The Prince George's County Council recently enacted its FY2022 Budget at $4.6 billion by a unanimous vote. This year's budget, which is $80.2 million higher than the FY2021 level, will take effect on July 2021.
Prince George’s was allocated $176 million through the American Rescue Plan, according to an interview from the Washington Post, County Council Chair Calvin S. Hawkins II (D-At Large) said the relief money would 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.
A few highlights from this year budget include:
Funding to support a partnership between the Health and Police departments to improve Mobile Crisis Intervention initiatives, including the addition of mental health crisis workers to 911 and expansion of mental health crisis teams.
Additional funding for officer recruitment from Prince George’s County and to ensure adequate staffing.
Increased in funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers;
The hiring of a consultant for a 10-year Homeless Plan update;
An increase in funding for the County’s Youth Services bureaus;
Support for a Fair Housing Program to address unfair, wrongful evictions;
Increased funding for the County’s Developmental Disabilities Administration, to reduce the devastating impact of COVID-19 on operations.
Funding for housing rehabilitation along the Purple Line Corridor;
Funding to the Economic Development Corporation to support Purple Line Corridor businesses.
There are also monies to develop and deploy the Prince George’s Supply Schedule in the County’s Office of Central Services, providing opportunities for County-based businesses
Support for a countywide flood assessment by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
