Anonymous
03/20/2023 15:15
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Anonymous wrote:ModeratelyMoco wrote:Anonymous wrote:ModeratelyMoco wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have the council members staked out positions on this yet?
If they are smart they avoid it entirely, since it doesnt need their vote.
In theory it would need full council approval unanimously but since it doesnt- why would they go on record for supporting a huge tax increase?
Sorry for asking but can you explain? Do they need to vote for it or not?
By law any increase in the property tax requires a unanimous vote by the council, to raise the charter limit.
The one exception is the state allows them to go around this to comply with maintenance of effort for schools funding. So, a bit of a gray area- but I dont think it needs their vote- and they are probably quite relieved about that.
Yea it’s pretty shady because tons of other things are increasing in the budget too but since the increase is just under the increase for MCPS alone, he is making the argument they only need a majority. So much for that charter amendment pushed through with promises of needing an anonymous vote
But the council still needs to vote on it, right? It's just that it's a majority vote. Elrich cannot do it on his say-so alone, so the council members cannot avoid the issue.
Yes this is true. I think personally they’ll have little trouble getting a majority. With needing unanimous there would be some hard decisions needing to be made to get everyone’s vote
There is also more political cover to just "approving Elrich's budget"
than all of them unanimously passing another big property tax increase like they did a decade ago, or so.
The fact that they won't trim the wasteful spending in MCPS and jump to this means they're way out of touch with their constituents.
Anonymous
03/20/2023 15:11
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
ModeratelyMoco wrote:Anonymous wrote:ModeratelyMoco wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have the council members staked out positions on this yet?
If they are smart they avoid it entirely, since it doesnt need their vote.
In theory it would need full council approval unanimously but since it doesnt- why would they go on record for supporting a huge tax increase?
Sorry for asking but can you explain? Do they need to vote for it or not?
By law any increase in the property tax requires a unanimous vote by the council, to raise the charter limit.
The one exception is the state allows them to go around this to comply with maintenance of effort for schools funding. So, a bit of a gray area- but I dont think it needs their vote- and they are probably quite relieved about that.
Yea it’s pretty shady because tons of other things are increasing in the budget too but since the increase is just under the increase for MCPS alone, he is making the argument they only need a majority. So much for that charter amendment pushed through with promises of needing an anonymous vote
But the council still needs to vote on it, right? It's just that it's a majority vote. Elrich cannot do it on his say-so alone, so the council members cannot avoid the issue.
Yes this is true. I think personally they’ll have little trouble getting a majority. With needing unanimous there would be some hard decisions needing to be made to get everyone’s vote
There is also more political cover to just "approving Elrich's budget"
than all of them unanimously passing another big property tax increase like they did a decade ago, or so.
ModeratelyMoco
03/20/2023 14:07
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Anonymous wrote:ModeratelyMoco wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have the council members staked out positions on this yet?
If they are smart they avoid it entirely, since it doesnt need their vote.
In theory it would need full council approval unanimously but since it doesnt- why would they go on record for supporting a huge tax increase?
Sorry for asking but can you explain? Do they need to vote for it or not?
By law any increase in the property tax requires a unanimous vote by the council, to raise the charter limit.
The one exception is the state allows them to go around this to comply with maintenance of effort for schools funding. So, a bit of a gray area- but I dont think it needs their vote- and they are probably quite relieved about that.
Yea it’s pretty shady because tons of other things are increasing in the budget too but since the increase is just under the increase for MCPS alone, he is making the argument they only need a majority. So much for that charter amendment pushed through with promises of needing an anonymous vote
But the council still needs to vote on it, right? It's just that it's a majority vote. Elrich cannot do it on his say-so alone, so the council members cannot avoid the issue.
Yes this is true. I think personally they’ll have little trouble getting a majority. With needing unanimous there would be some hard decisions needing to be made to get everyone’s vote
Anonymous
03/20/2023 13:51
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
ModeratelyMoco wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have the council members staked out positions on this yet?
If they are smart they avoid it entirely, since it doesnt need their vote.
In theory it would need full council approval unanimously but since it doesnt- why would they go on record for supporting a huge tax increase?
Sorry for asking but can you explain? Do they need to vote for it or not?
By law any increase in the property tax requires a unanimous vote by the council, to raise the charter limit.
The one exception is the state allows them to go around this to comply with maintenance of effort for schools funding. So, a bit of a gray area- but I dont think it needs their vote- and they are probably quite relieved about that.
Yea it’s pretty shady because tons of other things are increasing in the budget too but since the increase is just under the increase for MCPS alone, he is making the argument they only need a majority. So much for that charter amendment pushed through with promises of needing an anonymous vote
But the council still needs to vote on it, right? It's just that it's a majority vote. Elrich cannot do it on his say-so alone, so the council members cannot avoid the issue.
ModeratelyMoco
03/20/2023 13:32
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have the council members staked out positions on this yet?
