$318M Increase In FY24 Operating Budget Approved By Prince George's County Council

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — The fiscal year 2024 operating budget has been approved by the Prince George's County Council.

The FY2024 budget includes nearly $5.4 billion in operating funds, an increase of $318 million or 6.3 percent over the FY2023 budget. The general fund totals $4.5 billion, an increase of $254.3 million or 6 percent over the FY2023 budget.

The largest portion of general funds, nearly $2.8 billion or 62 percent, goes directly to the board of education for Prince George’s County Public Schools. More than $886 million supports public safety agencies, nearly 20 percent of general funds. The remaining 18 percent supports the rest of county government operations.

“Even though we faced a number of challenges this year, I’m proud that we came together to pass a budget that contains people-centered investments that will uplift all Prince Georgians,” said Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. “Just like jurisdictions across the country, we are still feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation, which impacted our revenues and forced us to make difficult and fiscally responsible decisions."

The FY 2024 budget was tight due to several factors, Alsobrooks pointed out, including new funding obligations mandated by the funding formula under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future (Kirwan). The Kirwan funding formula legally mandated that the county spend an additional $88.4 million on education this year, which represented nearly half of all new spending in the county’s budget.

Income tax revenue projections were $60 million lower than initial projections when Alsobrooks released her FY2024 proposed budget, but she made adjustments to the proposed budget to close the gap, using reserve funds for FY2024 while also reviewing the budget for ways to optimize spending, the county noted.

Highlights of the FY2024 budget include:

Education and Youth Development

• Board of Education - $2.8 billion
  • Increase of $170 million, or 6.5%, over FY2023
  • Includes $24.5 million for the alternative construction finance program
• Prince George’s Community College - $131.6 million
• Prince George’s County Memorial Library System - $38.1 million
• Youth development programs like summer youth enrichment program and Alsobrooks Summer Passport Experience - $2.5 million
  • SYEP has hired more than 17,000 youth over the past four years
  • Summer Passport provided opportunities for more than 1,600 youth in the past two years

Safe Neighborhoods

• Prince George’s County Police Department - $390 million
  • Includes four new recruit classes for a total of 120 officers
  • Continued funding for recruitment incentives for new officers
  • Funding for the police explorers program to expose young people to careers in law enforcement
• Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department - $261 million
  • Includes three new recruit classes for a total of 96 firefighters
• Prince George’s County Department of Corrections - $106.7 million
  • Includes two new recruit classes for a total of 36 new correctional officers
• State’s Attorney’s Office - $25.3 million
  • Includes funding for six new assistant state’s attorney positions
• Vision Zero Prince George’s - $41 million
  • Supports outreach and various road safety improvements/projects
• Hope in Action Anti-Violence Initiative - $1 million
  • More than 29,000 residents have been served with wraparound services such as afterschool programming, mental health services, workforce development and housing support

Environment/Beautification

• Stormwater Management Fund - $113.2 million
  • Increase of $16 million over FY2023
  • Programs help combat climate change and mitigate flooding
• Stormwater Management Capital Improvement Program - $141.1 million
  • Funds multiple flood protection projects
• Clear the Curb - $135.5 million
  • Includes continued rollout of countywide curbside composting program, reaching all households with county trash and recycling by end of 2023
  • Includes improved curbside bulky trash program
• Watershed Protection and Restoration Fund - $20.7 million
• 13 new hires in department of the environment - $1.2 million
  • Includes new positions in the animal services division
• Litter reduction/beautification programs - $9.9 million
  • Includes enhanced street sweeping and litter removal services in the department of public works and transportation

Economic Development and Affordable Housing

• Economic development agencies funding - $10.8 million
• Preserving and creating affordable housing - $45.25 million
• Emergency rental assistance program - $14.5 million
  • Expands eligibility of current program funding
• Procurement and assistance programs for businesses - $17.8 million
  • Increases procurement opportunities and assistance programs across multiple agencies for local, small and minority-owned businesses

Health and Human Services

• Health Department - $35.3 million
  • Includes three new positions
  • Supports behavioral health programs for residents
• Office of Veterans Affairs - $548,700
  • Increased funding from FY2023 to better serve county veterans

Government Services

• Department of permitting, inspections and enforcement - $30.8 million
  • Funds all vacant positions and IT initiatives to improve permitting services
  • Funding to hire after-hours inspectors

• Office of Human Rights - $3 million
  • Supports continued implementation of language access program for public services
• Office of Information Technology - $58.1 million
  • Includes funding for increased cybersecurity protections