SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Montgomery County Council is preparing to get to work on a new budget that includes a spending increase on education and a property tax hike that would be the largest in eight years at nearly 9 percent.
Under the $5.2 billion spending plan unveiled Tuesday by County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett, the average property tax bill would go up roughly $320 annually with the 8.7 percent hike.
“A household assessed at $464,000 increases by about $27 a month,” Leggett said.
Leggett wants much of that money funneled into public schools, where class sizes are getting larger and enrollment is growing by about 2,000 students each year. The budget includes $136 million more for education.
“I believe we must provide the Superintendent and the Board of Education with the additional funds necessary to further address these challenges,” he said.
The County Council will take up the budget in the coming weeks, with public hearings scheduled for April 5 to April 7.
“The question for us, ‘Is the property tax increase that he proposes warranted and can our residents afford it?'” said Council President Nancy Floreen.
“We will be hearing from people, I’m sure on all sides of these issues.”
You can sign up to testify at public hearings starting Thursday, March 17, either online or by calling 240-777-7803.
You can send your comments in writing online by emailing county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov, by regular mail or by calling the council budget hotline at 240-777-7802.
Your comments can be mailed to this address:
County Council
100 Maryland Ave.
Rockville, MD 20850
The council plans to take final action on the budget in late May.
Watch Leggett’s announcement about the budget:
