TESTIFY -- How to Make Your Mark on What Matters to YOU
We are in Budget Season, and now is the time to find out what our Mayor and big business plan to have us pay for with our tax money. If you care about anything listed here, plan to prepare a speech or a short paper (usually 3 minutes is allowed for oral presentation). Don't be afraid, they are careful with inexperienced community people. Personal experiences make good testimony. The usual pattern is for Council members to say a few (or many?) words, the you the public testify, and then Administration staff testify. Council members, should they actually attend, may ask anyone questions. Note: the date has been corrected to to 2016-2017.
You contact the person/number/email listed for the specific hearing a few days ahead of time. The contact site says "Persons wishing to testify about the performance of any of the foregoing agencies may contact...." Tell them which hearing you wish to be heard at. Confirm the starting time and ask how many people have signed up ahead of you. Also ask if other hearings are scheduled ahead of your interest. If you work or cannot spend a long time sitting, you can estimate when you should arrive. For example I am #17 for a hearing starting at 9:30. There are 2 other topics ahead of mine. The person signing me up thought 11:00 would be early enough, but 12:00 could be risky. Bring ID. Leave sharp objects home. Enter in the rear of the Wilson Bldg. at 14th St., NW and Pennsylvania Ave. (SE corner).
As a cautionary tale, there was the evil person who signed up 70 people in a row to testify at the Nov. PSC hearing on Exelon. When none of them showed up people who thought it would be safe to come in the afternoon were furious when they found the hearing over by lunchtime and no opportunity to testify. If not on the list one can wait until the end and usually be allowed to testify. Written testimony can normally be submitted for an additional two weeks (just ask). Information can be expanded upon. You may hear something that gives you new ideas. When giving written testimony, bring 15 copies for the hearing secretary and extras for your friends/supporters.
Don't be afraid, be a doer not a moaner. If people tell me they find this information useful, I may do it every month that important things are happening.
Some hearings are held before COW, no not the bovine, but The Committee of the Whole (all the Council members), others are before single committees (committees usually have 4 or 5 Council members). I will list Committee, Time & place, contact for getting on witness lists, and Offices or agencies testifying.
APRIL, 2016, most, but not all are Budget Oversight Hearings
COW: Wed. 4/6/16, 9:30 am, Room 500, Evan Cash 202-724-7002, cow@dccouncil.us
* Office of Zoning
* Office of Planning
* Deputy Mayor for Planning & Econ. Development (DMPED)
Comm. on the Judiciary: Wed. 4/6/16, 10:00 am, Room 412, Katherine Mitchell, kmitchell@dccouncil.us, 202-727-8275
* Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
* Dept. of Youth Rehabilitation Services
* Office of Victim Services & Justice Grants
* Office of Human Rights
Comm. on Health & Human Services: Wed. 4/6/16, 10:00am, Room 120, Malcolm Cameron, mcameron@dccouncil.us, 202-741-0909
*Dept. of Behavioral Health
COW: Thurs. 4/7/16, 9:30 am, Room 412, cow@dccouncil.us
* Univ. of the District of Columbia
* Dept. of Human Resources
* Office of Labor Relations & Collective Bargaining
* Office of Employee Appeals
* Public Employee Relations Board
Comm. on the Judiciary: Thurs., 4/7/16/ 10:00 am, Room 500, Katherine Mitchell, kmitchell@dccouncil.us, 202-727-8275
* Metropolitan Police Department
* Office of Police Complaints
Comm. on Housing & Community Development: Thurs. 4/7/16, 11:00 am, Room 120, Oscar Montiel, omontiel@dccouncil.us, 202-724-8198
* Advisory Commission on Caribbean Community Affairs
* Office of African American Affairs
* Office of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs
* Office of Latino Affairs
* Office on African Affairs
Comm. on Health & Human Services: Fri. 4/8/16, 10:00 am, Room 412, Malcolm Cameron, mcameron@dccouncil.us, 202-741-0909
* Dept. of Health Care Finance
Comm. on Housing & Community Development: Fri. 4/8/16, 10:00 am, Room 120, Oscar Montiel, omontiel@dccouncil.us, 202-724-8198
* Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Affairs
* Office of Religious Affairs
* Office of Veterans Affairs
* Office of Women's Policy & Initiatives
Comm. on Transportation & The Environment: Fri. 4/8/16, 11:00 am, Room 500, Aukima Benjamin, abenjamin@dccouncil.us, 202-724-8062
* District Dept. of Transportation
COW: Mon. 4/11/16, 10 am, Room 412, cow@dccouncil.us (not listed but perhaps Evan Cash, 202-724-7002)
* Executive Office of the Mayor
* Office of the City Administrator
* Office of the Secretary
* Office of the Senior Advisor
* Contracts Appeals Board
* Office of Contracting & Procurement
* Office of the Chief Technology Officer
Comm. on Health & Human Services: Tues. 4/12/16, 10:00 am, Room 500, Malcolm Cameron, mcameron@dccoouncil.us, 202-741-0909
* Department of Health
Comm. on the Judiciary: Tues. 4/12/16, 10:00 am, Room 412, Katherine Mitchell, kmitchell@dccouncil.us, 202-727-8275
* Fire & Emergency Medical Services Dept.
