A Montgomery County Council committee reviewed a more than $20 million operating budget request for Fiscal Year 2027 for the office of the county council Thursday.
Members of the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy committee reviewed a budget request of $20,703,869 to fund the county council and its staff. That is a 3.5% increase over the previous year.
No new staff or programs are added. Most of the increase is due to salary adjustments as well as rising mail costs, according to Craig Howard, executive director of the council.
$100,000 was removed from the original budget request as the council improved its organizational flexibility and efficiency, Howard explained during the committee hearing.
The council office staffs the equivalent of 113.5 full time employees, including the 11 council members and their staff.
The salary of councilmembers in 2024 was $167,172 with the council president earning $183,889.40, according to county records. While they have not received a salary increase since then, they are paid slightly more now due to cost-of-living increases.
The committee’s recommendation next goes before the full council for discussion.
