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Montgomery County council member Lori Ann Sales proposes $1M to shore up senior and family services
Summary
Council Member Lori Ann Sales announced a $1,000,000 special appropriation proposal for Montgomery County's FY2026 operating budget to stabilize programs for seniors, families and vulnerable residents, citing federal funding cuts and rising service demand; she said funds would go to the county Department of Health and Human Services if approved.
Silver Spring, Md. — Council Member Lori Ann Sales announced a proposal to add $1,000,000 to Montgomery County’s fiscal year 2026 operating budget to stabilize services for seniors, families and other vulnerable residents.
Speaking at a press conference in Silver Spring, Sales, chair of the council’s Health and Human Services Committee, framed the request as an emergency response to what she called "egregious cuts to federal funding that's directly harming our seniors and vulnerable residents here in Montgomery County." She said the proposed special appropriation would be transferred to the county Department of Health and Human Services to prevent program disruptions if the council approves it.
"What I observed was a dedicated workforce doing everything they can to protect residents while facing overwhelming challenges," Sales said, describing tours of Department of Health and Human Services offices after her Dec. 9 appointment as committee chair. "Reduced federal support, rising costs, and escalating demands for services" are straining the department, she added.
Sales highlighted several service disruptions she said she observed during site visits, saying, "Programs that allow seniors to age in place with dignity are being dismantled. Intake programs are shutting down, wait lists are skyrocketing, and families are being pushed to the brink." The press remarks did not specify which programs are closing or provide numerical counts for wait lists.
The $1,000,000 Sales proposed is described as a special appropriation to the county’s FY2026 operating budget and, she said, would be "immediately transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services to prevent further disruptions and keep essential programs operating" if the council approves the measure. No formal motion, sponsor/co-sponsor list, or council vote was recorded during the press conference.
Next steps were not detailed in the announcement. Sales did not provide a timeline for a council vote or identify planned amendments to the county budget; those procedural items typically require introduction on the council floor and committee review before any appropriation can be enacted.
Sales’ remarks focused on funding shortfalls and operational strain at DHHS rather than on a defined package of program restorations or a breakdown of how the $1,000,000 would be allocated among services. County officials at the Department of Health and Human Services were not quoted during the press conference and did not provide a statement at the time of the announcement.
The proposal places a spotlight on local service providers and county budget priorities as Montgomery County prepares its FY2026 operating budget. If the council advances the appropriation, it will need formal action in a committee or on the council floor to authorize the transfer to DHHS.
