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Council introduces three charter amendments for July 16 public hearings
Summary
Council members introduced three separate charter amendments July 9 that would (1) change the vote threshold for budgets and property tax levies, (2) automatically confirm executive appointments after 60 days if the council does not act, and (3) place a voter petition about term limits on the ballot pending certification; public hearings scheduled July 16 at 1:30 p.m.
Montgomery County council members on July 9 introduced three proposed charter amendments and set public hearings for July 16 at 1:30 p.m.
The resolutions cover: changing how many council votes are required to adopt budgets and levy property taxes (a proposal to amend charter section 3.05 to use a two-thirds threshold rounded up to the nearest whole number of the current 11-member council); automatically confirming executive appointments if the council does not act within 60 days (proposed amendment to section 2.15); and a voter petition that, if certified by the Board of Elections, would put a measure on the ballot to reduce the county executive’s consecutive-term limit from three to two (proposed amendment to section 2.02).
Sponsor remarks explained the rationale. Council Member Katz, introducing the first two items, said the Charter Review Commission recommended the two-thirds threshold to provide a higher approval requirement for weighty decisions and suggested a percentage rather than a fixed number to allow flexibility if council seats are vacant. "It is my thought and belief that if the Charter Review Commission thought that the public should have a right to weigh in on this one," Katz said, that next week's public hearings would provide that opportunity.
Council members in discussion generally expressed support for the items and several agreed to be listed as cosponsors. One council member said a supermajority requirement for raising property taxes is reasonable given the weight of that authority. The president reiterated thanks to the Charter Review Commission for its work and confirmed the public hearings will provide residents a chance to testify.
These items were introduced and will proceed to public hearings on July 16; as introductions, they were not subject to a final council vote during the July 9 session.
