Prince George’s County Council Adopts $5.46 Billion Annual Budget
On May 28, the Prince George’s County Council officially adopted their annual budget for the fiscal year beginning on July 1. This included plugging a $171 million budget deficit, a shortage that is expected to grow going into next year. Some of the biggest factors that caused the deficit were the end of federal pandemic aid, inflation, and reduced home sales.
“The budget, this year and over the next few years, is going to be the biggest challenge facing our county,” said Council Chair Jolene Ivey (D- District 5). “We’ve been committed, in collaboration with County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and her team, to finding responsible solutions to address the shortfall while minimizing impacts on our citizens. The spending plan adopted today reflects our county’s priorities and does not compromise on public safety and education.”
The budget includes $2.8 billion for Prince George’s County Public Schools and $910 million for public safety, representing 62% and 20% of the County’s total spending. Funding to replace Parkdale High School’s decades-old field, recruit new firefighters, and hire more police officers were some additions to the budget.
“It was a challenging budget because we started out with a shortfall of $171 million. Like jurisdictions across the country, Prince George’s County brought in less tax revenue due to higher interest rates reducing real estate sales, we saw the end of pandemic relief funds, and higher costs due to inflation,” said Councilmember Eric Olson (D- District 3) in his newsletter. “There was not a lot of leeway to add to the budget, but we did make some adjustments.”
Read the budget in detail here.
Residents Raise Concerns Over Zoning and Senior Tax Credit
As the County Council adopted their new budget, concerned residents gave their feedback on proposed zoning changes and a tax credit that wasn’t included in the budget, but was expected by some seniors who had previously applied for and came to testify on behalf of it.
In a hearing shortly after the budget passed, more than 20 residents who came in to state the burdens shouldered by some county residents, were disappointed to hear that the tax credit, originally sponsored by Councilmember Edward Burroughs III (D-District 8), would not be included in the budget.
Council Chair Jolene Ivey (D- District 5) noted the county’s budget shortfall as the primary reason this program couldn’t be implemented.
“We did pass our budget last week and this was not included; it was impossible as our budget had a $171 million deficit that we had to close,” she said. “We have to be honest about where we are now, and next year’s budget deficit .”
She also noted that Montgomery County and Washington D.C., jurisdictions with higher budgets and similar populations, are able to provide substantially more constituent and governmental services. Councilmember Wala Blegay (D- District 6) and Burroughs both requested to vote on the bill during the hearing, and Deputy Council Administrator Colette Gresham noted that bill votes must happen on legislative days.
A letter, signed by several groups including Sustainable Hyattsville, Concerned Citizens of Prince George’s County District 4, and Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek, accuses the County Council of adding several amendments to a zoning rewrite that would go against previously stated goals to limit overdevelopment and sprawl, while prioritizing development near regional transit hubs.
“The bill was intended to make technical corrections to the new Zoning Ordinance that the County Council approved in the fall of 2018, and that became effective in April of 2022. Instead, developers and certain council members are attempting to exploit it as a vehicle for even more giveaways and rollbacks for developers,” said Geoffrey Collins of the Route 202 Neighborhood Alliance.
Local blogger and environmentalist Joseph Jakuta also voiced his concerns, namely the lack of public engagement in the proposed changes.
As Prince George’s is unable to raise the property tax above a certain threshold due to TRIM laws passed under former Prince George’s County Executive and Republican Rep. Larry Hogan Sr., there are limited options to raise additional revenue for county spending.
Raising the vacant property tax, selling off excess county property, and business development are a few ideas to fill the budget shortfall without cutting essential government services.
“A vacant property tax is a simple way to provide more incentives to make housing available or build on empty lots. It has the desirable feature that it is relatively simple to administer, since we already have an appraised value on the books,” said Dean Baker, a contributor to “Housing the Nation: Social Equity, Architecture, and the Future of Affordable Housing,” in an exclusive interview with The Informer.
“It’s just a question of raising the tax rate, if the property is determined to be vacant. It can also mean additional funds for supporting the construction or renovation of affordable housing,” Baker continued. “This is not a complete answer to the shortage of affordable housing, but it is a step in the right direction that carries no major downsides.”
South County Dems Host Unity Function
To help unite Democrats for a contentious general election between Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) and former Gov. Larry Hogan (R), the South County Democratic Club (SCDC) is hosting a unity fundraiser on June 8 at 5 p.m.
Sheriff John D.B. Carr (D) and Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D- District 26) are both being awarded for their community service.
“We’ll gather with Democrats for a dynamic evening of unity at an exclusive location,” a social media post from SCDC explained.
Both Alsobrooks and Hogan have family roots in southern Prince George’s and their paths to power came through the County Executive’s office: Alsobrooks was born in Suitland and raised in Camp Springs, while Hogan was raised in Landover.
Alsobrooks rose to County Executive after two terms as the State’s Attorney while Hogan’s father served as the Prince George’s County Executive in the 1970s and opposed desegregation via bussing and tax increases to fund new infrastructure.
For more information, including the location of the event, which will be provided upon purchasing tickets, visit southcountydemsclub.com.We have previously covered the South County Democratic Club. Read more here.