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 organizations and the MOCO Pride family of programs.

Advocates for health care safety-net programs said county funding is critical. Leslie Graham, president and CEO of the Primary Care Coalition, told the council the county’s share of the partnership network has fallen from a planned 70% toward about 40%, and warned “more waiting, it it isn't an option” for the 35,000 uninsured residents served by partner health centers. Several speakers backed the county executive’s proposed increases but urged larger additions to maintain services and staff pay.

Nonprofits that run prevention and emergency assistance programs described demand spikes tied to federal employment cuts and rising costs. Multiple witnesses described Interfaith Works' programs as cost-effective prevention: speakers said the vocational services program averaged 242 clients a year and the Connections emergency assistance program helped more than 600 families last year (testimony provided by Interfaith Works representatives and volunteers). Anita Lampela and others urged the council not to cut nonprofit funding in this budget year.

Education funding and school infrastructure drew several appeals. Parents and PTA leaders pressed the council to approve MCPS’s full FY26 request to address building repairs (mold and ventilation were cited at New Hampshire Estates Elementary) and academic supports. Byron Johns, representing the NAACP Montgomery County Parents Council and the Black and Brown Coalition, highlighted literacy and math gaps and urged expansion of after-school and out-of-school academic supports, noting that “each $1,000,000 invested provides 25 weeks of after school or out of school time high dosage academic supports for 1,000 students.” Several speakers described MCPS as a priority that warrants revenue to avoid long-term costs from deteriorating facilities and student outcomes.

Parks, open space and public art advocates asked the council to fully fund Montgomery Parks and the Arts and Humanities Council. Jane Houlihan and others described parks as essential to public health and climate resilience. The Arts and Humanities Council requested the county support a $408,000 Public Arts Trust allocation plus an additional $500,000 to meet growing grant demand; Susan Jenkins, CEO of the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, framed the request as necessary to sustain jobs and cultural programming.

Business and workforce voices urged investment in Montgomery College and workforce training programs. Multiple employers, including Holy Cross Health and life‑science employers, described college partnerships (BioTrain, TechMAP) as critical pipelines for nursing, biotech and IT talent and asked the council to fully fund Montgomery College’s FY26 operating request.

Speakers representing LGBTQIA+ organizations — including Philip Alexander Downey of the MOCO Pride Family/MC Pride Center, Leep Linder of Trans Maryland and Mohsud and others — asked for continued and expanded funding for Pride family services, care navigators and physical resource centers described as life‑saving for at‑risk youth and adults. Downey said, “When we invest in affirming community led care, we save lives.”

Several witnesses urged restraint on tax increases while asking the council to preserve or prioritize specific program funding. Business owners and residents opposed to a property tax increase argued the county should pause new revenue requests while federal job cuts and economic uncertainty affect households and small firms; others, including individuals without children in MCPS, urged support for modest tax increases to sustain schools and core county services.

The council scheduled committee work sessions on budget items beginning the week of April 9 and full‑council work sessions to begin May 5. Speakers and staff were told written materials for many items should be submitted by mid‑April; several committees listed specific April work session dates in the record.

Votes at a glance

• Supplemental Appropriation 25‑58 (FY25 operating budget) — Montgomery Cares: $974,664; source: general fund and designated reserves. Motion moved by Councilmember Fanny Gonzalez, seconded by Councilmember Sale; chair recorded nine in favor; outcome: approved (recorded vote tally: yes 9).

• Supplemental Appropriation 25‑60 (FY25 operating budget) — Public Health Services COVID mass vaccination CARES grant: $520,000; source: state grant. Public hearing held; council action scheduled immediately following the hearing but no recorded vote in this transcript.

• Supplemental Appropriation 25‑61 (FY25 capital budget) — Diversion Center: $650,000; source: not specified in hearing announcement. Public hearing held; no recorded vote in this transcript.

• Amendment to FY25‑30 CIP and Supplemental Appropriation 25‑603 — Countywide Facade Easement Program (DHCA): $500,000; source: state aid. Public hearing held; no recorded vote in this transcript.

Ending

Council members and staff will consider the testimony as they review the county executive’s proposal in the scheduled work sessions; the council gave no additional formal action on the other supplemental appropriations and CIP amendments during this meeting. Committee schedules and submission deadlines referred to in public remarks are available on the council website.