Introduction of the District of Columbia Chief Financial Officer Salary Home Rule Act
Floor Speech
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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the District of Columbia Chief Financial Officer Salary Home Rule Act, which would give the District of Columbia the authority to raise the pay of its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). There is no reason the District should not have the authority to set the pay of every local official, who are paid with local funds, as a matter of its existing home-rule authority.
In 2013, Congress enacted a law that gave the District more authority to set the CFO's pay. However, Congress did not give D.C. full and complete authority over this local matter. This bill would give D.C. the authority to set the CFO's pay commensurate with its best judgment based on factors such as comparisons with similar positions elsewhere, the competitive market and other factors generally used in determining pay. I was able to get some needed changes in 2013 by amending the Home Rule Act to change the CFO's salary from a fixed rate of pay that was tied to the federal pay schedule to a maximum allowable pay, or ceiling, tied to the federal pay schedule. That ceiling was and continues to be substantially higher than the fixed rate. However, D.C. should have full control over setting the salaries of its own employees.
I introduced the 2013 bill after a D.C. CFO search committee indicated that the fixed rate of pay was not high enough to attract the best talent needed for this complex and demanding job. The responsibilities of the CFO, a position created by Congress, are unique in the United States. The CFO is extraordinarily powerful and independent. The District cannot obligate or expend funds without the CFO's approval, and the CFO can be terminated only ``for cause.'' My bill would not allow the CFO's salary to be lowered and maintains the ``for cause'' termination provision, so as to preserve the independence of the office. The District needs the authority to pay the rate necessary to retain and attract the best CFOs, especially since the District must compete with the private sector for highly qualified CFOs.
This is an important step to increase necessary home-rule authority for the District, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
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