Gray: Federal shutdown threatens D.C. city services
A shutdown of the federal government could cause a chain reaction and lead to the loss of many D.C. city services, the District\'s mayor says.
WASHINGTON – A shutdown of the federal government could cause a chain reaction and lead to the loss of many D.C. city services, the District’s mayor says.
Speaking Tuesday on NewsChannel 8, Mayor Vincent Gray says the District is treated as a federal agency in the event of a shutdown because Congress has to approve the city’s budget.
“This is our money and we are a city that pays its federal taxes just like anybody else,” Gray says.
He says much of the D.C. government possibly would have to follow suit and shut down if the federal government goes that route.
That would lead to problems for city residents including “trash services curtailed for however long the government is closed (and) traffic concerns,” Gray says.
“You could have traffic concerns with DDOT, potholes being filled, homeless services, all the contractors in the District of Columbia who do things for the city; All of those things would be effected,” he says.
The Gray administration has been working with federal officials to ensure some services like police and fire would not be impacted by a Capitol Hill closure.
The federal government will be forced to shut down if lawmakers do not come to a spending agreement by Friday.
WTOP’s Mark Segraves contributed to this report. Follow Mark and WTOP on Twitter.
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