I attended the public hearing for the Montgomery County FY27 budget at the County Council building and the turnout said everything. The room was packed. Standing room only.
But here’s the troubling part: judging by the reactions from Councilmembers like Will Jawando, Kate Stewart, and others, it felt like the decision had already been made to raise taxes without discussion as to what programs can be eliminated, consolidated or restructured.
Despite overwhelming public concern, it appears our leaders are moving forward with significant tax increases.
Many of us know that County Executive Marc Elrich has proposed:
- A 6% property tax increase
- Higher County piggyback taxes
- Various additional fees across the board
Altogether, this could mean nearly a 12% increase for the average homeowner.
Let that sink in – Can you afford a 12% tax increase?
According to the County’s own staff report ( https://montgomerycountymd.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php... ), these increases would boost FY27 revenues by “over 55.5% more than would otherwise occur.” Even more concerning, tax revenues have already been growing at an average rate of 6.1% per year under Marc Elrich which is more than double the previous decade, generating $1.4 billion in additional annual revenue, per the staff report.
Where is the money going?
So here’s a simple question: Have your wages gone up 6.1% every year for the past four years? For most families, the answer is no.
While at the hearing, I spoke with many residents who are feeling the strain. I also collected signatures for the “Stop the Spend” ballot petition, which would limit government spending growth to the rate of inflation, which was just 2.4% last year. This is a commonsense measure to bring accountability back to our budget.
One more thing stood out: I didn’t see any other candidates for the County Council District 1 race at the hearing. If you’re running to represent the people, shouldn’t you be there listening to them?
Montgomery County residents deserve transparency, fiscal responsibility, and leaders who actually show up.
