Chairman Linda W. Cropp
Councilmember Sharon Ambrose
A
BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
To authorize the establishment of an
official residence for the Mayor of the District of Columbia.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Official Residence of the
Mayor Establishment Act of 2000".
Sec. 2. The Council of the District
of Columbia finds that:
(1) The District of Columbia is the
nation’s capital and an international showcase.
(2) The Mayor of the District of
Columbia serves as the highest elected-official at both the state and local levels.
(3) The Mayor of the District of
Columbia should have a residence suitable to entertain and honor citizens, businesses, and
officials guests of the District of Columbia.
(4) After 25 years of home rule, it
is appropriate for the District of Columbia to acquire a property or to renovate an
existing District of Columbia owned property to serve as the official residence of the
Mayor of the District of Columbia.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
(1) "Official residence"
means the land and improvements that comprise the place in the District of Columbia where
the Mayor of the District of Columbia lives during the Mayor’s term of office.
(2) "Office" means the
Office of Property Management of the District of Columbia.
(3) "Officer" means the
Chief Property Management Officer of the District of Columbia.
Sec. 4. (a) There is hereby
authorized such funds as may be necessary. to be expended for the acquisition, renovation,
furnishings, maintenance, security, and incidental expenses incurred in acquiring and
maintaining an official residence, or renovating an maintaining an existing District of
Columbia owned property, to serve as the official residence.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of
law, private individuals, companies, and other organizations shall be permitted to donate
funds or property to the District of Columbia for the purposes of this act. Such funds
shall be deposited into a special account that shall not be a part of, or lapse into, the
General Fund of the District government. The amount and source of funds or property
donated for the purposes of this act shall be disclosed to the public.
(c) This act is subject to the
availability of appropriations or donations.
Sec. 5. (a) The Chief Property
Management Officer of the District of Columbia shall investigate possible sites for an
official residence.
(b) The Officer shall first explore
the possibility of the District’s acquiring title to or jurisdiction over the property
located at 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E. (Square 0948, Lots 802 and 803), upon the
expiration of the current lease of the property in June 2002, for use as the official
residence.
(c) If the property identified in
subsection (b) cannot be obtained by the District of Columbia to serve as the official
residence, the Officer shall explore all existing District of Columbia owned properties to
locate a home appropriate to serve as the official residence. If the Officer then
determines that there is no existing District of Columbia property that is suitable to
serve as the official residence, the Officer shall investigate other properties to serve
as the official residence.
(d) The Officer shall report to the
Mayor and the Council once every six months on the status of efforts to obtain property
for use as the official residence.
(e) Once the Officer and the Mayor
have selected a property for the official residence, the Mayor shall submit to the Council
a proposed resolution approving of the selection and, if applicable, the method of
acquisition of the property. If the Council does not approve or disapprove the proposed
resolution within 45 days, excluding days of Council recess, the proposed resolution shall
be deemed approved.
Sec. 6. (a) The District of Columbia
government shall be responsible for costs associated with acquiring, renovating, and
furnishing the official residence, and for expenses related to the maintenance, utilities,
and security of the official residence. The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall be
individually responsible for other day-to-day personal expenses associated with residing
in the official residence.
(b) The official residence shall be
exempt from property taxes.
Sec. 7. The Mayor of the District of
Columbia shall have the exclusive right to use the official residence during the Mayor’s
term of office.
Sec. 8. The Council adopts the fiscal
impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by
section 602(c)(3) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973
(87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code § 1-233 (c)(3)).
Sec. 9. This act shall take effect
following the approval by the Mayor (or in the event of a veto by the Mayor, action by the
Council to override the veto), approval by the Financial Responsibility and Management
Assistance Authority as provided in section 203 (a) of the District of Columbia Financial
Responsibility and Management Assistance Act of 1995, approved April 17, 1995 (109 Stat.
116; D.C. Code § 47-392.3(a)), a 30-day period of Congressional review as provided in
section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973
(87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code § 1-233(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia
Register.