For Immediate Release: Friday, April 29, 2022
Committees will review the FY23 Operating Budget and FY23-28 Capital Improvement Programs
The Planning, Housing & Economic Development (PHED) Committee will meet on Monday, May 2, at 9:30 a.m. to review the FY23 Operating Budget and FY23-28 CIP for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). The committee will also review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Office of the People’s Counsel and the County’s Urban Districts.
The members of the PHED Committee include Chair Hans Riemer and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando.
The Public Safety (PS) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Sheriff’s Office, the Circuit Court, the State’s Attorney’s Office, the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation and the Prisoner Medical Services Non-departmental Account (NDA). The committee will also review the FY23-28 CIP for the Criminal Justice Complex (Department of Correction and Rehabilitation).
The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz, Council President Gabe Albornoz and Councilmember Tom Hucker.
The Government Operations & Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Office of Intergovernmental Relations, the Board of Elections, the Public Election Fund, leases, the Working Families Income Supplement NDA, future federal and state grants, grants to municipalities in lieu of shares tax and the State Property Tax Services NDA. The committee will also review payments to municipalities and NDAs for County associations, boards and commissions, the Council of Governments and Public Technology, Inc.
The members of the GO Committee include Chair Nancy Navarro and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Sidney Katz.
The Transportation & Environment (T&E) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to discuss further revisions to transportation projects in the FY23-28 CIP. The committee will also review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Mass Transit Fund – Transportation Services Improvement Fund and a $75,000 supplemental appropriation for the Transportation Services Improvement Fund’s Fuel Fund Relief Disbursement.
The members of the T&E Committee include Chair Tom Hucker, Council Vice President Evan Glass and Councilmember Hans Riemer.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget and FY23-28 CIP – M-NCPPC
Review: The PHED Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget and FY23-28 CIP for M-NCPPC. The recommended FY23 budget for M-NCPPC is more than $180.6 million, which is an increase of 6.2 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The committee will review the Executive’s recommendation of an FY23 tax-supported appropriation, excluding debt services, of $153 million, the requested transfer of $500,000 from the tax-supported Administration Fund to the non-tax supported Special Revenue Fund and the request for funding of the Advance Land Acquisition Debt Service Fund, the Enterprise Fund, the Property Management Fund, the Special Revenue Fund and the Grant Fund.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – People’s Counsel
Review: The PHED Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Office of the People’s Counsel. The recommended FY23 budget is $224,598. The mission of the office is to “protect the public interest in land use hearings by promoting a full and fair presentation of relevant issues to achieve balanced administrative records,” and to “provide technical assistance to residents and citizen associations so they can effectively participate in the County's land use control processes.” The office was last funded in FY10 at $246,520.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Urban Districts
Review: The PHED Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Urban Districts. The recommended FY23 budget is more than $10.3 million, which is an increase of 4.6 percent from the FY22 approved budget. Urban districts are special taxing districts that provide an administrative and financial framework to maintain and enhance the County’s downtowns as prosperous, livable urban centers. These districts levy an additional tax on property within the district so that the County may provide services in addition to those that it generally provides all residents. These additional services include increasing the maintenance of the streetscape and amenities; providing additional public amenities such as plantings, seating, shelters and art; promoting the commercial and residential interest of the district; and programming cultural and community activities. The County’s three established Urban Districts are Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Sheriff
Review: The PS Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. The recommended FY23 budget is more than $26 million, which is a 1.9 percent increase 1.9 from the FY22 approved budget. The committee will discuss support for tenant eviction services, veterinary treatment for retired canines, the restoration of pre-covid costs to the security budget, the transfer of a deputy from the sheriff’s office to the union, an inflationary increase to nonprofit service contracts, replacement of ballistic vests, recruiting issues, the Family Justice Center, tasers, south tower wi-fi connectivity and prisoner transports.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Circuit Court
Review: The PS Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Circuit Court. The recommended FY23 budget is more than $16.5 million, which is an increase of more than 4.2 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The Committee will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on operations, American Rescue Plan Act funding, upgrades to courtroom AV equipment, ransomware and data protection and receive an update on the Maryland electronic court case management system.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – State’s Attorney
Review: The PS Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for State’s Attorney’s Office. The recommended FY23 budget is more than $21 million, which is an increase of 9.2 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The office continues to experience a COVID-related case backlog. In addition, expenditures increased by $1.8 million due to the addition of two new positions and the conversion of one part-time position to full-time. The office will also replace its legacy case management system, Justware, at a cost of $1.1 million.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget and FY23-28 CIP – Correction and Rehabilitation
Review: The PS Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation. The recommended FY23 budget for the department is more than $73 million, which is an increase of 0.7 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The committee will discuss the relaunch of the Bakery Program, which provides participating inmates with a certified food services manager license as well as practical food preparation skills, that had previously resulted in a nearly 100 percent job placement rate upon release. In addition, the committee will discuss asset repair and replacement, additional staffing, prisoner transports. In addition, the Committee will discuss the proposed $78 million Criminal Justice Complex.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Prisoner Medical Services NDA
Review: The PS Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Prisoner Medical Services NDA. The recommended FY23 budget is $20,000, which is the same as the FY22 approved budget. This NDA provides reimbursements to physicians and hospitals for medical care provided to individuals in the custody of any Montgomery County law enforcement agency, with some exceptions.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Intergovernmental Relations
Review: The GO Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Office of Intergovernmental Relations. The recommended FY23 budget is more than $1.07 million, which is a decrease of 1.4 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The most significant change in the office’s FY23 budget is the recommended elimination of $15,335 in matching grant funds for from the state for Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) activities for White Oak Reuse.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Board of Elections
