A number of new laws and fee changes took effect July 1, the start of the county government’s budget year. Here are a few:
County immigration assistance kicks in
During the annual budget process, the County Council passed a series of grants to 335 community nonprofit organizations. Among the grants: $673,830 to the Latino outreach organization CASA de Maryland and $652,196 Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Greater Washington for legal assistance and job training.
The aid follows last year’s allocation of $370,000 in legal defense funds for immigrants who can’t afford an attorney and are facing deportation. The county took the initiative to set up the fund following threats from President Donald Trump to step up federal enforcement of illegal immigration across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trash and recycling fees increase
The County Council approved hikes of between 4% and 12% in May for recycling, leaf and garbage collection services for single-family households to help offset the increased costs of recycling and composting.
The county’s trash fee is also increasing from $77 per household to $95 due to an increase in contracting costs.
The solid waste charges appear on property owners real property consolidated tax bills and do not apply to renters. The trash fees apply to neighborhoods where the county contracts with private sector haulers, however some neighborhoods have private trash collection and leaf removal services.
Kids Ride Free at all hours on Ride On
Ride On’s Kids Ride Free program, which allows students under the age of 18 to ride for free, now applies to all hours of the day when the county bus service is running. The free service also applies to 24 Metrobus routes. The Metrobus routes are the C2, C4, C8, D5, F4, J1, J2, J3, J4, K6, K9, L8, Q2, Q4, Q6, T2, Y2, Y7, Y8, Z2, Z6, Z7, Z8, Z11.
Previously, students could ride for free between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays on Ride On and some Metrobus routes. Council member Evan Glass pushed for the additional $1 million in funding during the budget process to expand the service, which he said was an essential part of the county’s equity initiative.
Rockville and Gaithersburg have the right to tax short-term rentals
The governments in Rockville and Gaithersburg now have the right to tax Airbnb and other types of short-term rentals within their jurisdictions, thanks to a bill that passed the legislature sponsored by Del. Julie Palakovich Carr, a Democrat who represents Rockville and Gaithersburg.
Hotels and other places of lodging with 10 rooms or more currently pay a 2% tax in each city, but there had been a loophole for rentals with fewer than 10 rooms. Each municipality must first draft legislation providing a mechanism for imposing the tax, and the Gaithersburg City Council was scheduled to introduce such a bill Monday, with a public hearing scheduled for August.
Dan Schere can be reached at Daniel.schere@moco360.media