* Office of Unified Communications
* Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency
Comm. on Education: Tues. 4/12/16, 10:00 am, Room 123, on line at: http://bit.ly/EdOversight16, or 202-724-8061
* Public Charter School Board
* State Board of Education
Comm. on Transportation & The Environment: Tues. 4/12/16, 11:00 am, Room 412, Aukima Benjamin, abenjamin@dccouncil.us, 202-724-8062
* Dept. of Energy & Environment
Finance & Revenue Public Hearing on B21-402: Wed. 4/13/16, 9:30 am, Room 500, Sarina Loy, 202-724-8058, sloy@dccouncil.us
* B21-402, the "Ingleside Presbyterian Retirement Community, Inc. Real Property Tax Exemption and Real Property Tax Relief Act of 2015"
Comm. on Finance & Revenue: Wed., 4/13/16, 10:00 am, Room 500, Sarina Loy, sloy@dccouncil.us, 202-724-8058
* Office of the Chief Financial Officer
* DC Lottery & Charitable Games Control Board
* Real Property Tax Appeals Commission
* Commission on the Arts & Humanities
Comm. on Education: Wed., 4/13/16, 10:00 am, Room 120, on line at:
http://bit.ly/EdOversight16, or 202-724-8061
* DC Public Library System
* Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education
Comm. on Housing & Community Development: Wed., 4/13/16, 11:00 am, Room 123, Oscar Montiel, omontiel@dccouncil.us, 202-724-8198
* Dept. of Housing & Community Development
* Housing Production Trust Fund
* Rental Housing Commission
Comm. on Health & Human Services: Wed., 4/13/16, 10:00 am, Room 412, Malcolm Cameron, mcameron@dccouncil.us, 202-741-0909
* Health Benefit Exchange Authority
* Child & Family Services Agency
Comm. on the Judiciary: Thurs., 4/14/16, 10:00 am, Room 500, Katherine Mitchell, kmitchell@dccouncil.us, 202-727-8275
* Office of the Attorney General
* Office of Administrative Hearings
* Board of Ethics & Government Accountability
* Board of Elections
* Office of Campaign Finance
Comm. on Education: Thurs., 4/14/16, 10:00 am, Room 412, on line at: http://bit.ly/EdOversight16, or 202-724-8061
* DC Public Schools (Public Witnesses only)
COW: Thurs., 4/14/16, 10:00 am, Room 120, cow@dccouncil.us
* Metropolitan Washington Council of Government
* Council of the District of Columbia
* District of Columbia Auditor
* New Columbia Statehood Commission
* Office of Budget & Planning
* DC Retirement Board/Funds
* Retiree Health Contribution
Comm. on Transportation & The Environment: Thurs., 4/14/16, 11:00 am, Room 123, Aukima Benjamin, abenjamin@dccouncil.us, 202-724-8062
* Dept. of Parks & Recreation
* Dept. of Public Works
[I will list the hearings for following weeks over the next few days. So check back. Next work week will run from Monday thru Thursday. Friday, April 15th is Emancipation Day and a Holiday. Therefore taxes will be due on Monday, April 18th. Come celebrate freedom at Freedom Plaza in front of the Wilson Building, 14th St, NW and PA Ave. Gather at 9:30 to prepare for a parade down Pennsylvania Ave. and other events in celebration.]
Comm. on Health & Human Services: Mon., 4/18/16, 10:00 am, Room 500, Malcolm Cameron, mcameron@dccouncil.us, 202-741-0909
* Dept. of Disability Services
* Office of Disability Rights
Comm. on Education: Mon., 4/18/16, 10:00 am, Room 412, on line at: http://bit.ly/EdOversight16, or 202-724-8061
* Office of State Superintendent of Education
Comm. of the Whole, regular meeting: Tues., 4/19/16, 10:00 am, Room 500
Comm. on Health & Human Services: Wed., 4/20/16, 10:00 am, Room 500, Malcolm Cameron, mcameron@dccouncil.us, 202-741-0909
* Dept. of Human Services
Comm. on Business, Consumer & Regulatory Affairs: Wed., 4/20/16, 10:00 am, Room 412, Peter Johnson, pjohnson@dccouncil.us, 202-727-6683
* Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration
* Dept. of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs
* Dept. of Insurance, Securities & Banking
* Office of Tenant Advocate
* Dept. of Small & Local Business Development
* Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity
No comments:
Post a Comment