With her inauguration less than two months away, mayor‑elect Janeese Lewis George is already focusing on the District’s fiscal health. At a council breakfast meeting on Nov. 10, she asked colleagues to pause legislation that would change how Events DC calculates its excess cash.

“I know they say that there is no fiscal impact, but there’s obviously a fiscal impact if the current practice is precisely what’s been challenged,” George said. She warned that without clear accounting, the District could miss out on dollars that residents are entitled to under existing law.

Events DC cash calculation amendment

The bill in question, the DC Excess Cash Calculation Clarification Amendment Act of 2026, was introduced by at‑large Councilmember Anita Bonds in October, a year after the Office of the D.C. Auditor found that Events DC had miscalculated excess cash by more than $68 million. After the agency returned some of the funds, the discrepancy fell to $45 million.

Bonds’ Oct. 1 letter to Council Secretary Nyasha Smith noted that Events DC had already corrected excess‑cash calculations for fiscal years 2008‑2018. She argued that adopting the auditor’s 2025 recommendation would prevent the agency from meeting its obligations to bondholders and could jeopardize the Convention Center Fund, Sports and Entertainment Fund, and Marketing Fund.

Despite these concerns, Bonds delayed the first reading of the bill until the council’s Nov. 17 meeting. In remarks preceding the vote, she emphasized the urgency of protecting the District’s interests, stating, “Events DC would be severely harmed should this $45 million be returned to the District and to the general fund because of their financial responsibility over the RFK project and other projects.”

Mayor‑elect’s call for transparency

George, a democratic socialist, said she will conduct a thorough audit of the District’s finances as part of her transition team’s 100‑day plan. She questioned whether the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Executive Administration and Labor, which Bonds chairs, had received information on how much money would return to the general fund and whether the larger reserves are truly needed for Events DC’s operations. Bonds acknowledged that the committees had not received that information.

“As a steward of District finances, I would not at this moment support changing those rules without a clear accounting of what we are giving up,” George said. “I’m hopeful that between now and the postponement we can get some clear answers from Events DC.”

RFK Campus housing and transit legislation

On the same day, the council unanimously approved the first reading of two RFK Campus‑related bills: the Robert F. Kennedy Campus Master Plan Approval Resolution of 2026 and the RFK Campus Small Area Plan Amendment Act of 2026. Councilmember Zachary Parker voted “present” on the master plan, while Councilmembers Charles Allen and Wendell Felder introduced an amendment to ensure a connection to WMATA’s Metrorail network.

Felder said the amendment would help deliver “world‑class transit” to a development that could bring much‑needed economic activity to Ward 7. The master plan envisions a mixed‑use campus with 5,500‑6,500 housing units across six districts, including 2,200 homes in the Plaza District, 3,100 along the Anacostia River, and 1,200 in the Kingman District.

Council Chair Phil Mendelson suggested that Parker work with the Committee on Housing to establish a clear housing‑production timeline. Parker agreed, noting his concern that the stadium could be completed in 2030 while the surrounding land remains undeveloped.

Looking ahead

George’s transition team, which includes Jennifer Levy as transition director and several co‑chairs, will review agency leadership and financial oversight as part of their 100‑day agenda. The council’s ongoing debate over Events DC’s cash calculations and the RFK Campus development underscores the District’s focus on fiscal responsibility, housing affordability, and transit connectivity as it prepares for the next mayoral administration.

Original reporting: The Washington Informer — read the source article.