Montgomery County Council approves $974,664 for Montgomery Cares and hears hours of public testimony on FY26 budget priorities

Montgomery County Council on April 8 approved a supplemental appropriation of $974,664 for Montgomery Cares and then heard more than two hours of public testimony from nonprofits, residents and business leaders on priorities for the county's FY26 operating and capital budgets.

The council approved Resolution (Supplemental Appropriation) 25-58 — Montgomery County Government, Department of Health and Human Services, Montgomery Cares — after a motion from Councilmember Fanny Gonzalez and a second from Councilmember Sale. The chair counted nine members present and voting in favor; no other votes or abstentions were recorded on the public record for that motion.

The vote came at the start of a block of public hearings on proposed supplemental appropriations and capital amendments. Several other items were presented as public hearings only and were closed with no registered speakers: a $520,000 state COVID vaccination grant (Supplemental Appropriation 25-60), a $650,000 capital appropriation for a Diversion Center (25-61), and a $500,000 countywide facade easement program capital amendment (25-603). The transcript shows those hearings closed with the council scheduling follow-up committee work sessions but does not record final votes on those items at this meeting.

Speakers at the FY26 hearings urged the council to protect or expand funding across a wide set of services. Recurring themes included support for nonprofit contract inflation adjustments, increased funding for Montgomery County Public Schools, investments in parks and public art, workforce and college partnerships, food and rental assistance programs, affordable housing and down payment assistance, transportation and pedestrian safety, and funding for local LGBTQIA+ service…