Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Hundreds testify as Montgomery County holds final FY26 operating budget public hearing; calls to protect nonprofits, schools and food aid
Summary
At the final public hearing on the FY26 operating budget, nonprofit leaders, service providers and residents pressed the council to restore or increase funding for economic development, food assistance, homelessness prevention, MCPS and community grants; concerns included proposed tax and fee increases and consolidation of a dedicated MVMA grant.
Dozens of nonprofit leaders, program participants and residents urged Montgomery County Council members to protect and expand funding in the FY26 operating budget, emphasizing services for food‑insecure families, youth workforce programs and safety‑net nonprofits.
Elana Fine, chair of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation board, asked the council to restore a $6.2 million budget for MCEDC, saying underfunding would hamper business retention and workforce initiatives. Craig Rice of Manna Food Center described rising demand and said the county executive's recommended funding "will allow us to…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
