On Thursday, the Montgomery County Council took a straw vote to pass a 4.7-cent property tax increase and preliminarily approve a $6.7 billion Fiscal Year 2024 operating budget.
After the council moved 7-4 to cut County Executive Marc Elrich’s proposed property tax increase by more than half, unions representing Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) employees spoke out and expressed disappointment. Elrich had proposed a 10-cent tax increase along with his operating budget in order to fund MCPS.
Union leaders implored councilmembers to reconsider the budget and fully fund the school system’s request ahead of the council’s final vote next Thursday, May 25.