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Ward 4 Dispatch:

Tax Filing, Federal Accountability, and Eric's ID Act

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Important Updates on Tax Filing and Federal Interference

After weeks of uncertainty, I was glad to see the District's Chief Financial Officer announce that tax filing season will continue uninterrupted despite Congress' attempts to overturn District decoupling legislation. Even so, I've been hearing from many Ward 4 residents who still feel confusion when it comes to the state of DC taxes and Congress' efforts to overturn our laws. Below, I hope to answer some of the most common questions I've heard:

• What is decoupling? Instead of copying the federal government's recent tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, the District passed emergency and temporary bills so we are not replicating the same regressive policies as the federal government.
• Why was Congress involved in our local taxes? Congressional Republicans introduced a disapproval resolution seeking to overturn our temporary decoupling bill, which would require us to replicate fiscally irresponsible tax giveaways for the wealthy in an already tough budget year. It's yet another example of federal interference in the District's right to self-govern.
• What is happening with our 2025 taxes? DC tax filers can continue to file their taxes as usual. CFO Glen Lee confirmed that the District will process tax filings for 2025 based on the decoupling law the Council passed this fall.
• Will this still impact the District's upcoming budget? The CFO Glen Lee has said that while the District can collect taxes based on our decoupling law, he will not include the estimated $600M revenue from those tax payments in our revenue estimates. DC's social safety net is strained to its breaking point and we know we're facing a bleak budget for the next fiscal year, so a $600M cut to our budget would jeopardize District services and hurt local families.

Our legal standing is on this matter is strong, and we shouldn't cower to federal interference. I'm urging the CFO to include this revenue in his projections so we can utilize all of our revenue to serve the people of the District.

Eric's ID Act of 2026

This week, I was proud to introduce a new bill reflecting our community's values of safety, dignity, and inclusion: Eric's ID Act of 2026. Many of our neighbors live with challenges that aren’t immediately visible—developmental, intellectual, sensory, or other non-apparent disabilities. In moments of stress—during a traffic stop, an emergency, or any unexpected interaction—communication can become more complex. What should be a routine encounter can quickly escalate into confusion or misunderstanding. Eric's ID Act would allow District residents to voluntarily add a symbol to their driver’s license or identification card—a simple, discreet tool that lets first responders and service professionals know that a thoughtful, informed approach may be needed.

Eric's ID Act was created and inspired by Eric Carpenter-Grantham and his Mother Linda, who I heard speak at the NAN MLK Breakfast and was blown away. Eric lives with a disability that isn’t always visible, and he shared how stressful everyday encounters can be when communication barriers aren’t understood by others. Because of his advocacy, similar legislation has passed in Maryland and is gaining support nationwide. I'm grateful to Eric and everyone who helped shape this proposal and look forward to making sure every member of our community can feel seen, understood, and safe.

DPW Service Level Updates

Spring Services

Spring is almost upon Us, and our full complement of spring services will begin the first Monday in April. These services include Street and Alley Cleaning, Grass Cutting & Mowing, and Graffiti Removal.

Street & Alley Collection Division teams will complete any remaining leaf collections during the transition to Spring Services. Residents are encouraged to rake leaves into the tree box area or place them in paper bags and set them out in front of their residence, then submit a Yard Waste Collection 311 service request for pickup.

Mechanical Street Sweeping

Mechanical Street Sweeping has resumed. There will be a two-week grace period for ticketing vehicles parked during posted Street Sweeping hours from March 2nd - March 15^th. Parking Enforcement will begin issuing tickets for Street Sweeping on Monday, March 16th!

Helping Hand Program

DPW offers assistance to community groups that organize Saturday neighborhood clean-up projects through the Helping Hand Program. The program runs seasonally from March 1st to October 1st. Applications must be submitted 2 weeks prior to the event. For more information visit: https://dpw.dc.gov/page/Helping%20Hand%20Neighborhood%20Cleanup

Food Waste Collection Program & Food Waste Drop-Off Sites:

UPDATE for DC Composters that attend Weekend Food Waste Drop-off Events:

All of DC DPW's Weekend Food Waste Drop-offs citywide will operate as normal this weekend, March 14 – March 15, 2026, with a slight location change in SW DC to the Southwest Duck Pond.

Southwest Duck Pond: Due to the recent announcement of the closure and need to relocate Farmers Market SW to a new location, DPW @dcdpw, with the help of DPR @dcdpr and the SW Bid @swbid, was able to ensure continued public access to composting in SW DC. The new temporary home of the SW Food Waste Drop-off location is the Southwest Duck Pond. 

The SW DC food waste drop-off will continue to offer its normal hours of operation, on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm, through March at the Southwest Duck Pond, located near the intersection of 6th St SW & I St SW. This temporary location is ~2.5 blocks away from the previous location. Please join us at this cherished DC park for the time being.

For the latest information about DC DPW’s food waste drop-offs citywide, visit zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff.

