Photo Courtesy of NYTimes.com
As of a few days ago, it became apparent that our federal government is at risk of a shut down beginning on Midnight Friday, April 8th. Although I notoriously write joke columns this is not, in fact, a joke. As of the last minute of this Friday, current funding resolutions will expire, and the distinguished members of the senate are at a deadlock about where to go from here. While it is generally quite common for Congress to surpass its deadline to pass each year’s future funding resolutions, a government shutdown hasn’t been a looming threat since 1996. What’s interesting is that prior to this, shutdowns were quite frequent (fifteen of them occurring between 1977 and 1996).Â
Needless to say, the implications of this first shutdown in 15 years are pretty mind-blowing and the American public is sitting on the edges of their seats. If you hadn’t heard of this situation until now, it may help to explain the details of what a government shutdown will mean for Washington.Â
According to www.washingtonian.com, the following are certain to close, the employees of these sectors will likely not be paid full retroactive wages, although the exact stipulations of the shutdown are not certain:
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- Federal agencies: According to the Congressional Research Service, in the last shutdown in 1995 to 1996, some 284,000 employees were furloughed and another 475,000 worked without pay. President Barack Obama has said that this time, federal workers will not be allowed to work for free. For a little more clarity on a murky question, the Office of Personnel Management has put out a nifty guide.
- DC Public Library: DC’s libraries would close, but other regional library systems will most likely stay open. Arlington Public Library is even encouraging federal workers to come to the library next week if they have no place to go.
- DC Department of Motor Vehicles: No in-person road tests, renewal, or registration services.
- Federal museums:Â Including the Smithsonian museums, the National Archives, the National Zoo, and the National Gallery of Art.
- Federal monuments:Â Including the Washington Monument and national parks.
- Trash: If you live in the District, you wouldn’t have your trash or recycling picked up next week. But trash removal could resume after a week or so in the interests of public health. Other jurisdictions shouldn’t see a disruption in their trash removal.Â
Additionally, the impact on the government’s tax revenue, and metro revenue (due to the lack of people commuting to work), as well as potential overtime costs as a result of disrupted existing contracts, will total millions dollars in losses each week. Thousands of people with current contracts with the federal government will be directly affected and long term economic implications will be unclear until the terms are set. Ironically, congress will be receiving pay throughout the shut down.
Because of how little is currently known on the shutdown, and the still noticeable level of doubt that the government will push deliberations past Friday, many sources are making direct comparisons to our most recent previous shutdown, resulting in some possible over/under estimations of the actual effects of an impending shutdown in a still somewhat shaky economic climate.
One fun fact about this entire situation: another possible consequence is that parking tickets will no longer be written, and sanctions will only be issued upon excessively dangerous driving behaviors.Â
Thoughts? Comment below, and make sure to keep an eye on incoming news in these next crucial 36 hours.
Sources:
http://www.washingtonian.com/blogarticles/people/capitalcomment/19014.html