What happens to the District of Columbia in the event of a government shutdown? D.C. relies on money from Congress to operate, so technically, the city would shut down as well, with the exception of essential personnel such as police and firefighters.
Mayor Vincent Gray has come up with a solution to that problem. He has declared every one of the city’s 33,000 workers essential, simple as that.
It’s nice to feel needed.
Thank goodness Mayor Gray made me an essential government employee. Congress is too busy w/ the rest of the nation to notice. #shutdown
— Sagiterrorist Feminazi (@onewhittychick) September 30, 2013
All DC employees deemed essential. Well done Mayor Gray. #shutdown
— Neil Stormer (@neilstormer) September 30, 2013
Mayor Gray declares all 33k city workers as essential in #washingtonDC #shutdown
— Amanda P. (@LivingUnited) September 30, 2013
Panda-Cam might go dark, but parking meters will be up and running.
DC Mayor Gray declaring all 33,000 city government employees "essential." So yes, parking enforcement will still be happening. #GovtShutdown
— Douglas Bell (@dbelldc) September 30, 2013
DC mayor Vincent Gray solution to govt #shutdown – declare all govt ops essential & fund at existing levels – cite multi states of emergency
— American System (@A_S_P_E_school) September 30, 2013
Multiple states of emergency? Sounds like Washington, D.C. to us.
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So…did Gray's plan of declaring all DC government employees essential actually work? #shutdown
— Social Distancing CHAMP⚾️⚾️⚾️ (@snazzzyredhead) September 30, 2013
Did the mayor’s plan work? We’re not sure yet. Washington Post columnist Robert McCartney noted that no one has ever been prosecuted under the federal Antideficiency Act, so it’s unlikely the Depart of Justice would act this time. So for the moment, everyone’s essential.
So thanks to @DCDPW crew of same lazy guys, I get to make a trip to Ft. Totten saturday to take my own trash to the dump. Again.
— S. Davis (@whiteknuckled) September 25, 2013
Remind me again: Are these the "essential" personnel that Mayor Gray was talking about today? I sure hope so! They're doing a bangup job!
— S. Davis (@whiteknuckled) September 25, 2013
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