All right.

Good morning or afternoon, everyone.

I'd like to call this meeting to order.

It is Thursday, May 14th.

We are sitting as GOFP.

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Chair Barrows.

Present.

Councilmember Ivy.

Here.

Council Chair Oyaba.

Here.

Three members present at roll call.

Uh-oh.

I don't think I have one of my papers that I need.

Rushing out of my office.

I'm going to call Chris.

Okay, on the um red and yellow.

All right.

So we are here.

I am going to uh council is trying to make it here from another um council um business function.

Uh and so because of that, I'm going to move to CR 032-2026, and that concerning council budget parity for the purposes of ensuring that each council member office receives equal resources with respect to its annual budget.

I'll turn to Ms.

Eubanks for an overview.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

And as you indicated, CR 32, 2026 was introduced and referred to the government operations and physical policy committee on April 28th, 2026.

This resolution is intended to ensure that each member of Prince George's County Council receives equal financial and operational resources for their respective offices.

The resolution was introduced by council members Ivy and Harrison.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And now I'll turn to the bill sponsor.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Chair.

This is not something that I thought should have been necessary to do, but here we are.

All the years of the county council, this is it's never happened that any council member had a different budget to run their office.

But last year, when the budget was passed, additional money was put into the budget that was only given to other council members.

And in the end, I was the only council member who did not receive the additional money, even though I I have to cover the entire county.

So given that we all are responsible for uh doing what we can for our constituents, sponsoring events, um, you know, making being um part of many different things that costs money, and I'm not able to do the same thing.

So didn't seem fair.

I did not, I had asked many times about this issue, and it was never resolved.

So uh in the beginning, I was told that this was something that was only affecting the at-large members, but in the end, I found out that that wasn't true, that I was the only council member who was denied this funding, and so I was uh I put the in this resolution and I'd like to move favorable on it.

Uh there is a motion on the floor.

Uh is there a second.

Is there a second?

I guess it shouldn't be shocking.

I can't get a second out of the very people who denied me the funding last year, but I'm glad to see that there are people in the audience.

There's a motion on the floor, but you all want second it.

Every member votes their conscious.

So uh the motion dies.

Uh every budget cycle, uh, every member is responsible to submit their budget request.

And in their budget request, uh they asked for uh additions to the budget deletions of the in the budget.

Uh I reviewed your request.

I received it on April the 11th, 2025, and I have it with me today.

Uh every member is also asked to meet with the chair and vice chair to go over their budget requests.

Uh every member engaged in that meeting, came to work and did their job, attended their budget meeting.

Unfortunately, Miss Ivey, you refused.

I have if if I can, I'm not gonna cut you off.

Go ahead.

Thank you.