Overview
- The County Council voted 9-2 Friday to add $143 million to the MCPS budget as part of a $7.9 billion plan for fiscal 2027.
- Members shifted money from long-term building projects into the school system’s daily operating budget to cover near-term needs.
- The council adopted new progressive income tax brackets for residents earning over $150,000 and rejected a 6% property tax increase.
- Even with the increase, the budget trails MCPS’s request by $36 million, and Superintendent Thomas Taylor warns cuts could hit jobs, pay, and services like special education and transportation.
- A final vote is scheduled for May 21 following Thursday’s postponed session that drew a packed chamber of educators and families urging full funding.