Montgomery County, MD - Office of the County Council - Press Releases

County Council President Nancy Navarro’s Statement on Council’s Unanimous Approval of Fiscal Year 2014 Operating Budget

23 May 2013 10:49:00 EST

Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro today made the following statement after the Council unanimously approved the County’s Fiscal Year 2014 operating budget:

First, I want to say thank you to my colleagues, to the Council staff, the County Executive and his staff, everyone at OMB, along with the school system, Park and Planning, WSSC, Montgomery College, and all the other groups and individuals who have worked so hard to put the pieces of this budget together.

Budgets are a reflection of our values. There are always more needs, and more wants, than there are resources available. This year’s budget continues to invest in our economic and social infrastructure.

We, as a Council, have been entrusted by our Charter and by the voters who elected us to decide how to allocate these limited resources, and our decisions reflect the values of our County residents. In my view, this is our most important responsibility.

I wa ...more

Montgomery Council Unanimously Approves $4.8 Billion Total Operating Budget for FY14; All-Agencies Budget Has 4.1 Percent Increase

23 May 2013 10:40:00 EST

Council President Navarro: ‘Budget Continues to Invest in
Our Economic and Social Infrastructure’

Schools, Montgomery College, Public Safety, ‘Safety Net’ Are Priorities;
Property Taxes Are at Charter Limit; $692 Tax Credit for Homeowners

Library Funding Increased, Police Staffing Increased,
Energy Tax Increase Reduced by Another 10 Percent

The Montgomery County Council today unanimously approved a $4.8 billion County total operating budget for Fiscal Year 2014. The budget, which reflects a 4.1 percent increase over the approved budget for FY 2013, “continues to invest in our economic and social infrastructure,” said Council President Nancy Navarro.
The FY14 operating budget, and adjustments to the Fiscal Years 2013-18 six-year Capital Improvements Program, will go into effect on July 1.

The FY14 aggregate operating budget was approved by a vote of 9-0. ...more

Montgomery County Council Expected to Approve $4.8 Billion Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Also on Thursday, May 23: Expected Approval of Adjustments to FY 2013-18 Capital Improvements Program

22 May 2013 14:54:00 EST

The Montgomery County Council on Thursday, May 23, is expected to approve the County’s $4.8 billion Fiscal Year 2014 total operating budget and adjustments to the Fiscal Years 2013-18 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. The Council reached tentative agreement on the budget and CIP adjustments on May 16.

The Council will meet in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The meeting will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon). The broadcast also will be available via streaming through the County Web site at www.montgomerycountymd.gov

The budget will go into effect on July 1.

...more

Councilmember Ervin Joins with Coalition of Nonprofit and Labor Organizations to Screen the HBO Film American Winter Showing the Human Toll of Poverty On Wednesday, May 29, at AFI Theatre in Silver Spring

21 May 2013 15:58:00 EST

***NOTE TIME CHANGE***

Montgomery County Councilmember Valerie Ervin (District 5 – East County) will screen HBO’s documentary American Winter and convene a community conversation about poverty at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29, at the American Film Institute’s (AFI) Silver Theatre in Silver Spring. More than 200 people will attend this free event that will include some of the many foot soldiers in the “War on Poverty” who serve our community. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and the community discussion will begin at 6:30 p.m.

HBO’s American Winter is a powerful documentary that follows the personal stories of families struggling in the aftermath of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. As the movie proclaims, “In the richest country on earth, millions of families have been left in the cold.”

“This film screening is an outgrowth of our community conversation, ‘Raise Your Voice ...more

Montgomery Council Seeks Applicants for Position on County Board of Appeals Deadline to Submit Applications is Wednesday, July 10, at 5 p.m.

21 May 2013 15:07:00 EST

The Montgomery County Council is seeking applicants for a four-year term on the County Board of Appeals. The term of Carolyn Shawaker (Democrat) will expire in September 2013. Ms. Shawaker is eligible for reappointment to a second term and has indicated her intent to apply for reappointment.

Applications for the position must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10.

By law, no more than three members of the board shall be from the same political party. This position can be filled by a Democrat, a Republican, a voter who declines to affiliate with a party or a voter who is a member of another party officially recognized by the Board of Elections.

Current members of the board include Chair Catherine Titus (Republican), John Pentecost (Democrat), Stan Boyd (Democrat), and David K. Perdue (declined to affiliate). Members of County boards, committees and commissions may not serve on more than one such group at a time.

