Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks presents her FY 2024 Proposed Budget, reflecting the County’s strategic policy of building a more robust financial foundation and making critical investments for the future.
This budget, which holds tax rates steady, prioritizes schools, safe neighborhoods, economic development, and improving the quality of life for County residents. The proposed fiscal 2024 budget for all funds is $5.4 billion, an increase of $317 million or 6.2 percent over the current year’s budget. A whopping 62 percent of the budget is allocated to public schools.
“This year’s budget was particularly difficult to navigate, and like many families sitting around the kitchen table, we had to make difficult choices,” said County Executive Alsobrooks. “That’s because the new funding obligations for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future (Kirwan) have begun. We are legally mandated this year to provide an additional $88.4 million to our school system. With $180 million in new revenues this year, half of our new revenues are legally mandated to go to our school system, before we do anything else.”
“The legally mandated funding requirements charge communities with more vulnerable children, like ours, extra,” said County Executive Alsobrooks. “We have long maintained that education is the great equalizer, and every child deserves the opportunity to receive a high-quality education. We fully support the goals of Kirwan, which is why this Administration will meet its commitment and obligation to allocate $2.79 billion to the Prince George’s County Public School System. This is a $61.8 million or 6.2% increase over FY 2023.”
The proposed budget allocates $911.4 million to public safety, an increase of $62.7 million or 7.4 percent over the current year’s budget. There is continued support for police recruitment incentives and increases in staffing for Fire/EMS, the State’s Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security, and the Sheriff’s Office. As accountability and transparency remain a priority for the County’s public safety philosophy, the budget allocates funding for a new assistant sheriff position for the Bureau of Accountability and includes $950,000 for additional body-worn cameras.
Highlights of the FY 2024 proposed budget include:
Education/Youth Development
- Board of Education – $2.79 billion
- Increase of $161.9 million, or 6.2%, over FY 2023
- County contribution is $953.4 million, an increase of $88.4 million, or 10.4%, over FY 2023
- Includes $15 million for the Alternative Construction Finance program
- Prince George’s Community College – $131.6 million
- Prince George’s County Memorial Library System – $37.6 million
- Youth development programs like Summer Youth Enrichment Program – $2.5 million
Safe Neighborhoods
- Prince George’s County Police Department – $394.7 million
- Increase of 6.2% over last year
- Includes four new recruit classes for a total of 120 officers
- Continued funding of $640,000 for recruitment incentives for new officers
- Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department – $259.7 million
- Includes three new recruit classes for a total of 80 firefighters
- Vision Zero Prince George’s – $41 million
- Supports outreach and various road safety improvements/projects
Environment/Beautification
- Stormwater Management Fund – $113.2 million
- Increase of $16 million over FY 2023
- Programs help combat climate change and mitigate flooding
- Stormwater Management Capital Improvement Program – $141.5 million
- Funds multiple flood protection projects
- Clear the Curb – $135.5 million
- Includes continued rollout of countywide curbside composting program, reaching all households with County trash and recycling by the end of 2023
- Includes improved curbside bulky trash program
- Watershed Protection and Restoration Fund – $20.7 million
- 13 new hires in the Department of the Environment – $1.2 million
- Litter reduction/beautification programs – $9.9 million
- Includes enhanced street sweeping and litter removal services in the Department of Public Works & Transportation
Affordable Housing
- Preserving and creating affordable housing – $45.25 million
- Includes $22.6 million to fund new affordable housing for families and seniors
- Provides funding to shelter those experiencing homelessness
Economic Development
- Economic development agencies funding – $15.4 million
- Procurement and assistance programs for businesses – $17.8 million
- Increases procurement opportunities and assistance programs across multiple agencies for local, small, and minority-owned businesses
- Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement – $3.9 million
- Supports new hires and IT initiatives to improve permitting services
Health & Human Services
- Health Department – $35.3 million
- Includes three new positions
- Behavioral Health Programs – $23.2 million
- Supports mental health and addiction care programs for residents
- Office of Veterans Affairs – $548,700
- Increased funding from FY 2023 to better serve County veterans
Prince George’s County operates on an annual budget cycle that begins on July 1st and ends on June 30th. The County Executive proposes an operating budget and a six-year capital improvement program by March 15th of each year. The County Council must approve and adopt both budgets by June 1st of each year.
