The Prince George’s County Council unanimously adopted a $4.56 billion spending plan on Thursday that officials say will make strides in addressing inequities in the Washington suburb, despite coronavirus pandemic-related revenue shortfalls.
Prince George’s, unlike the District and Montgomery County, did not include funds from the American Rescue Plan in its budget for fiscal year 2022. Longtime budget director Stanley A. Earley said the county is waiting for a variety of clarifications from the Treasury Department, including about how the money can be spent and how it should be documented. He said federal funds will be allocated in separate legislation in June or July.
Prince George’s was allocated $176 million through the American Rescue Plan, according to the Treasury. County Council Chair Calvin S. Hawkins II (D-At Large) said the relief money will provide “an important lifeline” for the county, whose budget represents a relatively small 2.2 percent increase from last year. The county pulled $30 million from its reserve funds to balance its budget last year and will take $43 million this year to make up the gap between what revenue was projected and how much came in.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Rachel Chason over at The Washington Post
