April 8th, 2010, 03:41 PM
Montgomery County budget hearings this week!
Montgomery County is facing a record $779 million gap for fiscal year 2011, which begins July 1, 2010. County Executive Ike Leggett has had to make difficult choices in his proposed operating budget, including a recommended 13.5% or $14.5 million reduction to the budget for Montgomery Parks. Such a drastic cut is a real threat to the quality of services you have come to know and expect at all of our Parks, which may include closing parks and facilities, postponing new parks and upgrades to current ones, shortened hours, higher use fees, and staff reductions in most categories.
Beautiful, safe, accessible parks, and an outstanding school system are the two most popular reasons people and businesses give for locating in Montgomery County. We have enjoyed strong support from our political leaders in the past, and appreciate that they are faced with difficult decisions to balance the needs of our community.
The County Council is holding public hearings on April 5, 6, 7, and 8 to give residents an opportunity for input before the adoption of the FY2011 budget. I respectfully ask that you write a letter to the County Council, thanking them for their past support of Montgomery Parks and encourage them to continue their financial support at the highest possible level.
Petitions or other written material may be presented to the Clerk of the Council at the time of the hearing or may be mailed or delivered to the Council's Office of Legislative Information Services, 5th Floor, Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20850. All written material becomes a part of the public hearing record.
If you would prefer to call or send an email message to your Councilmember, following are phone numbers and email addresses:
* Phil Andrews, 240/777-7906, councilmember.andrews@montgomerycou ntymd.gov
* Roger Berliner, 240/777-7828, councilmember.berliner@montgomeryco untymd.gov
* Marc Elrich, 240/777-7966, councilmember.elrich@montgomerycoun tymd.gov
* Valerie Ervin, 240/777-7960, councilmember.ervin@montgomerycount ymd.gov
* Nancy Floreen, 240/777-7959, councilmember.floreen@montgomerycou ntymd.gov
* Mike Knapp, 240/777-7955, councilmember.knapp@montgomerycount ymd.gov
* George Leventhal, 240/777-7811, councilmember.leventhal@montgomeryc ountymd.gov
* Nancy Navarro, 240/777-7968, councilmember.navarro@montgomerycou ntymc.gov
* Duchy Trachtenberg, 240/777-7964, councilmember.trachtenberg@montgome rycountymd.gov
The hearings start at 7:00 pm in the Council Office Building in Rockville. If you wish to testify, please call 240-777-7803 to sign up as soon as possible. The number of slots for public testimony is limited, and they fill on a first-come basis. For more information on public participation in the hearings, please follow this link to the County Council's webpage.
Council Budget Schedule
FUTURE PUBLIC HEARINGS / Budget-Related
To testify call 240-777-7803
April 5, 2010
7 p.m. FY11 Operating Budget
April 6, 2010
7 p.m. FY11 Operating Budget
April 7, 2010
1:30 p.m. FY11 Operating Budget
7 p.m. FY11 Operating Budget
April 8, 2010
7 p.m. FY11 Operating Budget
Montgomery County is facing a record $779 million gap for fiscal year 2011, which begins July 1, 2010. County Executive Ike Leggett has had to make difficult choices in his proposed operating budget, including a recommended 13.5% or $14.5 million reduction to the budget for Montgomery Parks. Such a drastic cut is a real threat to the quality of services you have come to know and expect at all of our Parks, which may include closing parks and facilities, postponing new parks and upgrades to current ones, shortened hours, higher use fees, and staff reductions in most categories.
Beautiful, safe, accessible parks, and an outstanding school system are the two most popular reasons people and businesses give for locating in Montgomery County. We have enjoyed strong support from our political leaders in the past, and appreciate that they are faced with difficult decisions to balance the needs of our community.
The County Council is holding public hearings on April 5, 6, 7, and 8 to give residents an opportunity for input before the adoption of the FY2011 budget. I respectfully ask that you write a letter to the County Council, thanking them for their past support of Montgomery Parks and encourage them to continue their financial support at the highest possible level.
Petitions or other written material may be presented to the Clerk of the Council at the time of the hearing or may be mailed or delivered to the Council's Office of Legislative Information Services, 5th Floor, Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20850. All written material becomes a part of the public hearing record.
If you would prefer to call or send an email message to your Councilmember, following are phone numbers and email addresses:
* Phil Andrews, 240/777-7906, councilmember.andrews@montgomerycou ntymd.gov
* Roger Berliner, 240/777-7828, councilmember.berliner@montgomeryco untymd.gov
* Marc Elrich, 240/777-7966, councilmember.elrich@montgomerycoun tymd.gov
* Valerie Ervin, 240/777-7960, councilmember.ervin@montgomerycount ymd.gov
* Nancy Floreen, 240/777-7959, councilmember.floreen@montgomerycou ntymd.gov
* Mike Knapp, 240/777-7955, councilmember.knapp@montgomerycount ymd.gov
* George Leventhal, 240/777-7811, councilmember.leventhal@montgomeryc ountymd.gov
* Nancy Navarro, 240/777-7968, councilmember.navarro@montgomerycou ntymc.gov
* Duchy Trachtenberg, 240/777-7964, councilmember.trachtenberg@montgome rycountymd.gov
The hearings start at 7:00 pm in the Council Office Building in Rockville. If you wish to testify, please call 240-777-7803 to sign up as soon as possible. The number of slots for public testimony is limited, and they fill on a first-come basis. For more information on public participation in the hearings, please follow this link to the County Council's webpage.
Council Budget Schedule
FUTURE PUBLIC HEARINGS / Budget-Related
To testify call 240-777-7803
April 5, 2010
7 p.m. FY11 Operating Budget
April 6, 2010
7 p.m. FY11 Operating Budget
April 7, 2010
1:30 p.m. FY11 Operating Budget
7 p.m. FY11 Operating Budget
April 8, 2010
7 p.m. FY11 Operating Budget