Programs under the microscope

The nation's last county-run alcohol monopoly

FY2026 budget: $81.9M

The only county in America that operates both a wholesale monopoly over all beer, wine, and spirits distribution and a retail monopoly through county-owned stores. FY2027 appropriation $81.9M; required General Fund transfer fell to at least $9.3M (from $31.3M in FY25). OIG has found persistent inventory management deficiencies; county stores now compete directly with private retailers who must buy from the county.

Free buses, delayed BRT, and on-demand experiments

FY2026 budget: $218M

Ride On remains fare-free. FY27 Mass Transit Fund ~$218M (+3.3% over FY26). Flash BRT took 13 years from concept to first line; FLEX microtransit expansion to Poolesville/Damascus funded in FY27 with no public cost-per-ride reporting. Zero fare trades ~$1.6M revenue for $19–22M in avoided fare equipment costs.

A climate-finance institution, BEPS, and a failing incinerator

FY2026 budget: $141M+ / 16.3M FY27

Montgomery County Green Bank: $141.1M+ assets; FY27 Council funding ~$16.3M. Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) affect ~5,000 properties with no full Climate Action Plan cost estimate. Dickerson incinerator boilers repeatedly exceeded dioxin/furan limits in 2025–2026; Council deferred Elrich's out-of-county landfill plan.

MCEDC and incubators that trail Virginia on every metric

FY2026 budget: $5.2M+ MCEDC

MCEDC FY27 Council funding more than $5.2M (still well below Fairfax EDA scale). Incubator Programs NDA ~$2M+. Per capita income growth ranked 28th of 30 peer counties. Progressive income tax (FY27) raises the top local rate to 3.3% above $150k while cutting rates for most filers.

Racial equity office, food systems, guaranteed income, street outreach

Office of Racial Equity: grew to ~$1.6M with binding mandates; OIG (Sept 2025) found implementation gaps. Food Systems Resilience previously surged 1,180% in one year. MoCo BOOST guaranteed income: $6.3M for 300 households. Street Outreach Network: $5.5M expansion with limited outcome data. DHHS FY27 ~$574M.

Grants debacle, parking, FiberNet, Vision Zero, OIG findings

Community grants program described as a 'debacle' with $4.7M legacy grants awarded without Council input. OIG: $18.1M questioned costs in FY2025; MCPS Chromebook, background-screening, and procurement reports in 2025; speed-camera overpayments ~$2.5M; carryout bag tax revenue loss $8.2M since 2012; 85% of short-term rentals unregistered. In 2026 the IG reported county denials of investigative records under MPIA.