Review: The GO Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Board of Elections. The recommended FY23 budget is more than $10.6 million, which is an increase of 28 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The committee will discuss ballot sorting and imaging equipment, staffing, invoicing from the Maryland Board of Elections and election judge training and stipends.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Public Election Fund NDA
Review: The GO Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Public Election Fund (PEF) NDA. The recommended FY23 budget is $2.5 million, which is a decrease of $500,000 from the FY22 approved budget. All appropriations to the NDA are one-time. In addition, unspent appropriations in the PEF generally carry over into future fiscal years. As of March 31, 2022, the available balance in the fund is approximately $3.3 million.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Leases
Review: The GO Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Leases NDA. The recommended FY23 budget is more than $15.6 million, which is a decrease of 16.9 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The County’s total leased footprint has decreased in recent years due mostly to the transition of several offices to County-owned or County agency-owned facilities. The County’s debt service payments have increased from the construction or renovation of these spaces. Since FY21, this appropriation has decreased by over $7 million or 31 percent. The recommended FY23 appropriation is also decreasing due to changes in the chargebacks to certain departments for leased space.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Working Families Income Supplement
Review: The GO Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Working Families Income Supplement NDA. This NDA provides funds to supplement the state’s refundable Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and is intended to benefit working families with low incomes. The County supplements the state’s refund by 100 percent for County residents, in effect doubling the amount received from Maryland. The state administers the County refund, so the County provides funding to the state for any County-related refunds and the related administrative expenses. The approved FY22 appropriation was more than $45.1 million.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Future Federal/State/Other Grants
Review: The GO Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Future Federal/State/Other Grants NDA. The recommended FY23 budget is $20 million, which is the same as the FY22 approved budget. This entire appropriation is non-tax supported and may only be spent if grants are received. If the County receives more than $20 million in unexpected grants in FY23, the Council will need to approve a supplemental appropriation.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Grants to Municipalities in Lieu of Shares Tax
Review: The GO Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Grants to Municipalities in Lieu of Shares Tax NDA. The recommended FY23 budget is $28,020, which is the same as the FY22 approved budget. This NDA funds payments required by state law.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – State Property Tax Services NDA
Review: The GO Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the State Property Tax Services NDA. This NDA reimburses the state for administrative work related to the County’s property tax bills conducted by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). Maryland law requires the County to reimburse SDAT for 50 percent of the costs for the real and personal property assessments in the County.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Payments to Municipalities
Review: The GO Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Payments to Municipalities NDA. The recommended FY23 appropriation is more than $17.2 million, which is an increase of 89.3 percent from the FY22 approved appropriation. This NDA is authorized by §30A of the County Code and provides a reimbursement to municipalities to offset instances of property tax duplication. The County amended the law concerning the formulas for these payments in 2022. The outcome of these amendments was: the reimbursement formulas no longer consider property tax solely when calculating reimbursements -- all revenues are included in the calculation; the law now includes provisions to address payments related to police forces in certain municipalities; and the Takoma Park Police Rebate law was amended due to the other amendment noted above, eliminating the need for the County Takoma Park Police Rebate NDA.
Review: The GO Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the following NDAs: County Associations; Boards, Committees and Commissions; the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG); and Public Technology, Inc. The recommended FY23 appropriation for County Associations is $74,728, which is the same as the approved FY22 appropriation; the recommended FY23 appropriation for Boards, Committees and Commissions is $47,450, which is the same as the approved FY22 appropriation; the recommended FY23 appropriation for MWCOG is more than $1.6 million, which is the same as the approved FY22 appropriation; and the recommended FY23 appropriation for Public Technology, Inc. is $5,000, which is the same as the approved FY22 appropriation.
FY23-28 CIP – Further Revisions to Transportation Projects
Review: The T&E Committee will review further revisions to transportation projects in the FY23-28 CIP. On April 18, the Executive transmitted revisions to his Recommended FY23-28 CIP, largely based on state aid for local capital improvements approved by the Maryland General Assembly in its 2022 session. This Committee will address these recommendations and address follow-up on items discussed in earlier committee CIP meetings.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – DOT Mass Transit Fund - Transportation Services Improvement Fund
Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the DOT Mass Transit Fund - Transportation Services Improvement Fund. The committee will continue discussion on proposals to support the taxi industry. Previous discussion included method to increase the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) in service for people with disabilities and strategies to keep these vehicles on the road longer. The Executive has proposed nine new incentives for this purpose at an estimated cost of more than $2.9 million. In addition, Councilmember Riemer shared a proposal to reallocate funding to provide direct incentivizes for increasing the number of WAVs in service.
Review: The T&E Committee will review a $75,000 supplemental appropriation to the FY23 Operating Budget for the Transportation Services Improvement Fund Fuel Relief Disbursement. This supplemental appropriation would provide relief to taxi operators in the County to help ensure the stability of the Medicaid and Call-n-Ride programs. In recent weeks, the price of gasoline has increased significantly, placing a further burden on the taxi operators in the County. DOT notes that without the ability to increase fares to offset costs, taxi operators will see a material decrease in their income due operating expenses. This relief would be provided in the form of two $150 payments to each registered taxi operator in the County that has participated in both the Call-n-Ride and Medicaid Transportation programs between March 1, 2022, and April 30, 2022.
The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
Committees returned to in-person meetings on April 25 and the Council returned to in-person meetings on March 15.
Residents continue to have the opportunity to testify remotely for public hearings or provide in-person testimony at the Council Office Building in Rockville for many public hearings.
The Council is recommending that residents, who choose to attend in-person Council or committee meetings, get fully vaccinated to protect themselves and others against COVID-19. If this is not possible, virtual participation is encouraged.
Council and committee meetings are streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube and on Facebook Live and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on Xfinity/RCN 6 HD 996/1056, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.
Release ID: 22-187