Photo by M.V. Jantzen

Mayor Vince Gray was willing to get himself arrested for D.C. voting rights, but he’s not really onboard with the whole idea of a D.C. budget autonomy referendum, according to the Washington Times:

“I just don’t see how anybody can come to the conclusion that we have the authority to make that decision for ourselves,” [Gray] said. “I don’t see it.”

Gray is likely following the lead of Attorney General Irv Nathan, whose office prepared a legal opinion casting doubt on the ability of the city’s residents to vote on amending the Home Rule Charter to increase the amount of control city legislators have over local funds. (The Post reports that despite his concerns, Gray would vote “yes” on budget autonomy if the referendum happened.)

D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton has also been hesitant to endorse the idea, saying that she believes that working directly for a congressional bill on budget autonomy is the best way to go. Her colleague Rep. José E. Serrano (D-N.Y.) has been less ambiguous, calling the referendum idea a “bold step.”

D.C. Vote’s Ilir Zherka and the Appleseed Center’s Walter Smith wrote in the Post this weekend that they believe that the referendum is legal. Additionally, the Post’s editorial board said yesterday that it likes the idea.