# Division 1A. Spending Affordability Committee

Codified through Bill No. CB-018-2026, adopted May 12, 2026, effective July 24, 2026. Source: Municode, Supplement 2026 Update 2. Editorial notes and legislative history omitted.

## Division 1A. Spending Affordability Committee

### Sec. 10-112.21. Spending Affordability Committee

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 10-112.21 (2026)

(a) There is hereby established a Spending Affordability Committee which shall be composed of five (5) members. Three members shall be appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Council. Two members shall be appointed by the County Council. The County Executive shall designate one member to serve as chairman of the Committee. Each member shall serve for a period of two (2) years. The terms shall be staggered. The Chief Administrative Officer and the Administrator of the County Council, or their designees, shall serve as ex-officio members of the Committee.

(b) The members of the Committee shall, by virtue of their education and employment, have a demonstrated competence in one or more of the following areas: Accounting, Financial Analysis, Economics, Budget and Fiscal Management, Public Finance, Fiscal Planning, or related fields.

(c) The County Executive shall provide assistance to the Committee. County agencies shall cooperate at all levels with the Committee in providing information upon request.

### Sec. 10-112.22. Duties and Responsibilities

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 10-112.22 (2026)

(a) The Spending Affordability Committee shall make advisory recommendations to the County Executive, the County Council, and the Office of Management and Budget concerning:

  (1) Spending affordability;

  (2) Ways to improve the County's budgetary procedures and policies; and

  (3) Other related areas upon request of the County Executive or County Council by resolution.

(b) On or before October 1 of each year, the committee shall submit to the County Executive and the County Council a preliminary report recommending County spending levels for the next fiscal year consistent with the capacity of the tax base and revenue sources of the County to finance public services and long-term debt. A copy of this report shall be filed with the Clerk of the Council and be made available for public inspection.

  (1) The report shall provide recommendations for the following spending affordability guidelines:

    (A) A ceiling on total general fund appropriations for the ensuing fiscal year;

    (B) Separate maximum general fund spending allocations for:

      (i) The Board of Education;

      (ii) Debt service; and

      (iii) All other general government expenditures, in the aggregate, for the ensuing fiscal year; and

    (C) Appropriate levels of general fund reserves and fund balances for the ensuing fiscal year.

(c) On or before January 1 of each year, the Committee shall submit to the County Executive and the County Council a final report on spending affordability guidelines for the County Executive's proposed capital and operating budgets for the ensuing fiscal year. This report shall contain the Committee's final recommendations concerning each of the spending affordability guidelines. A copy of this report shall be filed with the Clerk of the Council and be made available for public inspection.

  (1) In developing the spending affordability guidelines, the Committee shall consider the following factors, among others:

    (A) Growth and stability of the local economy;

    (B) Growth in the assessable base and ad valorem property tax revenues;

    (C) Estimated revenues from the County, State, and Federal governments;

    (D) Changes in personal income and other measures of tax capacity;

    (E) Debt affordability indicators such as a ratio of net bonded debt to total assessed value, the ratio of debt service to general fund expenditures, debt per capita, and the ratio of per capita debt to per capita income;

    (F) The level of inflation and inflation trends;

    (G) Commercial construction, housing and other ancillary industry-related planning, zoning, permitting, financing, and sales activity;

    (H) The level of unemployment and labor force trends; and

    (I) Projected population and school enrollment changes.

(d) In developing the proposed capital and operating budgets, the County Executive shall consider the Committee's spending affordability recommendations. If the proposed budget exceeds any of the recommended affordability guidelines, the County Executive must explain in writing the justification for exceeding the recommendations.

### Sec. 10-112.31. Spending Affordability Committee for the Prince George's portion of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 10-112.31 (2026)

(a) There is hereby created a Spending Affordability Committee for the Prince George's portion of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission ("the Commission") which shall be composed of three (3) members. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the County Auditor shall serve ex officio, and one member shall be a person who is not an employee of the County government or of the Commission. They shall have a background in budgeting, financial planning, public finance, accounting, or a related field and shall be appointed by the County Council for a term of two years. The Committee shall select its own chairman.

(b) The County Executive and the Commission shall provide assistance to the Committee. The Commission and all County agencies shall cooperate at all levels with the Committee in providing requested information.

### Sec. 10-112.32. Duties and Responsibilities

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 10-112.32 (2026)

(a) The Spending Affordability Committee shall make recommendations to the County Council concerning:

  (1) Spending affordability of the Commission;

  (2) Ways to improve the budgetary procedures at the Commission level and at the Council level; and

  (3) Other related areas upon request of the County Council or the County Executive.

(b) On or before August 31 of each year, the Committee shall submit to the County Council and the County Executive a preliminary report recommending spending levels for each of the Commission tax supported operating funds and guidelines for the Commission's capital budget. Spending levels shall be consistent with the capacity of the tax base and other revenue sources available to the Commission to finance its programs and its long-term debt. A copy of this report shall be filed with the Clerk of the Council and shall be made available for public inspection. The Committee shall also review and comment upon any revised revenue estimate based upon revisions in the assessable base provided by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation.

  (1) The report shall provide recommendations for the following spending affordability guidelines:

    (A) A ceiling on total appropriations in the forthcoming fiscal year;

    (B) Debt service;

    (C) Appropriate reserves for each of the funds; and

    (D) The establishment of tax rates necessary to support each of the appropriations referred to in Subsection (b)(1)(A) and such other matters that are relevant to the preparation of the Commission's budget.

(c) On or before December 4 of each year, the Committee shall submit to the County Council a final report on spending affordability guidelines for the proposed capital and operating budgets for the forthcoming fiscal year as required by Subsection (b). This report shall contain the Committee's final recommendations concerning spending affordability guidelines and shall, in estimating revenues, utilize the most recent assessable base information. A copy of this report shall be filed with the Clerk of the Council and be made available for public inspection. In developing spending affordability guidelines, the Committee shall consider, where applicable, the factors utilized by the County Spending Affordability Committee as set forth in Section 10-112.22 of the Code.

(d) In approving the Commission's capital and operating budgets, the County Council shall consider the Spending Affordability Committee's recommendations. If the proposed budgets exceed any of the recommended affordability guidelines, the Council must explain in writing the justification for exceeding any of the recommendations before enacting the Commission's budgets and levying tax rates required to support them.