DC Mayor Bowser unveils growth agenda for DC budget

WASHINGTON - D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser provided an update on the 2026 budget, including investments downtown, investments into sports and entertainment and investments into tech. 

What we know:

Bowser provided details on her Fiscal Year 2026 budget at 11 a.m. on Monday. 

"I want Washingtonians to know that this growth agenda is about our future. In FY26, we’re not standing still; we’re being bold and making catalytic investments that will bring new jobs and new revenue into DC," said  Bowser in a statement. "We know that our economy is shifting, and we know the challenges we are facing. Thousands of Washingtonians have already been impacted by those challenges. This is a budget that recognizes that we can’t just sit on our hands and hope something changes – we’ve got to make change happen."

The budget relies on three main pillars, per Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Nina Albert: 

• Investing in Downtown D.C. 
• Investing in sports and entertainment
• Investing in the tech industry

By the numbers:

The proposed downtown investments include

• $1.1M to host activations during Capital One Arena construction
• $250,000 to support the Chinatown Renewal Initiative
• $34.8M to improve public spaces and attract people from the National Mall to Downtown
• $1.5M to develop a plan for Southwest DC as a new mixed-use community

The proposed investments to sports and entertainment in D.C. include: 

• $171M for Capital One Arena Improvements
• $500M for RFK Stadium horizontal infrastructure
• $6M for assistance and repairs at the historic National Theatre, Lincoln Theatre, and Howard Theatre
• $820,000 to support planning for the 250th anniversary of Independence Day on July 4, 2026 

The proposed investments to the tech industry include: 

• $2.2M to revive the Qualified High Technology Companies (QHTC) tax incentive
• $2.4M to create the DC Technology Ecosystem Fund to invest in business accelerators and incubators for start-up tech companies in DC

See the full growth agenda presentation here.

The backstory:

Bowser and the D.C. Council are dealing with two major budget-related matters. 

The City’s Chief Financial Officer has revised projected revenues downward, in large part because of the cuts to the federal workforce. Last week, Bowser stressed that those losses mean D.C. needs to come up with ways to generate revenue. 

The RFK stadium proposal announced last week would contribute to added revenue for the District, according to Bowser. She says the $2.7 billion he Commanders would contribute and the projected $1.1 billion in public dollars is a good investment in D.C. that will spur more economic growth. 

"If you’re losing revenue, you have to replace that revenue, and there are only two ways to do it. You grow more revenue with economic activity. Or you raise taxes. I’m not in the camp that we should raise taxes on residents and businesses. I’m in the camp that as a city, I’m going to advance a very aggressive growth agenda to create more jobs and economic activity," said Bowser last week. 

But Council Chair Phil Mendelson says D.C. doesn't have the money. 

Last week, the D.C. Council set a deadline on the FY 26 budget for May 15, following some frustration from the Council that the budget had not yet been submitted. 

Bowser's delayed budget is due in large part to the possibility that there will need to be $410 million in cuts between now and September 30 due to an oversight with the current federal budget.

The Senate has already passed a fix that President Donald Trump supports, but it's yet to pass in the House. For now, limits on overtime and a hiring freeze are in place.