Showdown over DC budget could lead to another clash with Congress NBC4 Washington [Video]

A showdown is brewing over the District’s budget that may end up with another faceoff between D.C. officials and the U.S. Congress.

At issue: a requirement by the District’s chief financial officer for D.C.’s budget to allocate more than $200 million to be set aside for emergencies.

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson is threatening to ignore the CFO, which could jeopardize the District’s finances.

When D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser presented next year’s budget to the D.C. Council, she included $500 million in cuts to services, as well as some tax increases. Bowser said part of the reason she was making such deep cuts to programs such as the Early Childhood Education Pay Equity Fund was a last-minute requirement from the District’s CFO, Glenn Lee, for the District to replenish its reserve funds, a cost of $217 million.

Both Bowser and Mendelson said the CFO had exceeded his authority, although Bowser reluctantly agreed to restore the money to …