For Immediate Release: Monday, April 16, 2018
Council to receive overview of the
fiscal year 2019 operating budget on
April 17
Also on April 17: Initial reconciliation for the County’s six-year capital budget, introduction of a bill to promote green jobs through apprenticeships and funding for legal representation for residents detained because of deportation proceedings
ROCKVILLE, Md., April 16, 2018—The Montgomery County Council will meet at 9:30 a.m. on April 17 in the third floor Council hearing room. During the meeting, the Council will receive an overview of the County Executive’s Recommended Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Operating Budget. The recommended FY19 total tax supported budget is $4.950 billion, which is two percent above FY18. The Council held five public hearings last week on the budget and heard from more than 166 residents about their budget priorities.
The recommended FY19 tax supported budget of $4.950 billion is up two percent. Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) budget is expected to increase by 3.1 percent, while Montgomery College’s budget is up 0.8 percent. Funding for Montgomery County Government is 0.1 percent below FY18.
With a tax supported budget of $2.443 billion, MCPS represents nearly half (49.6 percent) of the recommended budget. The 3.1 percent budget increase for MCPS fully funds the Board of Education's request, and allows it to deliver necessary services to a growing student body.
The proposed budget for County Government, at $1.617 billion excluding debt service, represents 32.7 percent of the total tax supported budget. While local economic indicators have generally been positive, FY18 County revenue receipts and FY19 revenue projections are down compared to one year ago. This is primarily due to a decline in our income tax, but revenue from all tax sources are lagging relative to projections.
The staff report can be viewed here.
The Council also will introduce a special appropriation of $373,957 to the County Government’s FY18 operating budget for legal representation to residents detained because of deportation proceedings. This funding would provide the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition with funding to represent low-income County residents who are detained in immigration proceedings. Deportation proceedings are virtually the only legal proceedings where people are routinely detained and are often required to litigate their cases without attorneys.
The staff report can be viewed here.
The Council will introduce two resolutions.
The first resolution calls for an equity policy framework and is sponsored by Council Vice President Nancy Navarro and Councilmember Marc Elrich. The Council is committed to examining the data needed to develop an equity policy framework that would require the County to question how budget and policy decisions impact equity.
The staff report can be viewed here.
The second resolution proclaims 2018 as the “Year of the Anacostia.” It is sponsored by Council President Hans Riemer and Councilmember Craig Rice. The purpose of this resolution is to encourage residents to help restore, protect and enjoy the Anacostia River and its tributary streams and surrounding public lands.
The staff report can be viewed here.
The Council also will introduce Bill 15-18, Economic Development – Workforce Development – Green Jobs Apprenticeship Program, which is sponsored by Councilmembers Tom Hucker, George Leventhal and Marc Elrich. Bill 15-18 would require the County’s Workforce Development Corporation to administer a clean energy industry pre-apprenticeship job training program and to establish certain criteria for the operation of the pre-apprenticeship job training program.
The staff report can be viewed here.
The Council also will vote on the following bills:
Expedited Bill 8-18, Streets and Roads – Storm Drainage Right-of-Way – Abandonments
Council President Hans Riemer is the lead sponsor at the request of the County Executive. Bill 8-18 would permit the County Executive to abandon a storm drainage easement if the Executive finds that the area to be abandoned is not necessary for current or anticipated future public use and that the abandonment will not adversely impact the County's ability to access or maintain the storm drain facility.
The staff report can be viewed here.
Expedited Bill 4-18, Transient Housing – Carbon Monoxide Detector
Councilmember Nancy Floreen is the lead sponsor. Bill 4-18 would replace the requirement for a carbon dioxide detector in a short-term residential dwelling with a requirement for a carbon monoxide detector.
The staff report can be viewed here.
Expedited Bill 5-18, Special Taxing District – White Flint – Amendments
Council President Hans Riemer is the lead sponsor. Expedited Bill 5-18 would modify the boundaries of the White Flint Special Taxing District and include certain exempt properties in the Special Taxing District if they redevelop.
The staff report can be viewed here.
Bill 2-18, Ethics, Conflicts of Interest – Financial Disclosure – Lobbying – Amendments
Council President Hans Riemer is the lead sponsor, at the request of the Ethics Commission. As introduced, Bill 2-18 would limit the participation of a public employee in any matter affecting a party who the employee was hired to lobby for in the prior year, prohibit a person serving as County Executive or Councilmember from certain lobbying for one year after leaving office, require a public employee to disclose income from certain lobbying on a financial disclosure statement and modify the financial disclosure requirements for officers and employees of the Arts and Humanities Council and a community media organization among other provisions.
The staff report can be viewed here.
The Council meeting will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM). The channel can be viewed on Cable Channels 996 (high definition) and 6 (standard definition) on Comcast; Channels 1056 (HD) and 6 (SD) on RCN; and Channel 30 on Verizon. The meetings also will be available live via streaming through the Council website at http://tinyurl.com/z9982v8 .
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Release ID: 18-110