For Immediate Release: Friday, May 18, 2018
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 17, 2018—Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker made the following remarks today after the Council reached agreement on the County’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Operating Budget, the FY19 Capital Budget and FY19-24 Capital Improvements Program. The budgets will be formally adopted by the Council on May 24.
The complete text of Councilmember Hucker’s remarks:
It’s never easy meeting our county’s ever-growing needs with our finite resources. We do the best we can, balancing our many needs — from life-saving fire and rescue services to good parks, good schools, good roads, good libraries, good transit and so much more that make Montgomery County a great place to live and work.
I appreciate that the Council is moving forward with a Student Loan Finance Program, which could make our county a national leader in helping ease our borrowers’ crushing student debt.
Our East County residents, whom I represent, have often felt neglected. So I’m grateful that the Council is making significant investments there:
● $237 million in additions and renovations at 10 of our East County schools, including $123 million at Northwood High.
● Full staffing at our Hillandale and Burtonsville fire stations, to ensure prompt response times in emergencies.
● Adding a detective to our police vice unit, to combat human trafficking.
● Transit and pedestrian safety projects, including a second entrance and pedestrian tunnel under Georgia Avenue at the Forest Glen Metro station; Bus Rapid Transit; and a sidewalk on Good Hope Road, where residents have sought one for 20 years.
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Release ID: 18-152