Council committee backs PGCPS FY2025 transfer request to prepay leases, shift program funds

Prince George's County Council’s Education & Workforce Development Committee on Sept. 8 voted 5-0 to move favorable a Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) FY2025 financial review and transfer request (TR625) that repurposes savings to cover early lease-purchase payoffs, administrative costs and other items.

PGCPS staff told the committee the district planned to repurpose $59,359,036 in FY2025 savings. The district said those savings primarily came from unspent salaries and benefits due to turnover (reported as $45,359,036), a reduction of funds set aside for an administrative building acquisition ($12,000,000) and lower-than-projected fuel costs ($2,000,000). PGCPS said $45,359,036 would be used toward early payoff of lease-purchase agreements for buses, textbooks and technology; it also said $15,000,000 would be applied to the FY2026 portion of the district’s annual contribution to other post-employment benefits (OPEB). The total operating budget was reported as remaining constant at…