Members of ...more

3 Montgomery Councilmembers Will Take Active Roles at Gaithersburg Book Festival On Saturday, May 18, Councilmembers Floreen, Leventhal and Riemer Will Introduce Authors at Literary Event

17 May 2013 16:06:00 EST

Montgomery County Councilmembers Nancy Floreen, George Leventhal and Hans Riemer on Saturday, May 18, will take active roles in the Fourth annual Gaithersburg Book Festival by introducing some of the well-known authors who will discuss their works.

The festival, which began in 2010 and has attracted larger crowds each year to meet the assembled award-winning and best-selling authors, poets and songwriters—as well as local authors—will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the grounds of Gaithersburg City Hall in Olde Towne Gaithersburg. Admission and parking are free.

At 10 a.m. at the Willa Cather Children’s Pavilion, Councilmember Riemer will introduce Karen Leggett Abouraya, author of the children's book Hands Around the Library: Protecting Egypt’s Treasured Books. At 12:15 p.m. at the James Michener Pavilion, Councilmember Leventhal will introduce Lynne Olson, author of Those Angry Days, a book detailing the political controversy surro ...more

Statement of Councilmember Phil Andrews on Tentative Agreement on FY14 County Aggregate Operating Budget

16 May 2013 13:16:00 EST

Montgomery County Councilmember Phil Andrews today made the following statement after the Council reached unanimous tentative agreement on the Fiscal Year 2014 aggregate operating budget:

I’m very pleased that the County Council has voted to reduce the County’s energy tax increase of 2010 by 10 percent as I proposed in March. It is important that the Council is keeping its word that the huge 2010 increase in the energy tax is a temporary not permanent increase. While I am voting for the overall aggregate County budget because of the decision of the Council on the energy tax, I will vote against the FY14 budget for County Government (which next week the Council will vote on separately from other agency budgets, and from the overall budget) because it includes excessive pay raises for most County employees of 6.75 percent to 9.75 percent. These excessive pay raises not only will cost $31 million directly in FY14 (and more in FY15 and beyond as they are annualiz ...more

Statement of Council Vice President Craig Rice on Tentative Agreement on FY14 County Aggregate Operating Budget

16 May 2013 13:13:00 EST

Montgomery County Council Vice President Craig Rice today made the following statement after the Council reached unanimous tentative agreement on the Fiscal Year 2014 aggregate operating budget:

I would first like to thank our Council President for her work in this budget cycle. I’d also like to thank the County Executive for sending over a fair and reasonable budget as well. And while each of us here on the dais might have directed some of our decisions and energy in different directions, we are nine individual Councilmembers, the majority of which agree, that the overall budget reflects the values we cherish here in Montgomery County, ensuring we support the engines that bring us revenue, but also taking care of those who are in unfortunate positions where they need our help.

And while our economy is recovering, it is important to me that we maintain fiscal responsibility, protecting our coveted AAA bond rating. It is important that we prepare for the lo ...more

Montgomery Council Reaches Unanimous Tentative Agreement on $4.8 Billion Total Operating Budget for FY 2014; All-Agencies Budget Has 4.1 Percent Increase

16 May 2013 13:08:00 EST

Council President Navarro: ‘Budget Continues to Invest in
Our Economic and Social Infrastructure’

Schools, Montgomery College, Public Safety, ‘Safety Net’ Are Priorities;
Property Taxes Are at Charter Limit; $692 Tax Credit for Homeowners

Library Funding Increased, Police Staffing Increased,
Energy Tax Increase Reduced by Another 10 Percent

The Montgomery County Council today reached unanimous tentative agreement on a $4.8 billion total County operating budget for Fiscal Year 2014. The budget, which reflects a 4.1 percent increase over the approved budget for FY 2013, “continues to invest in our economic and social infrastructure,” said Council President Nancy Navarro.

The Council is scheduled to formally adopt the FY14 operating budget, and adjustments to the Fiscal Years 2013-18 six-year Capital Improvements Program, on Thursday, Ma ...more

County Council President Nancy Navarro’s Statement on Council’s Agreement on Fiscal Year 2014 Operating Budget

16 May 2013 11:56:00 EST

Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro today made the following statement after the Council reached tentative agreement on the County’s Fiscal Year 2014 operating budget:

First, I want to say thank you to my colleagues, to the Council staff, the County Executive and his staff, everyone at OMB, along with the school system, Park and Planning, WSSC, Montgomery College, and all the other groups and individuals who have worked so hard to put the pieces of this budget together.

Budgets are a reflection of our values. There are always more needs, and more wants, than there are resources available. This year’s budget continues to invest in our economic and social infrastructure.

We, as a Council, have been entrusted by our Charter and by the voters who elected us to decide how to allocate these limited resources, and our decisions reflect the values of our County residents. In my view, this is our most important responsibility.
...more