Those who attempt to email customer service at Montgomery County will find that option no longer exists.

“We want [online] service requests, we don't want email,” said Patrick Lacefield, a county spokesman. “People send emails all the time, there is no shortage of emails coming into the county. An email out of the blue is not often the most effective way of doing things.”

Emails sent to the old customer service account receive an auto-reply: “Thank you for contacting Montgomery County. This email address has been disabled and will no longer receive and respond to requests for information and service.

To request information or service, please visit the MC311 Portal at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/311 or call 240-777-0311 to speak with a Customer Service Representative.”

Calling 311 helps the county obtain more information initially as operators can ask questions rather than emailing back and forth with residents, Lacefield said.

Although service requests submitted online come to the county as email, Lacefield said online submissions also help ensure the county has enough information to respond to requests or questions.

However, it take numerous clicks to reach a form for submitting a request and not all possible issues on the 311 website give residents the option to submit an online request. Many just direct people to call 311.

Council sets budget limits

The Montgomery County Council set a cap on its operational spending Tuesday, a move that could limit county government should resources fall short.

In a unanimous vote, the council set its spending affordability guidelines for the fiscal 2013 operating budget, including funding both Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery College at maintenance of effort levels.

Maintenence of effort law requires counties fund schools at the same per pupil level from one year to the next.

By the second Tuesday each February, the council must set three guidelines on its operational spending: a ceiling on property taxes, a ceiling on its aggregate, or tax-supported, operating budget and its allocation of its aggregate operating budget.

In the current fiscal year, the county did not fund the school system at maintenence of effort, and as a result, the school is scheduled to lose $26 million in state aid for fiscal 2013 as a penalty. School board members are assuming in their recommended budget that the penalty will not be assessed.

Funding the schools at maintenence of effort restricts available resources for county government and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, said Jacob Sesker, senior legislative analyst. Should resources fall short of projections, commitments to education and other allocations could significantly limit funding for other areas.

Following the unanimous recommendation of its Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee, the council capped property tax revenue at the charter limit, or the amount of property tax revenue it can collect without requiring a unanimous vote. The charter requires such a vote if property tax revenue exceeds the previous year’s tax by more than the rate of inflation.

The council capped its tax-supported budget at last year’s level plus the 4.8 percent rate of increase in personal income.

It’s guideline for allocating the tax-supporting budget was:

Ÿ$315 million to debt service;

Ÿ$59.2 million to current revenue for the capital budget;

Ÿ$29.5 million to PAYGO, or pay-as-you-go revenue to offset the need for additional bonds;

Ÿ$146.6 million to pre-fund retiree health insurance, an increase of $97 million over the current fiscal year allocation of $49.6 million;

Ÿ$1.997 billion to the school system;

Ÿ$132.9 million to Montgomery College.

The council also set its targets for community grants at $2.2 million in council grants and $2.2 million in executive grants.

Rice celebrates holiday in style

County Councilman Craig L. Rice (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown subtly celebrated Valentine’s Day on Tuesday by sporting a red and white bow tie from his days in the Maryland General Assembly.

“It’s actually a tradition from Annapolis,” he said.

Calling the tie with red hearts a “Casanova,” he said it is tradition for a group of delegates in the General Assembly to wear bow ties on Feb. 14.

“It’s a lot of fun,” he said.

Rice served in the House of Delegates from January 2007 to December 2010, when he resigned.