By Adam Pagnucco.
The three unions representing MCPS employees – the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 500 and the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals (MCAAP) – have released a joint statement pushing back against Council President Natali Fani-Gonzalez’s budget proposal. That proposal would reduce collectively bargained raises and fund MCPS’s operating budget below the school system’s request, two things that the unions understandably oppose.
The unions also praised Council Member Will Jawando, who is running for county executive with many labor endorsements (including from MCEA and SEIU). Jawando called a press conference today attended by many union representatives echoing their resistance to Fani-Gonzalez’s proposal. As seen in the screenshot below, attendees were accompanied by signs stating, “No property tax increase. Fund our contracts. Fund our safety nets. Fund our schools.”
I am not aware of Jawando releasing a detailed plan for how to fund County Executive Marc Elrich’s budget without a property tax increase. If he does, I will print it.
Jawando wants to fund spending without raising taxes. A screenshot from his Facebook page.
The unions’ joint statement is reprinted below.
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Friday, April 17, 2026
Contact: Michael Schoettle, mschoettle@mceanea.org
For Immediate Release
Montgomery County Public Schools Unions Respond to County Councilmembers Funding Proposals
Rockville, MD – MCPS’s three unions, Service Employees International Union Local 500, Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals, and the Montgomery County Education Association, jointly commend Councilmember Will Jawando’s commitment to honoring our employee contracts and providing funding to advance our community’s school priorities.
We are also deeply concerned about Council President Natali Fani-Gonzalez’s proposed funding plan that balances the County’s budget on the backs of hardworking students and county employees and would result in the County reneging on its commitments to MCPS educators, educator support professionals, county employees, students, and their families. “Educators rely on the contractual commitments that are made to them – they make everyday and long-term decisions based on these commitments. We are discouraged that the Council President’s plan proposes violating those commitments,” said MCEA president David Stein.
“Montgomery County cannot balance its budget on the backs of the very people who keep our schools running every single day,” said SEIU Local 500 President Pia Morrison. “Our bus drivers, paraeducators, cafeteria workers, building service staff, and office professionals are the backbone of MCPS – and they deserve to have their contracts honored, not undermined. We appreciate Councilmember Jawando’s leadership and commitment to fully funding our contracts, and we urge the full Council to do the same.”
“Our administrators and system leaders negotiated a two-year compensation agreement in good faith, grounded in a shared commitment to serve students at the highest level,” added Dr. Christine Handy, President of the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals. “Honoring our agreement ensures stability, supports our employees, and ultimately protects the quality of education our students deserve. The County Council must come together to identify responsible solutions, including the use of reserves and the generation of revenue necessary to meet the needs of the community they serve. Anything less is unacceptable.”
“Councilmember Jawando shows a clear commitment to Montgomery County schools, families, and educators,” MCEA Vice President Danillya Wilson continued. “A commitment to funding our schools will have a real-world impact on all students and schools. It means smaller class sizes for MCPS students, stronger special education services, and the ability to recruit and retain the educators our students rely on every single day.
SEIU Local 500, MCAAP, and MCEA also call on the entire County Council to vote next month to fully fund next year’s school budget. “What we ultimately need to see is action from the Council to fully invest in our county’s blue-chip stock: our schools and students,” said President Stein. “The Council cannot and should not balance the County’s fiscal challenges on the backs of students and county employees.”