 Notices to DC DPW’s Food Waste Smart Bin Users:

• All food waste smart bins are operating as normal
• Before you leave home with your food waste towards a smart bin, please check its fullness level on the MetroKEY app before leaving home to ensure there is capacity in the bin.
• If you arrive at a DPW food waste smart bin and find it is too full, do not drop off materials; find the next closest food waste drop-off bin or store them in your fridge or freezer until the smart bin is serviced, which you can observe on the MetroKEY app (the fullness level (%) will drop). Collection crews service the smart bins daily.

DC DPW’s Special Waste Collection Events:

DPW Special Waste Collection Events for safe disposal of household hazardous waste, recycling of electronics, and secure document shredding will be conducted twice quarterly.

Register at tinyurl.com/hhw-register. For more information on residential special waste, visit the District's Zero Waste

DC DPW’s Special Waste Collection Event has been moved slightly and will now take place at RFK Lot 8, entrance off of Independence Ave SE, through September 2026. Registrations as well as Proof of DC residency will be required to enter the event.

 REGISTER IN ADVANCE TO PARTICIPATE:

To accommodate everyone in a safe and timely manner, DPW is now requiring registration to participate in the Special Waste Collection Events District residents can sign up for a 30-minute entry slot when residents can arrive anytime in the 15-minute period and a DPW staff member will be there is assist you. There are also walk-up and bike-up tickets available for those without vehicles.

Please note that the time selected is the arrival window, not the time of services. Only one ticket is required per vehicle. No entry will be allowed after 2:00 pm. Open to DC residents only. Please bring proof of residency (e.g. driver's license, utility bill, lease agreement) and Eventbrite registration. No construction & demolition waste or commercial waste will be allowed. 

Eventbrite registration will open soon for the following events:

• Thursday, April 30, 2026, 10 AM - 2 PM, at RFK Parking Lot 8 (2500 Independence Ave SE)
• Saturday, May 9, 2026, 8 AM - 2 PM, at RFK Parking Lot 8 (2500 Independence Ave SE)
• Saturday, Sep 12, 2026, 8 AM - 2 PM, at RFK Parking Lot 8 (2500 Independence Ave SE)
• Thursday, Sep 24, 2026, 10 AM - 2 PM, at RFK Parking Lot 8 (2500 Independence Ave SE)

DDOT's Weekly Construction Update: Work Scheduled Between Friday, March 6 to Friday, March 20, 2026

The 2026 Paving Plan is published on the PaveDC website before the start of the construction season. The website also includes separate tabs for sidewalks scheduled for repair and the Alley Restoration Plan for Fiscal Year 2026. For more information about these projects, please visit DDOT's interactive tool, PaveDC.

For frequently asked questions about the 2026 paving plan, please visit https://pavedc.ddot.dc.gov/.

Please note: Work may be adjusted depending on weather and other conditions. Additional projects may be added to this list. DDOT contacts residents and businesses within the work zones before work begins. Unless otherwise noted, work is not conducted on weekends.

Citywide Pavement Restoration Projects

Ward 4

• 16th Street NW between Colorado Avenue NW and Arkansas Avenue NW
• Georgia Avenue NW between Aspen Street NW and Elder Street NW
• Georgia Avenue NW between Peabody Street NW and Quackenbos Street NW

Citywide Sidewalk Restoration Projects

Ward 4

• Tewkesbury Place NW between 13th Street NW and 14th Street NW
• Venable Place NW between Piney Branch Road NW and Dead End

Citywide Alley Restoration Projects

Ward 4

• Square No 2766N: Alley Bound by Portal Drive NW, Eastern Avenue NW, Roxanna Road NW, and 16th Street NW

ANC 4B Small Diameter Water Main Replacement Project

As part of the DC Water Clean Rivers Project, permeable pavement is being installed on alleys. The Clean Rivers Project is DC Water’s massive infrastructure project to significantly reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs), a mixture of sewage and stormwater, to Rock Creek and the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. It includes a system of tunnels and green infrastructure (GI). GI includes practices that capture stormwater runoff such as bioretention, permeable pavement, and rain barrels.

DC Water Routine Maintenance and Operations Update in The Brightwood Park Area

As part of our ongoing commitment to keep the community informed about improvements to the District’s water infrastructure, we would like to share details about upcoming routine maintenance to the water mains in your area.

We will be performing water main isolation testing located at the intersection of 5th Street and Jefferson Street, NW. This work is scheduled to begin tomorrow evening, Friday, March 6, at 11:00p.m. These maintenance activities are expected to take approximately 4 hours to complete. This activity will require a scheduled water service outage, in addition to some customers experiencing low water pressure during this time.

Should any customers experience water or sewer service issues beyond the aforementioned testing time, please contact our 24-Hour Emergency Command Center at 202-612-3400.

Help DPR Plan for the Future: Take the SCORP survey today!

The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is updating its Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), and we would like to hear from you! The SCORP is used to prioritize and select outdoor recreation projects in the District to receive funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund in the National Park Service.

DPR wants to know more about how you enjoy the outdoors, what outdoor activities you do, and what activities you wish you could do through DPR. Your insights will shape the SCORP priorities and help plan the future. You can find the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/scorp or by scanning the QR code on the attached flyer. Or, if you prefer, you can call and leave us a voicemail at 202-673-7065 with your suggestions.