We did it! County Council Agrees to No New Taxes for FY2026

Because of our collective efforts, we have secured a major win for Montgomery County’s business community and taxpayers: the County Council will move forward with the FY2026 Operating Budget without any tax increases.
 
This outcome is the direct result of vigorous advocacy by the Chambers and the broader business community, who pushed back against proposed hikes to property and income taxes. Our collective efforts made a real impact.  Thank you!
 
The breakthrough came when a majority of the Council reached an agreement with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to fund 99.8% of their FY2026 budget request - including a 9% increase - without raising taxes. We applaud both MCPS and the Council for finding a solution that supports education while protecting taxpayers.
 
The final budget vote is set for May 22, and we’ll continue monitoring and engaging as needed.
 
Marginally Reduced Systems Benefits Charge Moves Forward
While celebrating the defeat of property and income tax hikes, Montgomery County residents and businesses will still face a significant increase in their system's benefit charge. The Council approved part of this increase to cover short-term capital costs for maintaining and repairing the County’s waste-to-energy facility. This decision was necessary to ensure the continued safe and reliable operation of the Resource Recovery Facility, which processes around 600,000 tons of the County’s waste annually. However, the Council chose not to approve the County Executive’s request for higher fees to fund pre-construction and design work for a new system to replace the incinerator.