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Resident urges caution over Glenarden City's FY27 budget projections
Summary
At a council meeting focused on the FY27 budget, the acting city manager outlined a projected $563,000 surplus and an unchanged tax rate of 0.3947. A resident urged the council to not rely on optimistic revenue estimates — notably $1.3 million from camera fines — and recommended deeper cuts and review of police vehicle and gas expenditures.
The acting city manager told Glenarden City Council members that the proposed FY27 budget includes an estimated surplus of $563,000 and keeps the property‑tax rate unchanged at 0.3947, with assessment increases expected to yield roughly $159,000 in additional revenue. The manager said revenue assumptions also count on income from speed cameras and stop‑sign cameras and that capital priorities include elevators, enhancements to the council chambers and completion of a new police station.
A resident who spoke during the public hearing urged the council to be conservative in its revenue projections and to consider cuts if anticipated funds do not materialize. "We're jumping really a really big leap thinking that we're going to get 1.3 million dollars," the resident said of the speed/stop‑sign camera program projections. The commenter also questioned a projected $260,000 gain from property‑tax assessments and noted an increase in licenses and permits revenue from about $250,000 to $790,000 as a further risk.
The resident recommended scrapping or reducing the police take‑home vehicle program and reconsidering filling some vacant positions, arguing the city should avoid "spend, spend, spending" while residents face higher costs for gas and food. The speaker also flagged a proposed $20,000 increase in the police fuel budget, from $65,000 to $85,000, and urged council members to weigh whether the costs yield commensurate benefits in response times.
Council members moved to adopt the evening agenda by unanimous consent before the hearing began. They discussed scheduling deeper budget review sessions: an upcoming virtual work session is set for Monday to focus on revenue and several small departments (legal, veterans memorial, cable/media, farmers market), with an additional session planned for the next Thursday evening and a further meeting the following Tuesday to address larger departments such as police, public works and capital items.
The council did not take any votes on budget adoption at the meeting; instead, it opened the public comment period, heard the resident's concerns and scheduled follow‑up work sessions. With no further public comments, the meeting adjourned at 7:48 p.m. The next meeting was announced as virtual on Monday at 7:00 p.m.
