Pr. George's Approves 11% Rise In Spending
Howard Council Also Backs Budget

By Rosalind S. Helderman and Susan DeFord
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, May 24, 2007

The Prince George's County Council adopted a $2.63 billion spending plan yesterday without taking action on a proposal to increase telephone taxes, as jurisdictions throughout Maryland moved toward completing budgets for next year.

Also yesterday, the Howard County Council approved an $812 million budget. The Montgomery County Council is expected to approve a $4.1 billion budget today.

In Prince George's, council members said county law requires them to vote on tax increases separately from their budget. Even so, they included the $17 million expected to be raised by the telephone tax increase proposed by County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D). They could vote on the tax proposal in June. If the council does not approve the tax, the county could use money from surplus funds or some other source to fill the gap.

Johnson proposed increasing the tax on land lines and mobile phones from 8 to 11 percent to help fully fund the school system's budget request. National telephone companies complained that the increase would make the Prince George's phone taxes among the highest in the nation. Some residents have also insisted that the proposal be put to a referendum, because the county charter requires that all tax increases get voter approval. Johnson contends that the telephone tax is an exception because it was imposed by the state.

In a letter submitted to the council yesterday, Johnson again urged approval of the tax increase, saying it would provide "a reliable source of ongoing revenue" for schools.

In all, the budget for the year beginning July 1 represents an 11 percent increase in spending over the current year and includes $1.66 billion for the county school system. It provides a 15 percent increase in spending for police and 14 percent more for the county fire department.

The council boosted spending for the county's community college by $7 million, which council members said would help defray tuition for an increasing number of residents who attend the school.

"We believe this was necessary to provide our students with another venue through which they can pursue higher education," said council member David Harrington (D-Cheverly).

The budget also includes $250,000 for consultants to examine the future of county health care and $12 million for Dimensions Healthcare System, the troubled nonprofit group that runs the county's hospital system. The council and Johnson agreed last month to provide funding to keep the system running through June 2008.

In Howard County, a council member's repeated attacks yesterday failed to derail plans by County Executive Ken Ulman (D) to help Howard Community College purchase and renovate an 18th-century estate in Elkridge.

The push by Courtney Watson (D-Northeast County) to curtail spending for the college was one of several efforts to trim Ulman's first budget as county executive. On a split vote, the council reduced Ulman's proposed 28 percent increase in the fire tax for Howard's western residents.

Instead, the fire tax will increase about 10 percent for residents in the western area. The tax will rise about 8 percent for those who live in the more densely developed eastern portion of the county. The tax increase will help launch a rural fire protection program and support more firefighters.

A majority of council members rejected efforts to slightly cut the property tax rate.

Chair Calvin Ball (D-East Columbia) said the property tax reduction was less of a priority than improving county services.

"I think it wouldn't have been as significant to our constituents as the people we're bringing in -- for the school system, police and firefighters," Ball said.

Watson said she was reflecting the wishes of her constituents when she tried to remove community college funding for Belmont, an estate that has a retreat and conference center surrounded by Patapsco Valley State Park. Ulman included $2.2 million to help the college secure its purchase of Belmont and $2.82 million to renovate a barn and carriage house on the property. The college wants to use Belmont for its culinary arts and hospitality management programs, but nearby residents contend that the college's operations will degrade the estate's character.

In her district, Watson said, "the citizens have spoken very strongly against the project."

The Montgomery County Council is expected to approve the county's budget today, with nearly half earmarked for the public school system.

The budget includes increases for most departments. It provides $1.98 billion for schools, about $7 million less than the school system requested but about 7 percent more than its current budget. County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) had proposed about $20 million less than Superintendent Jerry D. Weast's request. Council members worked with school officials to narrow the difference.

The budget also would add 30 police patrol officers for $1.8 million; expand the county's Mobile Crisis Team to respond to mental health emergencies 24 hours a day for $253,000; and increase health care for the uninsured by $11.4 million. Funding to Montgomery College would increase by $20 million, or 9 percent.

The spending document reflects an increase of 7.1 percent, or $277 million, above the $3.9 billion budget approved by the council last year. Leggett predicts tougher times next year and said he anticipates a $269 million funding gap that will need to be closed before any additions are made to next year's budget.

Charles County's commissioners on Tuesday approved a $302.3 million general fund budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The adopted budget includes a spending increase of 10.5 percent over the current fiscal year and marks the first time the Southern Maryland jurisdiction's expenditures have passed the $300 million mark.

Anne Arundel and St. Mary's officials are expected to take action on their county budgets next week, and Calvert commissioners will vote in June.

Staff writers Miranda Spivack and Phil Rucker contributed to this report.