Montgomery County Council adds staff package to reconciliation list despite warnings about large MCPS cuts

The Montgomery County Council voted 8–3 to add a staff-recommended package of potential budget reductions to the reconciliation list for further consideration, despite vocal objections that the list would put deep cuts to Montgomery County Public Schools on the table.

Mr. Howard of the Office of Management and Budget told the council the body has approved $4,400,000 in reductions and has another $306,000 under consideration, with $50,400,000 in additions placed on the reconciliation list and resource changes that reduce net available FY26 funding by $40,200,000. He said rejecting the executive's proposed 3.5¢ property tax increase and proposed income-tax offset changes are key drivers of the shortfall, and outlined three income-tax options: no increase (no new revenue), a prospective rise to 3.3% that would yield about $25,000,000, or a retroactive 3.3% that would yield about $75,000,000. He said straw votes are scheduled for Thursday and final action is scheduled for May 22.

The motion to add the staff package to the reconciliation list was made during the session and seconded; the Council President put the question and the motion passed 8–3. The vote does not itself reduce any individual program or line item; it places the staff-recommended reductions onto the reconciliation list for the council to consider during the coming work sessions.

Several council members opposed adding the package. Council Member Mink said she would not support the motion because the staff list includes a $50,000,000 potential reduction for MCPS on top of $19,000,000 already on the reconciliation list, which she estimated could reach roughly $70,000,000 in potential cuts. "That is a level of cuts that, in my opinion, we should not even be considering," she said, warning the scale of reductions could force renegotiating contracts, reduce essential services and leave the school system vulnerable to legal noncompliance in special education.

The Council Vice President said the schools are already stretched and that the proposed reductions would carry "severe and wide ranging consequences," including staffing reductions, cuts to discretionary spending and a risk of reopening contracts. "The numbers simply do not add up," the vice president said.

Council Member Sales said she remained "unwavering" in her commitment to fully fund MCPS and called it unacceptable to ask students and staff to bear the weight of such cuts. Other council members asked staff for clearer documentation of additions the executive made to the recommended budget and requested staff model a range of MCPS reduction tranches (5%, 10% and 20%) with sublevels so the council has options to consider.

Mr. Howard said staff would prepare additional materials, including tranche scenarios, and reminded members that the council will hold straw votes on adjustments later in the week and take final action on May 22. The council adjourned and scheduled further sessions to continue reconciliation work.