The Council of the District of Columbia finds:

(1) That there exists a public perception that the District budget approved by the Council, after considerable careful public examination, is the plan which determines the manner in which District funds will be spent;

(2) That the District’s new financial management system, which became operative in fiscal year 1980, provides the Council a new level of budget information;

(3) That questions remain in regard to the role of the Council with respect to ongoing oversight and control of the District budget;

(4) That a large portion of the District’s annual expenditures are funded by grants from the federal government and private sources. Although these grant funds are a major portion of the District’s program process, to a great extent, planning and allocation of these funds are without public participation through the legislative process;

(5) That under the District’s new financial management system, the Council will be excluded from approval or review of federal grant funds to District agencies;

(6) That the District does not have a legislative process to address and control all city expenditures from all revenue sources; and

(7) That there is a need to clearly define the continuing role of the Council in the budget process in order to resolve those questions critical to the shaping of public policy and the prudent management of publicly entrusted tax dollars.

(Sept. 16, 1980, D.C. Law 3-104, § 2, 27 DCR 3748; enacted, Apr. 9, 1997, D.C. Law 11-254, § 2, 44 DCR 1575.)

1981 Ed., § 47-381.