
By Mana Rabiee
The District of Columbia is burning through its 2010 fiscal budget faster than lawmakers expected. Now the city faces a shortfall of nearly $225 million and the head of the city council is calling for emergency measures.
City Council Chairman Vincent Grey says the city is spending money much too fast--so fast that he is calling for "emergency legislation" to rein in city spending.
"We have got to get on top of this," says Grey. "The council worked very hard to reach a balanced budget for fiscal year 2010 and we intend to have a balanced budget at the end of this year."
Grey places the blame squarely on Mayor Adrian Fenty's failure to follow council's budget recommendations.
"I think clearly where you have policy proposals that haven't been implemented that clearly falls on the executive," he says.
The emergency legislation would require the Mayor to submit a plan to address the city's overspending by February 8th.

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