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Council hears GreenWheel briefing: state budget deficit, Gateway Authority sunset and work‑zone camera bill to watch
Summary
Consultants Jonathan Carpenter and Leslie briefed the council on the upcoming state legislative session, highlighting a large budget deficit, the reintroduction of a Gateway Authority bill to remove a 2028 sunset, and a WSSC work‑zone camera citation bill; council discussed priorities and coordinating testimony.
Consultants from GreenWheel told Mount Rainier elected officials on Dec. 4 that the 2025 state legislative session will be dominated by budget decisions and that the city should prioritize and coordinate advocacy.
Jonathan Carpenter opened the presentation, calling the budget "the theme for this session" and citing an estimated $2.7 billion state deficit. "For the first time in probably 20 years, we're looking at a budget that is 2,700,000,000.0 estimate," he said, and named education funding and federal contracting dollars as major drivers.
Leslie reviewed items GreenWheel is tracking for the Prince George's County delegation. She highlighted the Gateway Authority bill, which the consultants said is being reintroduced with language to remove a 2028 sunset and leave the authority without a deadline. "The authority was supposed to be dissolved by 2028, but now this would look to have no deadline," she said, and noted the city has two seats on that board and may be affected by funding priorities.
Leslie also called attention to a WSSC work‑zone camera bill that would allow the WSSC police to use cameras for citations in certain work‑zone violations; she urged council members to review emailed bill lists and to sign up by Dec. 6 to testify at a Dec. 10 Prince George's delegation public hearing at 6PM if they wish to weigh in.
Councilmembers asked whether capital projects the city has previously supported will remain candidates for funding amid the deficit. GreenWheel staff said they are in frequent contact with legislators, including Senator Augustine, and encouraged the council to finalize a single point person to coordinate lobby visits and testimony.
Mayor Benitez said the city will prepare letters of support where appropriate and will coordinate its priorities with PGCMA (Prince George's County Municipal Association) and MML (Maryland Municipal League) to give lobbyists advance notice.
The GreenWheel presentation closed with a reminder that the governor’s budget and bill deadlines will set a tight calendar and that the city should finalize priorities ahead of the legislative session.
