On Thursday, county councilmembers took a straw vote to unanimously approve a $7.6 billion operating budget.
They will take a final vote next Thursday, May 22.
There will be no tax increases. The previous day, councilmembers voted unanimously to reject an income tax increase proposed by County Executive Marc Elrich to help fund the budget.
During a media briefing after the straw vote Thursday, Council President Kate Stewart said the council understands “the devastating impacts that federal job losses are having” in the community.
“In this context, the County Executive’s initial proposal to raise property taxes – followed by an amended proposal to raise the income tax rate retroactively – is simply unacceptable,” Councilmember Evan Glass said in a written statement. “You cannot ask someone to pay more on income they already earned at a job they may no longer have.”
This week, councilmembers and school leaders announced a new plan to pass the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) budget without a tax increase. The plan takes $50 million out of “pre-funding” for a county retiree benefit trust, Stewart explained Thursday.
“Now this solution, though necessary now, is not a sustainable one in the long-term,” Council Vice President Will Jawando said during Thursday’s council meeting. “So we must commit to find responsible, equitable ways to increase our revenue next year and years to come by growing our economy and creating a more equitable tax structure.”
The council approved $3.6 billion in funding for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), which is 99.8% of the school board’s request.
“While cuts at the Department of Education threaten federal funding for low-income and rural schools, our budget reflects our commitment to improving education for all students — especially those with Individualized Education Programs and Emergent Multilingual Learners,” said Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles.
“From the outset of this budget process, I have made abundantly clear that I would not entertain tax increases when our families and businesses are struggling and when many have lost their jobs and livelihoods,” Councilmember Andrew Friedson said in a written statement.
“Importantly, the balance I committed to striking was preserving essential services without imposing additional burdens on residents,” said Councilmember Dawn Luedtke. “I also wanted to protect our residents by protecting affordability and sustainability — that has a significant impact on peoples’ daily lives and the choices they make and that is a top stressor. Because of that, I could not, in good conscience, support a tax increase — whether property or income — on our residents during this time of financial strain and anxiety.”
The council approved more than $554 million for the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, according to Stewart. $1.9 million was added to support mental health services.
$352 million goes to police, and $310 million goes to fire and rescue.
Ride On bus fares will be eliminated for all users.
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