Montgomery Audit Finds Maintenance Shortfalls

Critics Fault Duncan's Plans for Infrastructure

Tom Perez says Duncan hasn't done enough for infrastructure. (Marvin Joseph--The Washington Post)

Montgomery County needs to spend at least $700 million to clear a decades-long backlog of capital maintenance projects for schools, county buildings, parks and highways, according to an audit commissioned by the County Council.

The report identifies chronic shortfalls in spending to replace an infrastructure that some fear could begin to crumble unless a significant infusion of money is earmarked.

Critics of County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) say the report, prepared by council analysts and other county officials, shows that his latest budget proposal has not addressed what some believe is a looming crisis.

"All too frankly, not enough people care about these items until they fall apart or until disaster happens," said Council President Tom Perez (D-Silver Spring), who requested the report in December. Perez said that Duncan hasn't done enough but that past councils and county executives share the blame.

As Duncan prepares for a possible run for governor, some council members say the report raises questions about his spending priorities since he took office in 1994. Since then, the budget has grown by 88 percent, in part because of more money for schools and Duncan's ambitious building projects, such as the Music Center at Strathmore.

"Maybe if we had a ribbon-cutting every time roads were repaired, maybe we would do more maintenance," said council member Phil Andrews (D-Gaithersburg), a frequent Duncan critic.

Duncan declined to comment, but County Budget Director Beverley Swaim-Staley defended the administration's approach, saying backlogged projects are common in communities with aging facilities.

"I think it is the same thing you actually find in any state because much of the infrastructure was built in the 1950s and '60s, and the older it gets, the more of an issue it is," she said.

Swaim-Staley, who noted that the council has approved all of the county executive's budgets, said Duncan has been emphasizing his priorities of improving schools, public safety and traffic.

"This is a 20- or 25-year problem, and I think it is more systematic than pointing a finger and saying, 'You are at fault,' " said council member Michael Knapp (D-Upcounty), a Duncan ally.

The report, released over the weekend, highlights striking needs at county-owned facilities and properties, including roads that should be resurfaced, outdated fire and security alarms and athletic fields that need to be refurbished.

The backlog could be cleared by 2018 with a consistent level of funding, council analysts said.

For example, the report says $4.1 million is needed annually to replace electrical equipment in county buildings. Duncan has budgeted $800,000 for fiscal 2006. He has budgeted about $1.7 million for residential road resurfacing, while the report says $4.9 million is needed next year.

No money is budgeted in Duncan's spending plan to replace traffic signals, compared with at least $1.5 million that the report says is needed annually.

The report says the administration plans to spend $75,000 next year to upgrade emergency lighting and backup power systems, while about $9 million is recommended.

The findings highlight how Montgomery is facing an increasingly urban set of budget issues while struggling to maintain its suburban image. As county leaders juggle competing priorities, the question of how much residents can afford to pay in property taxes remains at the forefront of the budget debate.

In his 2006 budget, Duncan has recommended an 8 percent increase in spending while cutting the property tax rate by 2 cents. If the cut is approved, the county would forgo $24 million in revenue next year.

Some council members, including Andrews, are hoping to cut the property tax rate even more, but Perez said the maintenance report underscores critical unmet needs.

"I think as we move forward in making all of our decisions, including decisions on tax relief, information is power. And the information in this report gives us a better handle on what our shortfalls are," Perez said.