Public Comment Period For Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Open Through May 17

[Howard Hartman]

For Immediate Release May 1, 2012

Public Comment Period For Fiscal Year
2013 Budget Open Through May 17

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 1, 2012 -The City of Rockville invites residents to comment on the Fiscal Year 2013 budget. The Mayor and Council are scheduled to hold one more public hearing and one more work session.

The FY13 budget work session and public hearing are scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, May 7, at City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave.

The public comment period on the budget is open until 5 p.m. Friday, May 17. Residents may also email comments to mayorcouncil@rockvillemd.gov or go to the "It's Your Money" page on the City's website at www.rockvillemd.gov/budget and scroll to the input section to comment on specific Mayor and Council budget agenda items.

Questions about the budget can be sent directly to Rockville's budget staff at budgetinquiry@rockvillemd.gov.

Rockville's Acting City Manager Jennifer Kimball presented the proposed FY13 budget to the Mayor and Council on March 26. The total operating budget of $107 million is a decrease of .2 percent from fiscal 2012. The General Fund, which supports the largest portion of the operating budget and covers the cost of everyday government activities such as public safety, parks and streets, is $65 million, a decrease of 1.6 percent.

The total Capital Improvements Program (CIP) includes $75.1 million to support 46 projects. The proposed CIP does not include any taxpayer supported debt.

The FY13 budget is based on maintaining the current real property tax rate of 29.2 cents per $100 of assessed value for all properties, and a personal property tax rate of 80.5 cents per $100 of assessed value for commercial properties.

Fiscal Year 2013 begins July 1, 2012. The budget is available online at www.rockvillemd.gov/budget, as well as at City Hall and the Rockville and Twinbrook libraries. The expected adoption date for the FY13 budget is May 21.

To learn more about the FY13 budget and the process, go to www.rockvillemd.gov/budget.