If they are smart they avoid it entirely, since it doesnt need their vote.
In theory it would need full council approval unanimously but since it doesnt- why would they go on record for supporting a huge tax increase?
Sorry for asking but can you explain? Do they need to vote for it or not?
By law any increase in the property tax requires a unanimous vote by the council, to raise the charter limit.
The one exception is the state allows them to go around this to comply with maintenance of effort for schools funding. So, a bit of a gray area- but I dont think it needs their vote- and they are probably quite relieved about that.
Yea it’s pretty shady because tons of other things are increasing in the budget too but since the increase is just under the increase for MCPS alone, he is making the argument they only need a majority. So much for that charter amendment pushed through with promises of needing an anonymous vote
Anonymous
03/20/2023 13:09
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/15/montgomery-county-budget-tax-increase-schools/
10% increase in the property tax "to keep up with inflation"
What world does that guy live in?
"Revenues have been unable to keep up with inflation"
OK but assessment increases alone have dramatically increased the property tax amount for most people.
And since inflation is so high, why do we have to reach into our pocket that is already stretched?
Maybe dont hire Craig Rice to a no show job- there is 200k right there.
Wouldn't the increase in taxes due to increased valuations from inflation be sufficient?
Thats the thing- my property tax goes up every single year- without actually raising the property tax rate. But apparently for Elrich- no, this is not sufficient.
Anonymous
03/20/2023 13:08
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have the council members staked out positions on this yet?
If they are smart they avoid it entirely, since it doesnt need their vote.
In theory it would need full council approval unanimously but since it doesnt- why would they go on record for supporting a huge tax increase?
Sorry for asking but can you explain? Do they need to vote for it or not?
By law any increase in the property tax requires a unanimous vote by the council, to raise the charter limit.
The one exception is the state allows them to go around this to comply with maintenance of effort for schools funding. So, a bit of a gray area- but I dont think it needs their vote- and they are probably quite relieved about that.
Anonymous
03/20/2023 12:48
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/15/montgomery-county-budget-tax-increase-schools/
10% increase in the property tax "to keep up with inflation"
What world does that guy live in?
"Revenues have been unable to keep up with inflation"
OK but assessment increases alone have dramatically increased the property tax amount for most people.
And since inflation is so high, why do we have to reach into our pocket that is already stretched?
Maybe dont hire Craig Rice to a no show job- there is 200k right there.
Wouldn't the increase in taxes due to increased valuations from inflation be sufficient?
Anonymous
03/20/2023 12:47
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have the council members staked out positions on this yet?
If they are smart they avoid it entirely, since it doesnt need their vote.
In theory it would need full council approval unanimously but since it doesnt- why would they go on record for supporting a huge tax increase?
Sorry for asking but can you explain? Do they need to vote for it or not?
Anonymous
03/20/2023 12:36
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Anonymous wrote:Have the council members staked out positions on this yet?
If they are smart they avoid it entirely, since it doesnt need their vote.
In theory it would need full council approval unanimously but since it doesnt- why would they go on record for supporting a huge tax increase?
Anonymous
03/20/2023 12:36
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Anonymous wrote:Have the council members staked out positions on this yet?
If they are smart they avoid it entirely, since it doesnt need their vote.
In theory it would need full council approval unanimously but since it doesnt- why would they go on record for supporting a huge tax increase?
Anonymous
03/20/2023 12:10
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Anonymous wrote:Have the council members staked out positions on this yet?
They first need to address the lack of accountability and runaway spending in MCPS before I'd consider supporting this.
I'd like to see cuts to the central office bloat before I take any increase seriously.
Anonymous
03/20/2023 11:29
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Have the council members staked out positions on this yet?
Anonymous
03/20/2023 11:17
Subject: Re:Elrich property tax increase
The wildest part is Elrich (who has always been shall we say "unique" as a politician and in his communications), isnt shying away from it, at all.
99% of politicians in any state or county would at least know that a 10% property tax hike is going to be politically unpopular, if not personal political suicide. He's practically proud of it.
99% of politicians in any state or county would at least know that a 10% property tax hike is going to be politically unpopular, if not personal political suicide. He's practically proud of it.
ModeratelyMoco
03/20/2023 10:55
Subject: Elrich property tax increase
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Do property tax increases still require the council's unanimous support, and is that likely?
Technically, no.
The state overrode that, when they put in Maintenance of effort for schools.
Technically it’s in question. If the raise was only for schools, it would not need it. But you can’t increase a ton of budgets across the board and then pretend it is just for schools. See what else is increasing here: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2023/03/16/the-central-fiction-of-elrichs-budget/
As far as other questions about accountability and this money going towards smaller class sizes and teacher pay… don’t count on it. Our county has no accountability and frankly no reason to change that:
https://moderatelymoco.com/taxes-up-services-down-why-accountability-matters-more-than-ever/