to the opioid epidemic in the District.

The Department of Behavioral Health has since responded and you can find the questions and responses below and here.

COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 'THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING 3350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004 David Grosso Committee Member Councilmember At-Large Government Operations Chairperson, Committee on Education Heath Human Services Labor and Workforce Development February 18, 2020 Dr. Barbara Bazron, Director Department of Behavioral Health 64 New York Ave.

At-Large RepresentativeChairperson, Committee on EducationCouncil of the District of Columbia1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Suite 402Washington, DC 20004 Please find below the following responses to your questions from the FY 19 PerformanceOversight Hearing. I appreciate our partnership to make trauma informed behavioral healthservices available to every child in every public school.

D.C. Health responds to Councilmember Grosso's Performance Oversight Follow-Up Letter

On March 3, 2020, Councilmember Grosso, chairperson of the Committee on Education, sent a letter to Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Director of the D.C. Department of Heath (D.C. Health) with follow-up questions regarding her testimony at the Department of Health Performance Oversight Hearing. The councilmember requested further information from D.C. Health regarding health and gender equity in our schools, providing the required 40-hours of nurse coverage a week at every school, and provision of comprehensive sex education, including sexual violence prevention education.

Director Nesbitt and the Department of Health sent responses on May 22, 2020. That letter can be found below.

You can read the full letter and the responses below and here.

CM Grosso's Letter to DOH following POH by Team_Grosso on Scribd

DOH Response to CM Grosso's POH Letter by Team_Grosso on Scribd