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Budget

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Word Clouding Council President's Budget Reaction: County! Budget! Montgomery!

'People,' 'testified' and 'college' also were big in Nancy Navarro's budget statement.

When Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro summarized the fiscal 2014 county budget, the words "county," "budget" and "Montgomery" naturally featured prominently in her statement. Council members tentatively approved the spending plan in a unanimous straw vote Thursday. Other words that Navarro was fond of in describing the $4.8 billion plan: "percent," "funding," "college," "testified," "people" and "providing."  See what else Navarro (D-Dist. 4) of Silver Spring thinks of the budget in the word cloud above. Read Navarro's statement here. SPEAK OUT: What words would you use to describe the Montgomery County budget? What would be the big words in your word cloud?

Costco Gas Man

7:17 pm on Monday, May 20, 2013

All you need is "higher taxes, little accountability.   more ›

Monday, April 8, 2013

County Budget Hearings Begin Tuesday

The Montgomery County Council will hold five public hearings on April 9, 10, and 11 for the county's budget. Find out how you can participate.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Five Public Hearings for County Budget Scheduled in April

Find out ways you can comment on the budget proposals.

The Montgomery County Council will hold five public hearings in April on the county's operating budget for fiscal year 2014, which begins July 1.  County Executive Isiah Leggett's $4.8 billion budget proposal, which he unveiled on March 15, would add more than 100 new jobs in public safety and libraries. Leggett also proposed a slight increase in aid for Montgomery County Public Schools to meet Maryland's maintenance of effort law, which requires that counties fund schools at the same level or greater from year-to-year or face a fine. The County Council will analyze these recommendations and adopt the budget in late May. Read more about the budget: The public hearings will be held in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office …

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Report: Montgomery County Police Could Get First Pay Raise In Four Years

County lawmakers question how raises will affect the $134 million budget hole in fiscal 2014.

Montgomery County police officers could notice a bump in their pay come July 1. Officers would get a 2.1 percent pay raise, their first in four years, under an agreement with the county ratified by the county police union. The Fraternal Order of Police announced the new contract Monday, The Washington Examiner reported. The announcement follows a pay raise tentatively secured recently by the county firefighters, the report said. All firefighters would receive 2.75 percent salary increases. Raises were also announced in February for county government employees who are members of the Municipal and County Government Employees Organization, the report said. Those county employees would receive a 6.75 percent pay raise. The County Council must …

Friday, March 15, 2013

Leggett Unveils a $4.8 Billion Montgomery County Budget Proposal

The plan holds the line on property taxes and schools aid and boosts aid for public safety.

A $4.8 billion county operating budget plan unveiled by Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett on Friday holds the line on property taxes and schools spending and adds more than 100 new jobs in public safety and libraries. Leggett (D) presented his budget plan for fiscal 2014, which begins July 1, at a news conference in Rockville. The plan would keep property taxes within the limit allowed by the county charter and below the rate of inflation. Average monthly property taxes would increase by $6.67. Tax-supported government spending would increase by 3.9 percent—less than half the increase in fiscal 2013—to $1.3 billion. Leggett also proposed a slight increase in aid for Montgomery County Public Schools to meet Maryland's maintenance of…

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Fred Foo

10:27 pm on Sunday, March 17, 2013

It's not as simple as you say. It's important to recognize that while good schools attract people, high taxes repel people. And the people who can most easily afford the taxes can also afford to send children to private schools.   more ›

MCPS: Leggett Falls Short In Funding Schools

Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr said he is disappointed in the County Executive's budget plan.

The amount of aid for county schools proposed by Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett in his fiscal 2014 county budget plan falls short of what's needed, Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr said Friday. Leggett's plan calls for a schools budget of $2.23 billion—an increase of $65.8 million, or 3 percent more than the budget approved for the current school year. "The County Executive's recommendation would fund 100 percent of the [school board]'s request," according to Leggett's budget proposal. Click here to read more on Leggett's fiscal 2014 budget plan and here to hear the County Executive discuss the proposal. The proposal is a slight increase in spending for MCPS, to the level required by the state's …

Nadia Biznis

4:49 pm on Tuesday, April 23, 2013

How in the world can the schools get by on a measly $2.23 BILLION??? Shocking...terrible...they need to hold a reaaaaaalllyyy big bake sale. /sarcasm off   more ›

Leggett Discusses His $4.8 Billion Budget Plan

The Montgomery County Executive explained his proposal to increase spending on public safety and hold the line on property taxes.

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) on Friday unveiled his budget proposal for fiscal 2014, which begins July 1. Related Content:

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

PTA Council to Host Tuesday Forum on Schools Budget

County officials will take questions about the $2.23 billion budget request adopted by the Montgomery County Board of Education Monday.

The Montgomery County Board of Education voted Monday evening to submit a $2.23 billion budget request to the county executive and the county council for consideration on March 1. The budget request for fiscal year 2014 represents a 2.6 percent increase over the current year’s budget, according to a statement released by Montgomery County Public Schools. Tuesday night, board members and the school superintendent will join the county executive and five councilmembers at a forum hosted by the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations. The forum is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville. County Executive Isiah Leggett, Superintendent Joshua P…

TaL

10:04 am on Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Ive got a big fat question, how is it that the schools budget doubled between 2001 and 2012 yet outcomes have dropped. Better yet, how is it that Fairfax County (with identical demographics) pays $2k less per pupil yet does 20% better in terms of test scores/college admits/ap exams?   more ›

Friday, February 8, 2013

Speak Out: Should Montgomery County Spend $500,000 On Athletic Trainers In Schools?

Tell us what you think.

It’s budget season in Montgomery County, and at least one local parent wants to know what county leadership is doing to protect students—protection that can’t come from armed guards and locked doors.  Football season has recently concluded, hockey season is underway and sporting concussions continue to pose health risks to high school, college and pro athletes across the country. While state and county lawmakers have made strides in requiring concussion-training for high school coaches, local advocate and Patch blogger Tom Hearn says it’s not enough. Hearn, whose own son sustained a concussion playing JV football at Whitman High School in 2011, urges the county school board to include $500,000 in funding for high school athletic trainers …

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G p

9:20 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

I don't understand your comment.   more ›

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Leggett Recommends Capital Budget for Montgomery County

Fiscal year 2014 budget would delay some planned projects in the 2013-2018 Capital Improvements Program.

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett released his fiscal year 2014 capital budget this past week, and recommended that a number of planned projects in the six-year, $4.37 billion Capital Improvements Program be delayed. Leggett's proposal was released by the county's community relations department. Leggett spoke on the issue of the CIP, stating that "reducing CIP growth and debt service payments is an essential part of my ongoing strategy to ensure that our fiscal house is in order." Regarding the debt service, Leggett explained his recommendations as being limited to "previously established guidelines of $295 million a year in each of the six years in this CIP." Transportation-related projects that would be affected by the amended …

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