This week, the Prince George’s County Council unanimously approved a $5 billion fiscal 2023 budget. 

The budget prioritizes schools, safe neighborhoods, economic development, and improving the quality of life for County residents. The fiscal 2023 budget for all funds is $5.0 billion, an increase of $550 million or 9.9 percent over the fiscal 2022 budget.

“Despite the challenges we are all facing at the moment, we know that we are in a time of rising opportunity in Prince George’s County, said County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. “This budget will help us meet the moment and ensure we unlock opportunities for all of our communities, some of which have missed out on opportunities for far too long.

The General Fund totals $4.2 billion, an increase of $405 million or 10.7 percent over the fiscal 2022 budget. This budget includes $4.2 billion in revenues, the larger portion of which comes from outside aid to support the Board of Education.

“It’s been a tough couple of years. Yet, despite our extraordinary challenges, this new spending plan, which I continue to call ‘The People’s Budget,’ gives Prince Georgians more hope for our future than at any time since March 2020,” said Council Chair Calvin S. Hawkins, II. “I want to thank the stout-hearted people of Prince George’s County for your extraordinary resilience and partnership with us to keep our communities safe and well. You are making our progress possible.”

Some of the major highlights of the fiscal 2023 budget include:

Education

• Board of Education – $2.63 billion
  • An increase of $286.3 million or 12.2% over the FY 2022 budget
  • The County contribution is $847 million
  • $15 million in operating funds for the Alternative Construction Finance Program for school construction
• Prince George’s Community College – $126.8 million
• Memorial Library System – $35.5 million

Reducing Violent Crime

• Supporting Police Department recruitment:
  • Funding for two new recruit classes for the Police Department – $5 million
  • New recruitment incentives for police officers – $640,000
  • Develop an efficient and improved recruitment process for public safety – $51,000
• Five new positions (Deputy Director of Forensic Sciences, two Chemists, two Crime Scene Investigators)
• New equipment investments to support crime fighting efforts, including license plate readers – $1.5 million
• Two new boards as required by the Maryland Police Accountability Act to improve public trust in law enforcement:
  • Police Accountability Board – three positions (two existing positions from CCOP and a Community Developer position)
  • Administrative Charging Committee – six new positions as well as support for stipends

Beautification

• Various litter reduction programs – $3.3 million
  • Includes anti-litter public education, surveillance of illegal dumping sites, signage for unlawful dumping sites, and trash and litter removal from local waterways
• Increased funding ($500,000) for Clean Lot Program – $2.4 million
  • Helps clean properties that are overgrown or have become dumping sites
• Solid Waste Management Fund – $126.4 million
  • Supports the “Clear the Curb” initiative, providing new and improved waste collection services in an environmentally friendly way
    • Includes new curbside bulky trash collection program

Flooding Investments

• Local Watershed Protection and Restoration Fund – $20.6 million
  • Supports water quality and flood mitigation projects around local watersheds
• Increased funding ($4.2 million) for Stormwater Management Fund – $95.9 million
  • Supports water quality programs and helps mitigate flooding
• Stormwater Management Capital Improvement Program – $149.8 million
  • Funds multiple flood protection projects across the County

Economic Development

• Economic development agencies – $9.5 million
• Funding to Redevelopment Authority to revitalize neighborhoods, particularly within the Beltway, with a focus on transit-oriented, mixed-income, and mixed-use development – $21 million
• Support to increase procurement opportunities and technical assistance to small, minority-owned, and County-based businesses – $100,000
• Permitting and Inspections:
  • Funding for the various IT initiatives, including the Momentum Permitting and Licensing System, permit queuing system, and Project Dox – $4 million
  • Increased resources for staff augmentation to support engineering consultants and commercial inspections – $850,000

Affordable Housing

• Strengthen the Housing Investment Trust Fund to address housing affordability issues – $10 million
• Funding to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing for current low-income residents – $6 million
• Create a long-term framework for Housing Opportunities for All Workgroup – $205,000

Health & Human Services

• Department of Family Services:
  • Reinforce efforts to provide safe housing for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking – $1.5 million
  • Increased funding for veteran outreach services through the Office of Veterans Affairs – $457,300
• Food Distribution Coordinator to better coordinate food distribution programs – $100,000
• Expansion of Prince George’s Health Assures Program to cover 50,000 uninsured residents in the County – $13 million (over three years)

Other Notable Investments

• Department of Public Works & Transportation
  • Funding to further Vision Zero efforts – $63,000
  • Enhance bus services in high-need areas – $750,000
• Re-entry programs to reduce recidivism – $1.5 million

FY 2023-2028 Capital Improvement Program Highlights

• Board of Education – $1.2 billion
  • School construction and other improvements for staff and students
• Public Works & Transportation – $591.3 million
  • Bridge replacements, pedestrian safety, and road improvements
• Stormwater Management – $503 million
  • Flood protection and drainage improvements, stream restorations, and restoration of impervious areas
• Prince George’s Community College – $267 million
  • Building renovations, including renovating the student center

Visit the Prince George’s County website for more information.