DC weekly roundup: Tech for school transit safety; Ed. Dept. cuts’ career impacts; taxes on tech in Maryland

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This week, we’re highlighting DC Public Schools’ new partnership with an Ohio tech company to put tech into school transport vans that help reduce speeding. We’ve also got a deep dive into what the Trump admin’s cuts to the Department of Education mean for shifts in career paths.

Read on for more news about DC tech, startups, policy and economy.

📰 News Incubator: What else to know

• Next week, the House plans to bring forward legislation that addresses DC’s $1.1 billion budget shortfall (caused by stipulations in the federal spending package). Reps haven’t been in a rush to address the Senate-passed measure. DC’s mayor also hasn’t released the 2026 budget plan, which will be delayed until there’s clarity on the funding. [Politico/51st/Washington Post]

• Governments are increasingly applying traditional tax rules to digital service providers. A recent proposal in Maryland that’s already getting pushback from tech community members highlights the trend. [Technical.ly]

• DC’s restaurant association wants to kill Initiative 82, which eliminates the tipped minimum wage. Local eateries say the system isn’t working. [Axios DC] 

• The Prince George’s County Council is considering giving laid-off federal workers stimulus checks. [WJLA]

• DC serial entrepreneur Steve Salis is ready to go public with his second special purpose acquisition company called Sizzle Acquisition Corp. II. [Washington Business Journal]

• Virginia Gov. Youngkin’s commerce secretary resigned after shakeups in the state government. The Republican governor tried to transfer Secretary Caren Merrick elsewhere in the cabinet to promote her deputy Juan Pablo Segura. [Washington Post]

• The US Senate confirmed Michael Kratsios, a protege of Peter Thiel, to lead the Office of Science and Technology Policy. [Wall Street Journal]

• Jeremiah Lowin, the CEO of DC startup Prefect, recently wrote that he cut 20 employees to build a more sustainable company that isn’t dependent on venture capital to survive. [Jeremiah Lowin/Technical.ly]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Technical.ly is hosting a conversation on April 2 with Sherrod Davis, CEO of EcoMap Technologies, to discuss “ecosystem building” and a tool from the Baltimore startup that could help. [Details here]

• Meet business professionals and entrepreneurs in Georgetown at a networking event hosted by Strive Networking on April 2.  [Details here]

• Learn how to build strong software at BugBash 2025 from April 3-4. [Details here]

• Get feedback about your business pitch at the next Unstuck Tuesday event on April 8. [Details here]

• California defense technology contractor Saalex Corp is hosting a job fair in DC on April 8. [Details here]