The Prince George’s County Council, convening Thursday, May 23, 2024, adopted a balanced $5.46 billion Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025 which begins July 1, 2024.
The budget shortfall this year is $171 million due to factors including higher interest rates that have hurt home sales and reduced tax income; the ending of federal pandemic funds; rising inflation; the increasing impacts of climate change; and increasing state requirements for education funding.
“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 (District 5). “We’ve been committed, in collaboration with County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and her team, to finding responsible solutions that will 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.”
Council enhancements to the budget include an additional $200,000 to assist the Prince George’s Police Department in filling vacancies. The County Executive’s budget already provided funds for 100 new recruits each for police and fire, and Council has negotiated with the Executive Branch to create an additional 50 firefighter positions.
Council provided an additional $3 million to help fund County nonprofits through grants; $100,000 for Animal Services in the Department of the Environment; and $250,000 to fund a sickle cell machine and operational needs at UM Capital Region Medical Center.
An additional $400,000 will go to Child Resource Connect specifically for the “Family Connects” program for new parents that provides home visits from a registered nurse to all new families in the County to help them identify and access resources.
The adopted General Fund budget totals $4.57 billion with $2.8 billion (62%) directly supporting the Board of Education for Prince George’s County Public Schools, $910 million (20%) supporting public safety, and the remaining 18% supporting the rest of County Government operations.
Visit Council Budget Portal HERE.