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In addition to slot machines and early voting in the state, Prince George's voters will decide Nov. 4 whether to borrow $361 million for new buildings and roads in the county — and if they are willing to pay more on their telephone bills.

Voters are being asked to approve five bond sales, a five-day extension in notices for legislative hearings and an increase in telephone taxes from 8 to 11 percent. The tax increase is Question F, the second-to-last of nine referendums on the ballot.

Raising the tax on mobile and home phone lines for county residents would increase the average bill by about $2 per month, applying to both cell phone and land line bills.

The increase would bring in an additional $17 million a year to the county, which recently furloughed government employees to balance a $56 million shortfall. Officials have earmarked the money to go to the county education system.

County officials have not included the proposed telephone tax revenue in their current budget projections. Though the Prince George's County school board voted last week to endorse the increase, the County Council is not taking a formal position, saying it is waiting on voters to make the call.

"We're going to be cut at the county, the state and the federal levels," said Johnson, explaining that the telephone tax revenue would help stave off cuts to schools. "We need that money to sustain some of the progress we have started."

Many residents are opposing the telephone tax increase, saying it is too much. With the county's phone tax rate currently at 8 percent, it's already among the highest in the state. In 2002, the Maryland General Assembly passed a measure allowing counties to charge at least 5 percent on telephone bills to raise money for local education.

In Montgomery County, residents pay a flat $2 a month charge for every mobile or land telephone line.

Johnson and the council were at odds on the question of putting the tax increase to referendum when it was proposed last year. Because the tax was originally authorized by the state in 2002, Johnson and his attorneys said increasing the county rate to 11 percent did not require voter approval. Council attorneys disagreed, saying the local increase falls under TRIM, a voter-imposed requirement that all county increases be approved by referendum.

TRIM requirements have effectively stopped the county from passing any increase on property tax rates since it was imposed.

"It's going to be a stretch," said Patricia Myers, an Adelphi resident who has been organizing opposition to the referendum. "We're stretching already. Getting hit on a necessity like phones is not the right thing at this time."

Others say the county has tried to keep the increase under wraps this election. The referendum is low on the ballot, following five bond measures to borrow money for public facilities. Bond measures have never been struck down in the county.

"I think that was done deliberately," said Judy Robinson, a Hyattsville resident who pushed the council to put the increase to referendum last year. "The council has been very deceitful on this. The one revenue-raising measure for voters should be Question A."

Board of Elections Director Alisha Alexander said the order of the ballot was set by the County Council and Office of Law.

"The council is proud of the fact that voters have a voice in the operation of their government, regardless as to where it is placed on a ballot," said Council Chairman Samuel H. Dean (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville in an e-mailed statement Tuesday. "The important part is the choice they have and not in the order that they choose.  We expect that all voters clearly understand the ballot and the decisions they make.  The council supports the Board of Elections in their non-partisan independent educational endeavors."

Voters are also being asked to change the amount of time for the county clerk to post notices for public hearings on proposed legislation. If approved, public hearings on legislation would need to be announced 10 days before a hearing instead of five.

The other five local ballot questions authorize the government to borrow money for buildings and roads. The measures include $9.1 million for library construction, $38.1 million for fire and police facilities, $112 million for other county buildings, $48.7 million for facilities at Prince George's Community College and $153.2 million for roads and public works.

E-mail Daniel Valentine at dvalentine@gazette.net