Read the full stored bill text
October 22, 2025
Nyasha Smith, Secretary
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Secretary Smith,
Today, I am introducing Small Retailer Property Tax Credit Expansion Amendment Act of 2025
along with my colleagues Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, Councilmember Brooke Pinto,
and Councilmember Robert White. This legislation would expand the small retailer property tax
credit (from $10,000 to $20,000) that allows retail businesses to offset their property taxes or
rent paid to their landlord for property taxes.
This year, due to a confluence of systemic factors, far too many local restaurants have closed and
many more small businesses are struggling to make ends meet. According to the Restaurant
Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), on average, two restaurants are closing
every week with 53 closing in the first half of 2025 (nearly double 2024’s pace)1. Food and
beverage sales are forecast to drop 4.2% in FY2026 ($569M to $545M)2, and a majority of
restaurants are reporting declines in both sales and customer traffic.
District retailers—including neighborhood-facing restaurants—are facing significant headwinds,
including inflationary pressures, high rents, impacts on demand from federal activities, and more
recently a government shutdown. International tourist arrivals have dropped significantly, with
hotel occupancy down 7.9% year-over-year and room rates falling 6.4%3 —directly impacting
restaurant traffic. Tariffs also have driven up operational costs for ingredients and equipment
while immigration-related workforce disruptions compound staffing challenges.
These compounding factors threaten the viability of small, independently owned restaurants that
serve as neighborhood anchors and provide employment pathways for thousands of District
1 WJLA, “DC restaurant closures surge amid debate over Initiative 82's wage impact”, August 4 th, 2025, available at
https://wjla.com/news/local/dc-restaurant-closures-job-losses-i-82-initiative-82-tipped-wage-minimum-
wagerestaurant-association-of-metropolitan-washington-ramw-one-fair-wage
2 September 2025 Revenue Estimates, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, September 30, 2025, available at
https://cfo.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ocfo/publication/attachments/Updated%20Revenue%20Estimate%20Let
ter_September%202025.pdf.
3 Id.
2
residents. It is important for the city to explore simple and direct support to our small retail
businesses.
The Small Retailer Property Tax Credit is an existing tool that provides modest support for
businesses under $3,000,000 in yearly revenue. It is important for the city to expand that support,
and I am eager to work with my colleagues to support the city’s small retail businesses. Please
contact my Deputy Chief of Staff at cshaw@dccouncil.gov if you have any questions about this
legislation.
Sincerely,
Zachary Parker
Ward 5 Councilmember
Chair, Committee on Youth Affairs
1
________________________________ _____________________________ 2
Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Councilmember Zachary Parker 3
4
5
6
________________________________ _____________________________ 7
Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember Brooke Pinto 8
9
10
11
A BILL 12
13
_________________________ 14
15
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 16
17
_________________________ 18
19
20
To amend Chapter 18 of Title 47 of the District of Columbia Official Code to expand the small 21
retailer property tax credit that allows retail businesses to reduce their property taxes or 22
rent paid to property taxes. 23
24
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this act may 25
be cited as the “Small Retailer Property Tax Credit Expansion Amendment Act of 2025”. 26
Sec. 2. Chapter 18 of Title 47 of the District of Columbia Official Code is amended as 27
follows: 28
(a) Section 47-1807.14(a) is amended as follows: 29
(1) Paragraph (5) is amended to read as follows: 30
“(5) “Maximum credit amount” means: 31
“(A) For tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 32
1, 2024, $5,000; 33
“(B) For the tax year ending December 31, 2024, $10,000; 34
“(C) For tax year ending December 31, 2025, $10,000, increased annually 35
2
pursuant to the cost-of-living adjustment (if the adjustment does not result in a multiple of $100, 36
rounded down to the next multiple of $100); 37
“(D) For the tax year ending December 31, 2026, $20,000; 38
“(E) For tax years beginning after December 31, 2026, $20,000, increased 39
annually pursuant to the cost-of-living adjustment (if the adjustment does not result in a multiple 40
of $100, rounded down to the next multiple of $100).”. 41
(b) Section 47-1808.14(a)(5) is amended to read as follows: 42
“(5) “Maximum credit amount” means: 43
“(A) For tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 44
1, 2024, $5,000; 45
“(B) For the tax year ending December 31, 2024, $10,000; 46
“(C) For tax year ending December 31, 2025, $10,000, increased annually 47
pursuant to the cost-of-living adjustment (if the adjustment does not result in a multiple of $100, 48
rounded down to the next multiple of $100); 49
“(D) For the tax year ending December 31, 2026, $20,000; 50
“(E) For tax years beginning after December 31, 2026, $20,000, increased 51
annually pursuant to the cost-of-living adjustment (if the adjustment does not result in a multiple 52
of $100, rounded down to the next multiple of $100).”. 53
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 54
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 55
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 56
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 57
Sec. 4. Effective date. 58
3
This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 59
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 60
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 61
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 62
Columbia Register. 63