Montgomery County Council adopts $6.7 billion FY2024 budget; property tax rates set 7–4
May 26, 2023 | Montgomery County, Maryland
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Montgomery County Council on Thursday adopted a $6.7 billion fiscal 2024 budget and set the county's property tax rates after a series of roll-call votes.
Councilmember Katz moved the resolution to establish FY2024 property tax rates; Councilmember Albanese seconded. The property tax resolution passed 7–4. Earlier votes on specific portions of the operating budget included a 10–1 approval for the Montgomery County Public Schools FY2024 operating budget item; other agency items — including Montgomery College, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the Washington Suburban Transit Commission administrative expense item — passed largely by unanimous votes. Council members also approved aggregate operating budget spending affordability guidelines by a 10–1 vote. The council president summarized the adopted budget as the result of “one of consensus” among members.
Council members framed the final package as a balance between different priorities. Council President Evan Glass said the council supported labor contracts, maintained social-safety-net programs and preserved reserve funds while making investments in schools and workforce development. “The end result was one of consensus, recognizing that we supported labor contracts for our county and school employees,” Glass said.
Several members noted the intensity of public engagement during the budget process. The council president said the county held multiple televised committee meetings and heard 166 residents testify in person during the public budget hearings, with thousands more contacting the council online or by phone.
Votes and process details: the consent calendar was approved unanimously before the separate roll-call votes on operating items. The county executed block votes for several agency budgets; individual roll-call votes were used where members objected to voting in block. Following the final votes, the council president declared the FY2024 budget adopted and adjourned the meeting.
What happens next: The budget ordinance and tax-rate resolutions will be processed per the county's legislative procedures; specific implementation steps and effective dates were not specified during the meeting.
Councilmember Katz moved the resolution to establish FY2024 property tax rates; Councilmember Albanese seconded. The property tax resolution passed 7–4. Earlier votes on specific portions of the operating budget included a 10–1 approval for the Montgomery County Public Schools FY2024 operating budget item; other agency items — including Montgomery College, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the Washington Suburban Transit Commission administrative expense item — passed largely by unanimous votes. Council members also approved aggregate operating budget spending affordability guidelines by a 10–1 vote. The council president summarized the adopted budget as the result of “one of consensus” among members.
Council members framed the final package as a balance between different priorities. Council President Evan Glass said the council supported labor contracts, maintained social-safety-net programs and preserved reserve funds while making investments in schools and workforce development. “The end result was one of consensus, recognizing that we supported labor contracts for our county and school employees,” Glass said.
Several members noted the intensity of public engagement during the budget process. The council president said the county held multiple televised committee meetings and heard 166 residents testify in person during the public budget hearings, with thousands more contacting the council online or by phone.
Votes and process details: the consent calendar was approved unanimously before the separate roll-call votes on operating items. The county executed block votes for several agency budgets; individual roll-call votes were used where members objected to voting in block. Following the final votes, the council president declared the FY2024 budget adopted and adjourned the meeting.
What happens next: The budget ordinance and tax-rate resolutions will be processed per the county's legislative procedures; specific implementation steps and effective dates were not specified during the meeting.
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