Council President's Update: May 20

Dear Resident,

As Montgomery County Council President, one of my most important responsibilities is presenting a budget proposal to my colleagues that reflects the needs of our community in a manner that is fiscally responsible. I am proud to say that the $5.8 billion operating budget that the Council tentatively approved on May 16 provides strategic investments that will assist community members, enhance our quality of life and meet the complex needs of our dynamic County. For me, it was a proud moment. This budget brings together my priorities and my work on education, economic development and workforce development with a focus on equity, fiscal prudence and sustainability. This budget says we are a people-friendly and a business-friendly government, and we care about our employees.

I am so thankful to the hundreds of residents who provided testimony in multiple languages at our budget public hearings, and who took the time to send us their views via emails, letters and social media, guided the vision and values of this budget. I appreciate my colleagues and the County Executive for their diligence and collaboration; the Council staff who helped construct and guide this budget process; to our State Delegation for their advocacy in the Maryland General Assembly; and the Board of Education, Montgomery College, all of our nonprofit partners and all other stakeholders who helped shape this document.

I am particularly proud of the agreement I proposed that fully funded the Board of Education’s request for the public schools budget and Montgomery College; and of the $7 million in additional funding for early care and education, which has always been a priority for me and is one of the core projects of my Council presidency. We also were able to allocate funds to expand Excel Beyond the Bell and other programs that help close the opportunity gap for students, as well as programs that provide support for students’ mental health. Other key items include a $1.85 million supplement for residents with developmental disabilities, and $1 million to expand the Kids Ride Free program on our Ride On buses.

There is much more to the budget, and you can read my full remarks here (en español) and see the video of those remarks here. For more detailed information about all major areas of this budget, read this summary.

The budget will be formally adopted this Thursday, May 23. The Council meeting on that day will begin at 9:30 a.m., and you can stream it and find Council staff reports here.

Affordable Housing Conference

Last week I was extremely happy to give remarks at the 29th Annual Affordable Housing Summit, hosted by the Affordable Housing Conference of Montgomery County. I also moderated a panel on Discrimination and Bias in Affordable Housing Creating and Operation. I value the power of dialogue at events such as these, and look forward to future conversations surrounding the intersection of the issues of access to affordable housing and racial equity.

I would like to wish all Montgomery County residents a peaceful Memorial Day weekend, as we spend time with our loved ones and reflect on the ultimate sacrifices of our servicemen and women. County offices, including the Council building, will be closed on Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day. For the County’s Memorial Day holiday schedule, click here.

Thank you, and I hope you have a wonderful week.