The Montgomery County Council on Thursday formally approved an 8.7 percent property tax increase as part of the operating budget set to go into effect July 1, the first day of fiscal year 2017.
Last week, the council tentatively passed the $5.3 billion operating budget and $4.6 billion capital improvements program for the next six years.
Council President Nancy Floreen frequently called the budget process “unprecedented,” thanks in large part to the property tax increase, the largest since 2009 and which required a 9-0 council vote because it surpassed the county’s inflation-based charter limit.
The capital budget will get a funding boost from a recordation tax increase also approved last week. Both tax increases were aimed at boosting school funding to record levels, including almost $90 million in operating budget funds over the state-mandated minimum.
The county hadn’t funded the school system over that minimum since fiscal year 2009, but PTA representatives, other parents and school system officials lobbied for more school funding to reduce class sizes and address the achievement gap between white and Asian and black and Hispanic students—all while dealing with enrollment growth of about 2,500 students per year.
The council also rejected already negotiated pay raises between the county executive branch and county employee unions, while coming to an agreement with the Board of Education to similarly reject a pay raise for school system teachers and employees.
The result was an “education first budget” that will provide $37.9 million of additional funding for reducing class sizes. On Wednesday, interim school system Superintendent Larry Bowers and Board of Education President Michael Durso detailed how the money will be spent, with schools already over the system’s class-size guidelines getting more teachers to reduce class sizes by one or two students.
“In addition to the class size improvements…these additional resources will allow us to provide targeted support based on the needs of our students to address achievement gaps,” the two wrote. “Additional teacher and paraeducator positions will be allocated to provide support and interventions where it is needed most—in mathematics and literacy.”
