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OCTFME director urges council to protect $12.9 million FY27 budget, warns staffing cuts would harm services
Summary
Latoya Foster, director of the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment, told the Committee of Human Service the agency's FY27 request totals $12,900,000 and includes 45 FTEs; she said declines in franchise fees and tight SPR funding put operations and programming at risk.
Latoya Foster, director of the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment (OCTFME), asked the Committee of Human Service on April 28 to "protect our budget and personnel levels" as the agency presents its proposed FY27 budget of $12,900,000 and 45 full-time equivalent positions.
"We respectfully ask for your partnership and advocacy in protecting our budget and personnel levels and in supporting additional positions and resources that will allow us to continue delivering high value service to the district," Foster said in opening testimony. She told the committee 19 of the agency's 45 FTEs are supported by local funds and 26 by special purpose revenue (SPR) funds.
Foster described OCTFME's role operating multiple media platforms that deliver council hearings, educational programming and city events, and said staffing shortages would affect the agency's day-to-day operations across those platforms. "This commitment ensures that OCTFME remains at the forefront of innovation," Foster said, adding the agency is positioning itself to drive jobs, content creation and tourism for the District.
Committee members repeatedly probed specifics: Chair Matt Fruman asked whether declining franchise fees were being offset with local dollars and whether OCTFME had the capacity to upgrade aging equipment. Foster said parts of the agency have local funding to cover formerly SPR-funded positions but that continued SPR declines would still "impact our overall operations and staffing." She warned that technology upgrades are needed and that the agency currently "prays" equipment will continue to function.
The director's testimony framed the FY27 request as an effort to sustain public-access broadcasting, streaming efforts and programming that, the agency says, contribute to the city's creative economy. The committee did not take votes during the hearing; next procedural steps are committee deliberations and the broader council budget process.
