The Prince George’s County Council today unanimously adopted a $3.7 billion balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2017. The FY 2017 County Budget becomes effective with the new Fiscal Year which begins July 1, 2016.

Prince George’s County Council Chair Derrick L. Davis (D) – District 6, during budget adoption remarks, addressed the importance of adopting a spending plan that addresses the County’s present challenges while focusing on the future.

“The newly adopted FY 2017 County Budget sets the tone and direction for Prince George’s County today and in the future, investing in those things that we value in our county and in the things we want to improve upon: a more efficiently and effectively managed government; long-term fiscal health through greater oversight and management; education excellence; a stronger, wider safety net for our vulnerable residents; and safer, cleaner roadways and sidewalks.”

Overall, 63% of the FY 17 budget, $1.9 billion, has been appropriated for education, which exceeds the Maintenance of Effort state mandate by $21 million. Additionally, beginning with the FY 2017 Budget, 50-percent of MGM National Harbor gaming/tax revenue reserved for education established under CB-33-2015, will be reallocated to support Pre-K through 12; Prince George’s Community College; career training; and County libraries.

The newly-adopted spending plan also provides an additional $1.5 million for a total $2.5 million in FY 2017 funding to assist domestic violence victims and support families, including children.

“These Council-added resources bolster front-end investment in a continuum of services aimed at addressing domestic violence, and will coordinate the efforts of the entire community – County Government agencies, law enforcement, the soon-to-open Family Justice Center, and the faith-based, business and nonprofit communities to comprehensively address the scourge of domestic violence and save lives in Prince George’s County,” said Chair Davis.

In bi-county budget action earlier this month, lawmakers from Prince George’s and Montgomery counties unanimously adopted the FY 17 Operating and Capital budgets for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC); the bi-county portion of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC); and the Washington Suburban Transit Commission (WSTC). Both Councils approved the WSSC FY 2017 Operating and Capital budgets of $1.4 billion which includes a 3-percent rate increase for water and sewer customers.