Prince George's County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Prince George's County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
FY 2027 Office of Ethics and Accountability budget
Ivey claimed Emerson is a friend of Council Member Burroughs and that the auditor shouldn't audit an organization connected to any council member. Other members demanded evidence and noted recusal rules apply; the accusation went unanswered because Burroughs wasn't present.
Open Meetings Act notice challenge
Ivey said she got notice of this special meeting less than an hour before it started and argued that violates the Open Meetings Act, since the auditor seat had been open a year and wasn't urgent.
County Auditor vacancy filled after a year
The auditor is the county's independent financial watchdog. The seat sat empty for about a year, and supporters argued filling it was an emergency for good governance and accountability.
Child Care Improvement Workgroup State Legislative Recommendations
A briefing on how prepared county kids are for kindergarten and what childcare funding exists to close gaps. Childcare access and cost is a daily struggle for many working parents in the county.
Grant-making transparency and accountability
A new task force of outside experts will review how the council awards community grants and recommend ways to build public confidence in the use of taxpayer dollars.
Senior and disabled property-tax relief package
Four bills (CB-94, CB-95, CB-98, CB-117) aim to ease property tax burdens for seniors and disabled homeowners, but the committee held them until September 24 pending solid cost estimates. There was a heated exchange over whether the administration slow-walked fiscal data, and Ivey floated funding relief through a carve-out of future revenue like sports wagering.
Property Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled Residents
Bills to expand property tax credits and deferrals for seniors and disabled homeowners were introduced with amendments — including a $1 million annual cap on deferrals and a fiscal-year reset on the credit queue — plus a homestead credit set at 104%. One tax cap bill was pulled as a compromise with the administration.
National Harbor Tax Increment Financing
The Council is advancing bonds to fund the Sphere entertainment venue at National Harbor and refinance 2022 bonds, aiming to replace tax revenue lost with Six Flags' closure. Amendments added labor peace and diversity commitments before final passage.
Distribution of state cannabis reinvestment funds
The council rewrote the process for the cannabis community reinvestment fund, adding staffing and a council approval step, and extended the board's deadline to April 1, 2027 — over board members' objections that their authority was being stripped and the timeline unrealistic.
State's Attorney's Office exempt employee compensation
Assistant state's attorneys have been locked out of county COLA increases since their 2024 salary restructure, making it hard to keep prosecutors. This resolution restores raises and allows retention bonuses for FY2025–2027.
Jones House District 8 programs and accountability
Council Member Burroughs announced that Jones House started an independent audit months ago and a fiscal partnership with the Center of Nonprofit Advancement, with both reviews to be presented publicly at the October 20 meeting.
FY 2028-2030 Local Impact Grant plan letter
The committee approved the $12.17 million local impact grant plan, a $28.7 million FY26 closeout reallocation, and capital transfers for the District VI police station and public safety upgrades.
Board of Education FY 2026 Transfer Request
The Council endorsed the school system's mid-year budget transfer with a letter to Interim Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph.
National Harbor development project financial risk
Resident Margery Jones challenged the claimed $63 million-a-year tax benefit from a proposed National Harbor project, saying the real direct net is closer to $7.4 million after debt service, and asked for feasibility, attendance and surveillance-privacy studies.
FY 26 Project Charge Pilot Program funding controversy
Chair Oriadha said misinformation about Project Charge funding has become a distraction, and she and County Executive Braveboy are asking for the second distribution to be returned so it can be fully documented and redirected to District 7 services.
WSSC Water FY 2028 budget preview
The water utility gave an early look at its preliminary FY 2028 budget, an early signal of possible rate and spending decisions ahead.
Energy cost relief (HB 1532)
A resolution calling for a moratorium on utility price increases was on the agenda — a response to rising utility bills for county residents.
Local Impact Grant Funds spending plan (FY2028-FY2030)
CR-148-2026 would send the Local Impact Grant Funds Multiyear Plan to the full Council for review and approval, directing how grant funds are allocated over multiple years.
FY 2027 Budget Allocations Briefing
Budget officials briefed the Council on state aid coming to the county, including K-12 education funding drivers like enrollment, poverty, and special education, plus state budget bills that could affect county finances.
Government transparency and budget process concerns
The multi-year contracts list (CR-036-2026) reached the council just a day before the meeting, angering members who said the administration's lateness is making their oversight job harder. The fallout: budget adoption slips from May 21 to May 27 to allow proper public notice and a hearing.
Sphere Community Impact Fund (CB-132-2026)
A new bill would reserve 15% of county revenues from the Sphere venue for communities within six miles — half for community programs, half for infrastructure. It was just introduced and will get further committee review and a public hearing.