Montgomery County CFO Dean Dortone recently presented the proposed 2024 budget for Montgomery County, and it includes a property tax increase, writes Gregory Purcell for WFMZ.

He presented both the proposed 2024 budget and a 5-year capital plan to the Montgomery County commissioners.

Commission Chair Kenneth Lawrence and Vice-Chair Jamila Winder voted in favor of the proposal while Commissioner Joseph Gale voted no.

The next step of the approval process is public hearings which will be held on November 30. Adoption of the new budget is slated for December 14.

Dortone noted that despite having a larger population than Bucks, Chester, and Delaware, Montgomery County’s per capita real estate tax revenue was at least 12% lower than the other counties, according to a 2021 audit.

The proposed 2024 budget projects revenue of $568,00 million with an estimated $567.8 million in expenditures.

Dortone is proposing an increase in the county’s real estate tax millage rate to 4.778 mills from 4.237 mills to balance the budget.

“When we compare our services being delivered here versus neighboring counties, we found that not only does Montgomery have a higher per capita service demand, but we are also performing these high-quality services with lower funding. Our per capita spending is $355 and yet we are doing more,” Winder said.

Read more about the proposed 2024 Montgomery County budget and the potential tax increase at WFMZ.

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