Councilmembers Jim Graham (Ward-One) and Michael A. Brown (At-Large) have called on Mayor Vincent C. Gray to appropriate a portion of the $139.5 million windfall to social safety net programs, including homeless services, affordable housing, TANF, and job training.

The letter requests “Necessary steps to obligate $18 million to the Department of Human Services (DHS) and $16 million to the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF)” in an FY13 supplemental budget. The request follows prior Council action to highlight priorities for unexpected revenue.  The Council enacted the “Contingency for Additional Estimated Revenue” subtitle with the FY12 Budget Support Act, and the “Revised Revenue Estimate Contingency Priority List Act of 2012” with the FY13 Budget Support Act.

“We ask the Mayor to continue his lifelong support to social services by submitting a budget supplemental to address these critical needs," wrote Councilmembers Brown and Graham.

Councilmember Graham added, “I think this is an important reallocation of funds to an essential purpose.”

Full text of the letter is available at http://michaelbrownatlarge.com/?page_id=459