On March 7, 2026, Executive Director Yesim Sayin was quoted in the Washington Post:
Yesim Sayin, an economist serving as executive director of the D.C. Policy Center who previously worked in the CFO’s office, said she could understand why city officials might be angered to lose access to the money. The congressional resolution, and Lee’s decision to withhold the revenue, she said, ultimately “nullifies” the D.C. Council’s intent to use the tax revenue to soften the budget blow.
Still, she said she could also understand Lee’s prudence. He appeared to be withholding the revenue out of an abundance of caution in case the District is sued by a taxpayer or other Hill-aligned entityover its defiance of Congress — which could add more uncertainty to whether the city could ultimately spend the $180 million, she said. The CFO’s foremost priority is to balance the budget, she said: “That’s sacrosanct.”
“The CFO of this city has a very clear charter,” she said. “It’s to shepherd the finances and reduce the fiscal risks as much as possible. And if that is the guiding principle, this decision fits squarely into that principle.”
Read more: D.C.’s most apolitical official is on the hot seat — with $180M on the line
Additional reading: Laying the foundation for a resilient fiscal future for the District of Columbia