Budget Committee amends Bill 22 to CD1, directing vacancies savings toward public-safety and sewer activities

The Committee on Budget amended Bill 22 of 2025 to a CD1 on March 11, accepting a slate of targeted changes to the mayor’s proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2025–26 and reporting the measure out for second reading and public hearing.

The committee chair (Budget Chair) opened discussion saying the CD1 “focus[es] largely on strengthening public health and safety,” and described changes that move resources toward new first‑responder facilities, traffic‑safety work and park improvements while trimming funding from long‑term vacant positions across many departments.

Why it matters: the CD1 rearranges operating funds and line‑item descriptions to make department plans more transparent, adds a proviso intended to offset sewer fee increases with vacancy savings, and directs new or clarified funding for several first‑responder and parks projects. Committee members and agency directors debated the tradeoffs between restoring vacant positions and using one‑time savings to relieve ratepayer impacts.

What the CD1 does - Adds or clarifies funding targeted to public‑safety and parks projects that budget staff said align with council requests, including provisos and small dedicated line items. - Redirects funds tied to long‑term vacant positions in many departments (police, environmental services, design and construction, facility maintenance and others) and consolidates those savings into vacancy‑savings language the administration can use to help fund sewer‑related activities. - Moves some vehicle and equipment purchases from operating to the capital program (Bill 23), including $6.3 million for police vehicles.

Notable additions and clarifications accepted by…