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.