The Silver Spring Penguin

This week, the county council runs through $49 million in proposed budget cuts for this fiscal year. But the legislators could learn a thing or two from The Penguin staff, which operates fiscal year after fiscal year without any income. So here are a few tips:

• Eat a bagged lunch, even if your name isn’t on that bag.
• Use both sides of a sheet of paper when photocopying your ass. I’ve reduced my weekly paper use to half a ream, and shaved 10 points off my carbon footprint.
• Take advantage of discounts. This Friday, I’m hitting Best Buy at 4:00 a.m. to grab the Purple Line for $99. The county would be wise to do the same.
• Don’t outsource crappy jobs that can be done in-house. That’s what interns are for.

I’m sure more money-saving measures will come to mind. In the meantime, check out this schedule:

Monday

9:30 a.m. The county council’s education committee gets an update on renovation plans for the Old Blair auditorium, the 1,200-seat house on Wayne Avenue that’s been empty for years. The crew also considers a $14.5 million tab to build a new garage on Montgomery College’s South Silver Spring side. The free show rocks the council’s office building (100 Maryland Ave, Rockville) and is open to the public.

2:00 p.m. The county council’s planning, housing and economic development committee chew the fat over three different housing bills. The first would allow developers to drop coin into the Housing Initiative Fund instead of constructing on-site, moderately priced homes. The second would establish prices for moderately priced homes, and allow developers to build or buy those homes at an alternative site. The last would increase building heights and densities to accommodate on-site workforce housing.

The discussion hits the council’s office building (100 Maryland Ave, Rockville) and is open to the public.

Tuesday

1:45 p.m. The county council runs through $49 million in recommended cuts to the current operating budget. The slicing and dicing takes place at the council’s office building (100 Maryland Ave, Rockville) and is open to the public.

2:45 p.m. The county council takes its last swing at a bill that would charge health insurance companies for ambulance services. This event takes place at the council’s office building (100 Maryland Ave, Rockville) and is open to the public.

Thursday

All day. The county observes Thanksgiving. Don’t expect county offices, courts or libraries to be open. Do expect mass-transit services to roll on holiday schedules. At least you can be thankful for free parking at county-owned garages and curbside meters.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Daveynin.