The Montgomery County Council on Thursday agreed to a 7 percent reduction in the county’s energy tax and a six-year capital budget that includes $95 million for a rebuilt Capital Crescent Trail.
After two months of worksessions and Committee work, the Council’s planned straw vote on the FY 15 operating budget and FY 15-20 Capital Improvements Program was delayed for a few hours Thursday morning. When the session started at noon, Councilmember Roger Berliner moved for a 10 percent reduction in the county’s energy/fuel tax, but was met by resistance.
Upon introducing the 100 percent energy tax increase in 2010, County Executive Isiah Leggett said his intention was to let the increase sunset in 2013. That full reduction never happened. Councilmembers Nancy Navarro, Cherri Branson, Marc Elrich, Craig Rice and Hans Riemer voted against Berliner’s proposed 10 percent reduction.
Navarro and Elrich indicated someone threatened not to vote for the budget over the energy tax divide.
“I would not vote against a budget in order to get the number I wanted,” Elrich said. “I want to be clear on that. Some of us would not do that.”
The two didn’t name Berliner, but after the Council unanimously agreed on a 7 percent reduction (Navarro said she sought a 5 percent reduction) Berliner seemed to answer the criticism.
“While I have strong views on the energy tax, I for one am not prepared to vote against a budget that doesn’t reflect 100 percent my priorities,” Berliner said. “This is a good budget. I’m voting for this budget.”
Berliner’s proposal would have used about $3.5 million in excess permitting payments to the county to make up for the revenue lost by reducing the energy tax by an extra 3 percent.
Most of the changes approved Thursday in the capital budget involved shifting funding. The roughly $95 million for rebuilding the Capital Crescent Trail along the Purple Line was added. The county will be responsible for funding the 12-foot-wide hard surface trail from Elm Street Park to Silver Spring.
The $95 million is the latest estimate from the Maryland Transit Administration. The budget makes it clear the costs could change as MTA and a private concessionaire progress in the Purple Line design and building process.
The completion of wider shoulders for bicycle use along MacArthur Boulevard wasn’t in Leggett’s original capital budget recommendation. It was recommended in Committee, but in the final approval, construction was moved from FY 17 to FY 21. The project, which will provide for 2-3 foot shoulders along MacArthur Boulevard from the Beltway to the D.C. line, won’t be completed until 2021 or 2022.
Other changes include slight delays to the Elmhirst Parkway Bridge project. Production delays mean construction will start next spring instead of this summer.
