From tax breaks for parents, homeowners and teachers to the issue of how to dispose of Montgomery County, Maryland’s solid waste, County Council members have several issues on their plates as they return from their summer recess on Tuesday.
“We are going to have a very busy agenda this fall in the county council,” Council President Natali Fani-González told WTOP before rattling off a list of priorities that include decisions on solid waste and a review of the Montgomery County Economic Development strategic plan.
“That’s a huge one,” she said.
In addition, Fani-González said, said the council will review several housing-related issues.
“We have a few housing issues that we’re reviewing, and I chair the Economic Development Committee, so I have several work sessions on the Department of Permitting Services,” she said.
The council is kicking things off Tuesday with the introduction of several proposed tax credits.
“They’re not going to be very controversial, they’re very easy,” Fani-González said.
Bill 46-26 would establish a child tax credit targeted to low-income families. Under the proposal, families that make $15,000 or less a annually would receive a $500 tax credit if they have a child younger than 6 or a child with a disability who is younger than 17.
Another bill, 47-26, expands eligibility for a homeowner property tax credit. It’s aimed at making homeownership more accessible to working families, and to help older residents on fixed incomes remain in their homes.
“The other thing that’s really cool about this one is that you can apply for the homeowner’s tax credit before you purchase a home,” Council member Kate Stewart told WTOP. “It helps people as they’re looking at putting together their whole financial package and mortgages, so this is really helping people move into homeownership.”
A third bill would create a $2,500 tax credit for Montgomery County Public School employees.
“We’re talking about our classroom teachers, our bus drivers, people who are working in our schools, working with our families, making sure that they can live here in Montgomery County,” Stewart said.
She said the proposed tax credit is modeled after an tax incentive currently available to Montgomery County’s first responders.
Fani-González said she also wants to settle how the county will deal with solid waste in the future.
The council plans to hold a work session this fall on the future of Montgomery County’s incinerator. Fani-González said she’s hoping to wrap up the solid waste issue by Thanksgiving.
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