City State: Catania questions increase for D.C. movie office

A D.C. Council member is questioning a 22 percent budget increase for the District’s Office of Motion Picture and TV Development.

During Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s presentation of his $9.6 billion budget to the council Wednesday, David A. Catania queried the mayor on a 22.4 percent increase to the budget of the city’s Office of Motion Picture and Television Development.

The increase, he noted, was precisely the salary of a newly hired person at the agency. While he did not mention her by name, he was referring to Leslie Green, the daughter of Gray confidante Lorraine Green, who served as Mr. Gray’s campaign and transition team director.

“That’s why I raise the issue,” said Mr. Catania, who has been a relentless in his scrutiny of the mayor’s personnel practices during recent D.C. Council hearings.