Council Budget 2022
By the time you read this the County Council will have voted on the County Budget. There are several priorities that I am advocating for, and for which I am hopeful to have success. First, the county libraries need financial support for additional staff and technology upgrades. Second, we need funding to implement the Climate Action Plan. Third, I am supporting increased funding for mobile health services to provide better healthcare to many of our residents. Also, the Nuisance Abatement Board is doing a great job seeing that code enforcement issues are being addressed; however, the board is understaffed and must be funded appropriately. Additionally, I have proposed that the police department budget have a line item to support the police explorers. We have a great group of explorers in District One, and the County will benefit greatly with the participation of additional youth involved in public safety.
I am also hopeful to get the funding for some Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Park and Recreation projects. The North College Park Community Center will be accessible to the Beltsville community as an additional resource. We have received State and municipal funding, so I am working to get construction funding from Park and Planning. Dinosaur Park has been very popular, but the full vision for a science center has not been implemented, and I am seeking funding to move this project forward. Along with the Dinosaur Park, the companion of a dog park in Beltsville is an endeavor I am striving towards. Finally, in a bid to help the Beltsville-Adelphi Boys & Girls Club, I am asking for M-NCPPC to double the funding for the program.
On a troubling note, M-NCPPC has been planning a new headquarters building. Originally, the proposal was for a $155 million building in Largo. Until two weeks, I had been the only council member opposed when M-NCPPC requested to increase the budget from $155 million to $300 million. This outrageous request has finally stirred broader opposition and I am hopeful that a more practical option may be found.
Please look for an update on the final Budget next month, or in our weekly electronic newsletter which you can sign up to receive by contacting us.
Contact Us
Please keep in touch. Email us at councildistrict1@co.pg.md.us or call 301.952.3887. Se habla Español. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @TomDernogaD1.