Photo by Brian MKA.

We’re at the tail end of week two of the federal government shutdown and, while D.C. has managed to stay open so far— by ignoring the federal government, declaring every D.C. government employee essential and tapping into the city’s $144 million contingency fund—it looks like our rainy day fund is running low.

According to the Post, on October 13, the District will run out of money to keep performing basic operations, like trash collection and street sweeping, and will have to shutter some agencies like the Department of Motor Vehicles, public libraries, and others. After that, things can only get worse for D.C.

So, what’s Gray and D.C. Council going to do next to avoid a shutdown of the local government? No idea, but local think tank D.C. Appleseed has one: Just start budget autonomy now.

D.C. Appleseed executive director Walter Smith says that the D.C. Council doesn’t need to wait for Congress to approve the Budget Autonomy Charter Amendment:

Thanks to the Budget Autonomy Charter Amendment passed unanimously by the Council, signed by Mayor Gray, and overwhelmingly ratified by the people in the referendum last April, the District could now take action to spend its own money based on that Charter Amendment, rather than waiting on Congress. In fact, If D.C. leaders act quickly and decisively—as they have throughout the shutdown—there’s time to put the Charter Amendment and the local budget into effect within days.

Smith explains that Gray can utilize his authority under the Charter Amendment to “enact the FY14 budget act that Congress has failed to pass, with adjustments as needed to replenish the spent-down reserves.” Then the D.C. Council can pass this budget as emergency legislation and can later pass the “same supplemental budget as a permanent act subject to congressional review.”

Smith also says that, although the Budget Autonomy Charter Amendment is not authorized to apply until January 1, the D.C. Council does have the power to alter the act and have it apply immediately.

With three days until that rainy day fund runs out, I guess we’ll find out what Gray and the Council decide to do soon enough.