A week after delaying its vote on an operating budget of $7.9 billion, the Montgomery County Council made it official, approving the spending plan in a 9-2 vote.
Council members Andrew Friedson, a candidate for county executive, and Dawn Luedtke were the lone “no” votes on the plan.
The council’s spending plan includes a progressive income tax that, proponents on the council say, will provide a tax savings to 95% of taxpayers.
The move comes after the council rejected a proposed 6% property tax increase and an increase to the income tax from 3.2% to 3.3%. Those increases were proposed by County Executive Marc Elrich.
The council also did away with a tax credit of $692 for the county’s homeowners. Instead, Council President Natali Fani-Gonz谩lez said, “The majority of the council decided to eliminate the ITOC and use the money for other important things.”
Funding from eliminating the ITOC will provide $8 million for heating, cooling, ventilation and school security projects.
The budget does increase spending on education, bringing the total Montgomery County Public Schools budget to $3.7 billion, a $143 million increase over last year.
However, that amount falls short of the budget the school system requested by $36 million, and Superintendent Thomas Taylor indicated last week that he would be introducing cuts to the school’s budget to the Board of Education for its consideration.
The budget includes $384 million for the county’s police department, $310 million for fire and emergency services and $33 million for the sheriff’s office.
Under the umbrella of public safety agencies, the Office of Animal Services will receive $11.5 million to care for homeless, neglected and abused animals. The budget includes funding for two new animal care attendants.
The Department of Health and Human Services, which includes public health programming, Services to End and Prevent Homelessness, the county’s 24-hour Crisis Center, and aging and disabilities services, is getting $574 million in funding.
The Department of Housing and Community Affairs has been allocated $77.5 million for programming that includes administering rent stabilization, preserving and expanding affordable housing and enforcing housing standards.
More than $70 million will go to the Department of Recreation, and Montgomery Parks is getting $154.5 million.
The council approved a capital budget of $6.3 billion over a period of six years. Under the plan, funds were approved for things such as school modernization, transportation projects and a new District 4 police station.
The budgets take effect July 1.
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