DC mayor reappoints chief financial officer Natwar Gandhi - DC Breaking Local News Weather Sports FOX 5 WTTG

District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray has reappointed Natwar Gandhi as the city's chief financial officer.

Gandhi has served in the position since 2000, and the reappointment Friday is for another five-year term.

Gray says in a statement that Gandhi has been a "steady steward" for D.C. finances. He says Gandhi has helped the city balance its budget without using any more reserve funds in the last two years. But Gandhi has also been caught up in a legal dispute over the awarding of the city's lottery contract.

The D.C. Council must vote to confirm the selection.

Statement from D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray:

"Dr. Gandhi has been a steady steward for the District's finances for more than a decade, and a good partner to me as I have worked to restore a strong sense of fiscal responsibility to the District's budget," Mayor Gray said. "I have appreciated his assistance in helping us balance the District's budget without using any more of our crucial reserves for the last two years – restoring our Fund Balance to over $1.1 billion from the depleted state it had been in when I took office. I look forward to working even more closely with him toward the goal of restoring the District's financial-management function to a model like those found in virtually every other state and city."

Councilmember David A. Catania (At-Large) released the following statement regarding reports of the reappointment of Natwar Gandhi to the position of Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia:

"I am disappointed to hear of Mayor Gray's decision to reappoint Natwar Gandhi to another 5 year term. It is inconceivable to me that someone who let over $50 million in public funds walk out the door of his own agency; failed to collect legally mandated real estate taxes to the tune of $100 million; consistently put forward inaccurate revenue projections forcing unnecessary tax hikes and service cuts; and underestimated the cost of a baseball stadium by more than $200 million should retain their position. That is not the kind of job performance that warrants continued confidence."