Photo by brmurray

Last year was something of a banner year for nightmarish scenarios for the District’s government. Just about every time Democrats and Republicans got into a fight over federal spending, the impending talk of a government shutdown would send local officials scrambling to prepare for what could be a shutdown of city services like garbage collection and the DMV.

Because of the District’s semi-colonial status, the city’s local budget has to run the congressional gauntlet. If Congress can’t agree on a federal budget, the city is treated much like a federal agency — it’ll simply have to stop functioning until the two parties can agree on funding for the next year. A proposal presented today by President Obama as part of his 2013 budget would permanently change that by allowing the District to spend its own money even if Congress deadlocks on its own spending bills.

At a press conference this afternoon, Mayor Vince Gray thanked Obama for the gesture and spoke of its significance in the broader battle for D.C. voting rights and self-determination. “We think this could be the most important advancement since the Home Rule Act was passed,” he said. “It’s time, ladies and gentlemen, that we stop being treated like another federal agency.”

From a basic municipal governance standpoint, it would certainly be a big step in the right direction. There’s not much rhyme or reason to the District’s residents being denied trash collection because Democrats and Republicans are feuding over whether tax cuts or infrastructure programs are a better way to stimulate the economy.

Still, some prominent D.C. voting rights advocates at this afternoon’s press conference recognized that Obama’s pledge won’t suffice. “The language is not enough,” said Ilir Zherka, executive director of DC Vote, stressing that pressure had to be brought to bear on Obama to fight for D.C. budget autonomy. D.C. Shadow Representative Mike Panetta said much the same in a statement he released today:

The true test of this Administration’s resolve on granting the District of Columbia expanded home rule is not the words they put on paper, but the actions they take before final passage.

I remain cautiously optimistic that we will see movement on these issues under President Obama’s leadership. However, I encourage all District residents to keep the up the pressure on the Administration to ensure our reality reflects their intentions as stated in the President’s budget.

Some who preferred to remain unnamed were less generous, noting that it seemed convenient for Obama to express sudden fondness for D.C. budget autonomy the same year he’s up for re-election.

But for Shadow Senator Paul Strauss, Obama’s mere mention of D.C. budget autonomy at a time when some members of Congress were considering related measures is key to the District’s fight. “His silence would have spoken louder,” said Strauss.