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Sense of the Council on Appointing Elected Officials to the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority Resolution of 1998
PR 12-619

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Councilmember Harold Brazil

A PROPOSED RESOLUTION IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF THE COLUMBIA

Councilmember Harold Brazil introduced the following resolution, which was referred to the Committee on

To declare the sense of the Council on the composition of the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority.

RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the "Sense of the Council on Appointing Elected Officials to the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority Resolution of 1998".

Sec. 2. The Council finds that:

1. The initial terms of each of the five members of the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority ("the Authority") will expire on or about June 1998.

2. The membership of the Authority should be expanded from five to seven members to include the Chairman of the Council and the Mayor of the District of Columbia.

3. There is precedent for including elected officials on the Authority; other cities with appointed financial control boards have included elected representatives on their control boards:

(a) The Mayors of Cleveland, New York City and Yonkers were all ex-officio members of their respective financial control boards;

(b) Of the 7 members of the Cleveland Commission, the 3 appointed by the Governor and approved by the Senate came from a list of 5 names submitted by the mayor and chairman of the city council. Of the 4 ex-officio members, 2 were elected representatives from the State and 2 were elected representatives from the city;

(c) In New York City, both the minority and majority parties of the city council are represented;

(d) In the case of Yonkers, the County Executive of Westchester may appoint a representative and the Board may designate a representative from Yonkers city employees.

Sec. 3. Sense of the Council on expanding the Authority's membership.

1. It is the sense of the Council that expanding the membership of the Authority to include the Chairman of the Council and the Mayor of the District of Columbia would strengthen the Authority and enhance Home Rule; specifically:

(a) Expansion ensures District residents an opportunity to hold at least some of the members of the Authority responsible for its decisions;

(b) Expansion enhances the participation of elected officials, and therefore the District residents they represent, in the Authority's decision-making process; and

(c) Expansion ensures that the elected representatives actively contribute to and participate in all stages of the decisions about the District's operation, finances and management that are considered and voted on by the Authority.

2. It is the sense of the Council that if elected officials were included as members of the Authority a better working relationship could be formed between the Authority, the Council and the Executive Branch of Government.

3. It is the sense of the Council that expanding the membership of the Authority is consistent with the Congressional intent in establishing the Authority.

4. It is the sense of the Council that expanding the membership of the Authority to include elected officials would hasten the necessary legislative and executive changes because representatives of all the stakeholders would participate in and vote on the changes.

Sec. 4. Effective date.

This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.

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