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D.C. Council sets May 15 deadline for mayor to submit FY2026 budget, approves emergency resolution
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Summary
The Council of the District of Columbia voted unanimously to require the mayor to submit the FY2026 budget by May 15 after the mayor missed the council’s April 2 submission date; members warned the delay risks stalling other legislation and said they may pursue legal options if the new deadline is missed.
Chair Phil Mendelson moved and the Council unanimously approved an emergency resolution setting a May 15 deadline for the mayor to submit the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and revised submission schedule.
Mendelson said the mayor missed the April 2 submission date the Council had adopted, and that "pencils down" — the point at which the mayor's office completes budget work and forwards it for certification — did not occur until April 9. He told the chamber the CFO typically requires 10 days to certify and publish budget books and said that delay pushed the earliest possible receipt to April 19. "We cannot keep waiting," Mendelson said, arguing the Council must set a firm new submission date to avoid further schedule slippage.
The move to set May 15 as the submission date (which implies a May 5 pencils-down target) followed discussion about downstream effects if the budget timeline continued to slip. Mendelson warned that the delay has already impeded work on other measures, including the mayor's rental-housing proposals, and could complicate consideration of a stadium financing proposal tied to RFK Stadium. He said staff would need extra time in August to finalize enrollment documents after adoption and that, if the mayor misses the May 15 deadline, he would "talk to our general counsel about going to court." The Council approved the declaration and the underlying emergency approval resolution unanimously.
Council Member Pinto asked for details about committee markups and reading dates; the Budget Director said markups would be the week of June 16 and that the budget office would present a schedule on May 6. Mendelson gave tentative timing for first reading around July 10 and second-reading timing in late July, noting revenue estimates typically arrive around June 30 and that timing could affect first-reading materials.
Several members pressed the chair and staff about the Chief Financial Officer's certification window. Mendelson said the CFO's office had the submitted materials since April 9 and was insisting on the full 10-day review period, and he criticized that stance as inflexible. Council Member Nadeau said she found it "troubling and disrespectful" that a billion-dollar stadium deal appeared to receive prioritization while the mayor had not transmitted the budget for the whole District, and she urged the mayor to transmit the budget as quickly as possible.
The resolution as approved sets the Council's revised schedule; the Council will circulate the budget-office schedule on May 6 and holds a regular legislative meeting on May 6 as well. Mendelson closed the special meeting at 12:40 p.m.
Votes at a glance: the Council approved the declaration (PR26-one 181) and approved the fiscal year 2026 budget submission requirements emergency approval resolution (PR26-one 182) by unanimous voice vote.
