SIMMONS: More of the same, no steps toward reform in Gray budget

Like most progressives who say they want to help the disadvantaged, Mayor Vincent C. Gray hasn’t delivered a budget that spells reform.

Indeed, his policies mimic those of his predecessor and raises taxes to pay for them.

Whereas Adrian M. Fenty proposed $6.1 billion in local spending a year ago, Mr. Gray proposed spending $5.5 billion, and hopes the federal government will kick in an additional $$2.6 billion to help cover Medicaid and other state-level spending.

The primary difference between Fenty spending and Gray spending is this: Mr. Gray isn’t dipping into the city’s savings, as Mr. Fenty repeatedly did. But even that’s not by choice.

As Mr. Gray admitted Friday, the savings were practically depleted and no new federal stimulus dollars are coming down the pike.

Disappointingly, Mr. Gray shied away from cutting government costs. For all intents and purposes, he, like Mr. Fenty, favors a bloated government. For example, there were an estimated 30,700 full-time government employees in 2010, which Mr. Fenty grew by 1,000 this year. Mr. Gray maintains that status quo by shaving only 170 slots.

And while the Gray summer jobs program targets 12,000 teens and young adults compared with Mr. Fenty’s 21,000, the mayor proposes noticeable spending increases on youth services.

In the human services arena, the mayor, like Mr. Fenty, again falls short on reform at the troubled Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, which had three directors in the one year. In fact, Mr. Gray anticipates more youths entering the criminal justice system, costing taxpayers an additional $16.7 million in 2011.

When I asked what he’s doing on the front end to urge parents to push their kids in the right direction, Mr. Gray said more money is for “right-sizing” the agency to “reflect realities.”

The reality is that Mr. Gray and other progressives refuse to hold face-to-face meetings that challenge parents and youths to walk the straight and narrow.

The public-safety sector will also be walking a crooked line if the Gray budget holds steady.

While stakeholders and Congress will likely look favorably upon the mayor’s proposal to hire 120 new police recruits, it looks like police, fire and EMS will have to eat the costs of inflation with budgets that hold steady from the Fenty years.

Did the mayor even factor in legislation that rebrands the D.C. Fire Department, or DCFD, to Fire and Emergency Medical Services, of FEMS?

The rebranding calls for the removal of the gold eagle emblem on all trucks, ambulances, sleeve patches, dress uniforms, firehouses and cars.

The precise dollar amount isn’t apparent, but it’s unlikely to be chump change.

Facing a $322 million gap in the 2012 budget, Mr. Gray delivered to lawmakers on Friday a proposal to spend $187 million less, but continues the practice of upping the ante on businesses and hardworking residents, and largely fails to curb the cost of local government by maintaining the status quo.

Instead of slicing government spending, Mr. Gray wants the city’s wealthy and poor alike to spend more to live, raise their families and run a business.

Of course, no progressive’s budget is complete without tax increases, and Mr. Gray, here again like Mr. Fenty, has proposed a slew of them, including:

• Raising the income tax rate from 8.5 percent to 8.9 percent on residents earning $200,000 or more, affecting about 5 percent of D.C. filers.

• Implementing combined reporting, which would require multi-state corporations to report all D.C. income by all subsidiaries as a single entity.

• Expanding the sales tax to include live theater.

• Raising the parking-garage tax from 12 percent to 18 percent.

• Increasing the minimum franchise tax on businesses with gross receipts of more than $1 million.

And to continue the Fenty administration’s habit of punishing D.C. motorists, the Gray administration is also proposing to raise the costs of owning and driving a vehicle.

The 13-member D.C. Council has a month-and-a half to tinker, but only one lawmaker has put the Fenty and Gray budgets in the proper perspective:

“How long will we allow ourselves to remain the least competitive jurisdiction, while at the same time repeatedly asking District residents for more?” Jack Evans asked Friday.

• Deborah Simmons can be reached at dsimmons@washingtontimes.com.