Budget Hearings

It’s getting warmer, flowers are starting to bloom, spring is in the air… and it’s budget season!! Each year, each jurisdiction goes through the budget process, and a key part of this process is community input through public hearings.

Typically there are two opportunities for community engagement: Operating Budget hearings and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) hearings. Check below for information on upcoming hearings and how to testify!

Operating Budgets

Operating Budget hearings are public hearings in which a yearly budget is proposed and includes how the jurisdiction plans to use and allocate the funds included. Funds are typically used for projects within the community concerning schools, public safety, public transportation, and environmental services. Community members are welcome and encouraged to attend and comment on the proposed budget.

Capital Improvement Programs cover larger and longer-term projects typically dealing with investments in facilities and infrastructure or capital projects. Some examples would be projects such as the construction of public schools, street maintenance, or park improvements. These investments often take years to build and their costs may be distributed over a longer period of time than the shorter-term operating budget. 

• Montgomery County: February 6th

• Alexandria County: February 24th, 7pm 

• Fairfax County: March 25th, 7:30pm

• Prince George’s County: May 11th, 5pm

• Arlington County: July (date TBD)

Testimony Submissions

Alexandria County

• Live testimony: Find the meeting you want to participate in on the schedule here and register with the link at the top of the docket.
• Written testimony: Upload and send a written statement on the county website here

Arlington County

• Live testimony: Register on the county’s website here or by phone at (703) 228-3130. For virtual meetings, sign-up begins at 8:00am five business days before each hearing date and closes at 8:00pm on the first night of the two hearings.
• *Those wishing to present longer than the 2-3 minute allotted time may submit statements in writing to the Clerk at countyboard@arlingtonva.us no later than three business days before the hearing.
• Written testimony: Send statements to countyboard@arlingtonva.us. Include name, address, telephone number, and email with written statements.

District of Columbia

• Live testimony: Contact the Staff Assistant to the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, Ms. Aukima Benjamin at (202) 724-8062 or via e-mail at abenjamin@dccouncil.us. Witnesses who anticipate requiring language interpretation – sign or spoken – are asked to inform the Committee of this need as soon as possible and no later than five business days prior to the hearing.
• Written testimony: Send all submissions to abenjamin@dccouncil.us; testimonies received prior to the close of the official record will be included in the official record.
• Voicemail testimony: Call and leave a voicemail testimony for the Committee at (202) 350-1344. Make sure to speak slowly and clearly and leave you full name and the name of the organization you are representing (if applicable). DO NOT provide e-mail, phone number, or other personal contact in your voicemail testimony.
• *The hearing record for each budget hearing closes 14 days after the hearing date.
• **These directions are for the Transportation and Environment public hearing ONLY. Other hearings will have a different procedure.

Fairfax County

• Written testimony: Send statements to clerktothebos@fairfaxcounty.gov
• Voicemail testimony: Call the Clerk to the Board’s Office at (703) 324-3151. Make sure to speak slowly and clearly and leave you full name and the name of the organization you are representing (if applicable). DO NOT provide e-mail, phone number, or other personal contact in your voicemail testimony.
• Video testimony: Record yourself and send as an email attachment to clerktothebos@fairfaxcounty.gov. Make sure to speak slowly and clearly and leave you full name and the name of the organization you are representing (if applicable). DO NOT provide e-mail, phone number, or other personal contact in your voicemail testimony.

Montgomery County

• Live testimony: Sign-up on the county website here, or by phone at (240) 777-7803
• Written testimony: Submit here, send as a email to County.Council@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov, or mail to 100 Maryland Avenue, 4th floor, Rockville, MD 20850
• Video/Audio testimony: Submit here. For video, film in landscape orientation (horizontal). File formatting must be in .mp3 or .m4a for audio files and .mp4 for video

Prince George’s County

• Live testimony: Pre-register by calling (301) 952-5140 during business hours, M-F, 8:30am-4pm. Live speakers are limited to 3 minutes per presenter and one speaker per organization.
• Written testimony: Send to OMB@co.pg.md.us. Written testimony can be sent in lieu of, or in addition to, oral comments.