Council passes $2.3 billion budget

Thursday, May 25, 2006

The Prince George’s County Council unanimously passed the fiscal 2007 operating and capital budget Thursday morning, approving a $2.37 billion spending plan that includes a $13 million income tax cut and $1.5 billion for schools.

The budget carves out $212 million for the police department to assist with recruiting and purchasing new vehicles.

‘‘This budget remains committed to hiring more public safety personnel,” said Council Chairman Thomas Dernoga (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel.

The school board budget was originally slightly larger, but County Executive Jack B. Johnson reduced his proposal by $10 million, making most of the reductions in food service.

The approved schools budget now represents an 8.5 percent increase over last year, providing millions for early childhood education programs, new schools and special education programs and nearly $50 million for salary increases, which the teachers’ union is still negotiating.

The approved capital budget also restored funding for a new fire⁄EMS station in Bowie, which was originally delayed years into the future along with other fire station projects. The budget now provides planning money for the project in this coming fiscal year and construction money in fiscal 2008.