WASHINGTON — The Montgomery County Council approved $53 million in budget cuts on Tuesday. The action in the large Maryland county was taken as part of an effort to deal with a shortfall stemming from lower-than-expected income tax revenues.
Montgomery County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett submitted a plan to the council to cut $60 million from the current budget (fiscal year 2018), but the council opted to maintain spending in some programs, including dental health and mental health services for low-income families.
Among the cuts approved by the council: a reduction of $25 million from the school system, which has a budget of $2.5 billion.
Councilmember Craig Rice said he could support the school system cut, in part because of assurances from Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Smith that the cuts would be absorbed by central office operations.
The council had been told the cuts “would not trickle down to our classrooms,” Rice said.
The current spending year ends June 30. Leggett is currently working up plans for the FY 2019 budget, which will be submitted to the council for approval in the spring after a series of public hearings.
