This morning, Mayor Vince Gray laid out the impact sequestration has had on D.C. and, as one would imagine, it’s pretty rough.
From January of this year until July, the city lost 7,000 government jobs, according to a release. That number rises to 14,600 government jobs beginning in January 2011. Sequestration could “take approximately $60 million in revenue from the District’s economy” next year, according to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. The city could also lose $30 million in federal grants and payments.
Some of the most significant cuts are $11 million to the DC Housing Authority and $6.3 million to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. These cuts may result in the loss of 200-250 housing vouchers for needy families and the reduction in grants to public schools for special education, free and reduced-price lunches, and early-childhood education.
Today also marks the first day of the countdown to Gray’s living wage bill decision, which he did not want to answer questions about.
Gray not saying anything about the #LRAA at sequestration impacts news conf: “I’m not ready to answer that question today”
— Mike DeBonis (@mikedebonis) September 3, 2013
DC @mayorvincegray asked repeatedly if he will veto LRAA #walmart bill.
“I’m not ready to answer that” “did you expect me to answer that?”— Mark Segraves (@SegravesNBC4) September 3, 2013