For Immediate Release: Wednesday, May 3, 2023
The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet on Thursday, May 4 at 9 a.m. to review an FY24 Operating Budget Amendment for the Youth Harm Reduction Initiative.
The members of the HHS Committee include Chair Gabe Albornoz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Laurie-Anne Sayles.
The joint Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) and Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee will meet at 1 p.m. to discuss the FY24 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Green Bank Non-Departmental Account (NDA).
The members of the GO Committee include Chair Kate Stewart, Council Vice President Andrew Friedson and Councilmember Sidney Katz.
The members of the TE Committee include Chair Evan Glass and Councilmembers Marilyn Balcombe and Stewart.
The Education and Culture (EC) Committee will meet at 1 p.m. to review FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) amendments for the Library Refurbishment Level of Effort and the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center. The committee also will continue its review of the FY24 Operating Budget for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and review a Special Appropriation to the FY23 Operating Budget for education support professionals at MCPS.
The members of the EC Committee include Chair Will Jawando and Councilmembers Albornoz and Kristin Mink.
The TE Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to discuss the FY24 Operating Budgets for the Environmental Protection General Fund, the Climate Change Planning NDA, the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Water Quality Protection Fund and DEP’s Recycling and Resource Management program. The committee will also discuss an FY23-28 CIP Amendment for the Conservation of Natural Resources – Stormwater Management program.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
FY24 Operating Budget Amendment: Youth Harm Reduction Budget Amendment
Review: The HHS Committee will review an $853,699 Amendment to the FY24 Operating Budget for the Youth Harm Reduction Initiative. The initiative supports violence prevention and mitigation efforts and leverages youth and family engagement and positive youth development practices. The funding was not included in the FY24 Recommended Operating Budget and is needed to continue to respond to an increase in gun violence and aggravated assaults seen during the first quarter of FY23.
On June 28, 2022, the Council received a briefing on Youth Safety and Positive Youth Development amid concerns about youth violence incidents in the community. The data showed that community-based youth violence had increased significantly over the past two years, much of which involved the use of firearms. County agencies and departments indicated the intent to scale up programs in partnership with community-based organizations to support vulnerable youth and mitigate potential harm. On Nov. 15, 2022, the Council approved a special appropriation to the FY23 Operating Budget for the initiative.
Montgomery County Green Bank NDA
Review: The joint GO and TE Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Green Bank NDA, which is more than $19.3 million. This is an increase of $667,184 or a 3.7 percent increase from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. The Montgomery County Green Bank leverages public and private investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the County.
This NDA was created in FY23 after the Council adopted Bill 44-21, which established an annual funding mechanism for the Green Bank. Under this bill, the County is required to appropriate 10 precent of the County’s fuel-energy tax revenue to the Green Bank and the amount recommended in FY24 represents 10 percent of the projected revenue.
FY23-28 CIP Amendments: Library Refurbishment Level of Effort
Review: The EC Committee will review an FY23-28 CIP Amendment for the Library Refurbishment Level of Effort project. The amendment adds more than $1 million in state aid to the project to reflect an additional $555,600 provided to construct building and site improvements at the Long Branch Library and $500,000 to support the Damascus Library and Senior Center Refurbishment.
FY23-28 CIP Amendments: Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center
Review: The EC Committee will review an amendment to the FY23-28 CIP for the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center. The amendment would update the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center project to reflect $1 million in state aid, allowing the County to begin build-out of the facility’s interior in FY28, earlier than previously programmed.
Review: The EC Committee will hold its third meeting to review the Board of Education’s Requested FY24 Operating Budget for MCPS. The County Executive recommended a total MCPS FY24 Operating Budget of more than $3.2 billion, which is an increase of $288.5 million or 9.9 percent above the approved FY23 funding level. The Executive recommended 99.8 percent of the Board of Education’s request or $7.5 million less than the Board’s requested budget.
The committee will also discuss the more than $4.9 million FY23 Supplemental Appropriation for the Educational Support Professionals Bonus Grant, which provides funding from the Maryland State Department of Education to provide bonuses to noncertificated public school employees.
The proposed budget requires a 10 percent property tax increase to generate an additional $223.3 million in FY24, which would be the County’s first property tax increase since FY17, with each one cent increase equivalent to $22.3 million in revenue. The Executive’s recommendation allocates the full amount of this proposed tax increase to support the requested increase in local funding for MCPS. A provision in state law allows local counties to exceed Charter limits on taxes for the purpose of funding the local school system.
The committee meeting will focus on the anti-racist audit, special education compensatory education, restorative justice, requested FY24 accelerators and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) allocations. In addition, the committee will discuss positions and staffing, mental health, and information about salaries, turnover, retirements and adjustments in federal aid.
Review: The TE Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the DEP General Fund, which is more than $9.9 million. This is an increase of more than $2.4 million, or a 31.9 percent increase from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. DEP protects and improves Montgomery County's air, water and land, and fosters smart growth, a thriving, sustainable economy and healthy communities.
In addition, the committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for DEP’s Water Quality Protection Fund, which is more than $33.9 million. This is an increase of more than $2.9 million, or more than 9.4 percent from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. The Water Quality Protection Fund accounts for 77 percent of the total DEP budget, which is more than $43.9 million. This is due to expenditures to address the requirements of the County’s current National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit.
The TE Committee also will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Climate Change Planning NDA, which is $591,639. This is a decrease of more than $100,038, or a decrease of more than 14.5 percent from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. The NDA provides funding for the prioritization of greenhouse gas reduction strategies and the development of an implementation plan to meet the County's greenhouse gas reduction goals of 80 percent by 2027 and 100 percent by 2035. Funding in this NDA can also be used to develop climate change adaptation strategies.
Environmental Protection: Recycling and Resource Management
Review: The TE Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for DEP’s Recycling and Resource Management Division, which is more than $142 million, or an increase of $27,809 from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. This budget is divided into two enterprise funds: collection and disposal. These are nontax-supported funds for which revenues and expenditures are directly connected. Solid Waste Collection Fund expenditures are recommended to increase slightly, and Solid Waste Disposal Fund expenditures are recommended to remain level with FY23.
The committee will also review the FY24 Solid Waste Charges. The County’s solid waste programs are primarily funded by various solid waste charges that support the dedicated enterprise funds. Single-family charges are recommended to increase from 1.8 percent to 9.2 percent depending on the services provided. Multi-family charges are recommended to increase from 1.2 percent to 1.8 percent, depending on the services provided. Non-residential charges have a recommended 5.6 percent reduction. The transfer station tipping fee for refuse under 500 pounds is recommended to increase from $60 to $70 per ton and transfer station tipping fee for refuse in open top containers is recommended to increase from $76 to $84 per ton.
FY23-28 CIP Amendments: Conservation of Natural Resources - Stormwater Management
Review: The TE Committee will review an FY23-28 CIP Amendment for Stormwater Management. The Executive recommends shifting $778,000 annually from the Operating Budget beginning in FY24 to consolidate stream monitoring and gauge costs in the CIP. The funding source will remain as current revenue from the Water Quality Protection Fund. This shift also has the benefit or improving the debt service coverage ratio in the Operating Budget for this project based on the increased work required from the new NPDES-MS4 permit.
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: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
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.