mh/budamen.pr                 Contact:  Bob Kendal, 301-217-2789

DUNCAN AMENDS FY97 BUDGET;
RECOMMENDS FULL-FUNDING OF
SCHOOLS CAPITAL PROJECTS      For Immediate Release:  April 30, 1996


     Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today sent to the County
Council several amendments to his recommended FY97 Operating Budget and FY97-
2002 Capital Improvements Program (CIP).  The amendments, along with new state
aid and other actions already taken by the Council, would allow for funding of
nearly all Montgomery County Public Schools' capital projects -- including
renovation of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.
     "Each year, events subsequent to the transmittal of the Executive's
recommended budget -- especially actions by the General Assembly -- suggest
that certain changes should be proposed," said Duncan.  "This year, I am
recommending a number of amendments to the budget that reflect changes in
State funding and reallocation to what should be our priorities."
     Duncan's recommended CIP amendments combined with the new State aid
assumptions for school construction, along with Council actions to date, will
allow for full-funding of several critical school projects during the six-year
program.  The projects include school modernization funding, acceleration of
the openings of the Northeast and Northwest Area high schools and the
renovation of the closed North Bethesda Junior High School, as recommended by
the Board of Education and the Executive.

                                  -more-

DUNCAN RECOMMENDS AMENDMENTS TO BUDGET                      2-2-2-2

     "State aid for school construction for FY97 will increase by 80 percent
over FY 96 levels," said Duncan.   "Although this amount ($36 million) is $4
million less than what was assumed in the recommended CIP for FY97, changes
made by Council to the CIP allow for all of the major school projects to move
forward."
     Other CIP amendments recommended include funding for design, land
acquisition and construction of the conference center, and construction of a
storage facility for the County's Collapse Rescue Team.  
      Factors affecting changes to programs and services include greater
costs for FY 96 winter storms that impacted this year's reserve funds; loss of
this year's increase in State aid for Highway User revenue; an expected
shortfall in State aid for Montgomery College; alterations to health and human
services programs; and additional expenditure requirements for WMATA matching
funds.
  
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