Council Agenda Highlights for Wednesday, May 19

We're continuing to work our way through the budget, and there are a few changes to tomorrow's agenda. Here's the update from our Legislative Information Office for Wednesday, May 19:

The Montgomery County Council at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19, will continue its discussion on the Fiscal Year 2011 operating budget request of Montgomery County Public Schools. The worksession continues the Council’s examination of County Executive Isiah Leggett’s recommended budget as the Council works to achieve a balanced FY11 budget.

The Council postponed discussion on issues relating to the MPCS budget scheduled for today.

The Council is nearing decisions on most items impacting the new budget, which will go into effect on July 1. Today, the Council also rescheduled the date on which it will reach a tentative agreement on the budget. That will now happen on Friday, May 21. The Council is scheduled to formally adopt the budget on Thursday, May 27.

The full Council session on Wednesday will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The meeting will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon) and also will be available via streaming through the County Web site at www.montgomerycountymd.gov.

The Council’s morning session will include scheduled action on County Executive Isiah Leggett’s proposed Emergency Medical Services Transport Fee, also known as an ambulance fee. Bill 13-10 would authorize charges to those transported by County ambulances between $300 and $800, depending upon the level of care needed. They also would be charged $8.50 per mile of transport. For most residents with health insurance, their health insurance companies would be billed for the fees. It is estimated the fees could raise approximately $13 million annually for the County.

The Council also is scheduled to take action on Expedited Bill 29-10, which would create a carbon emissions tax on major emitters of carbon dioxide. The proposed carbon tax, whose chief sponsor is Councilmember Roger Berliner, would require a major emitter of carbon to pay an excise tax of $5 per ton of carbon emitted. Currently, the only impacted user would be the Mirant Corporation power plant in Dickerson.

Another issue slated for action is Bill 15-10, which reflects the County Executive’s proposal to double the County tax on energy use, including on home heating oil, electric and natural gas. The proposal would split the increase between residential and commercial users. The average County household would pay nearly $15 more per month than it currently does.

The Council also is scheduled to address a proposal to increase the current tax on cell phone lines from $2 to $3.

At 2 p.m., the Council will address the MCPS requested operating budget. As currently proposed, MCPS is the only agency budget that does not include a reduction from the approved FY10 budget. By comparison with other agencies of the Montgomery County, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission budget includes a reduction of 15.8 percent. The County Government budget includes a reduction of 7.7 percent. The Montgomery College budget includes a 3.7 percent reduction.

As currently requested, the MCPS budget would represent 57.2 percent of the total County budget.