Budget Resources

It’s March Madness! No, not the basketball tournaments, we’re talking about annual 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! Questions? Shoot us an email at advocacy@waba.org.

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. Hearings may take place in conjunction with annual operating budgets or separately.

• City of Alexandria

• Arlington County (to be release in June)

• Fairfax County

• District of Columbia

• Montgomery County

• Prince George’s County

Testimony Submissions

City of Alexandria

• 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 city website here

Arlington County

• Live testimony: Register on the county’s website here. 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.
• Written testimony: Send statements to countyboard@arlingtonva.us. Include name, address, telephone number, and email with written statements.

Fairfax County

• Live testimony: Register on the county’s website here. Options include providing testimony in-person, by telephone, or by pre-recorded video.
• Written testimony: Send statements to clerktothebos@fairfaxcounty.gov.

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.

Montgomery County

• Live testimony: Residents can register to speak at a public hearing, provide written testimony, prerecorded audio or video testimony using the online form here or by calling 240-777-7803 (for budget-specific testimony, please call 240-777-7802).
• Written/Audio/Video testimony: Submit here, send as a email to County.Council@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov, or mail to 100 Maryland Avenue, 4th floor, Rockville, MD 20850.

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.