Council passes $1.6B budget
Operating plan shifts another $5.1M to schools to hold class sizes down
A record $1.6 billion operating budget that shifts more money to schools to avoid an increase in class sizes received approval Thursday from the Howard County Council.
The budget, which is1.9 percent larger than the current year’s spending plan, holds the county property tax rate at $1.014 for every $1,000 of assessed value.
County employees, on average, will get a 2 percent cost-of-living pay increase.
In a 4-1 vote, the council shifted $5.1 million to the school system budget, a move designed to keep Howard County school class sizes from increasing.
School officials said last week that without additional funds, class sizes across grades one through 12 would increase by one student.
Republican Greg Fox, the only member of the council not running for political office in November — and the lone vote against the shift — said he felt it was a political move by his council colleagues to appease voters.
Democrat Jen Terrasa, who is running for a state delegate seat in District 13, responded that the decision “isn’t about politics, it’s about priorities.”
The shift places more money into a school budget request of $594.5 million, already a record, advanced by County Executive Allan H. Kittleman. His recommendation was on par with Superintendent Michael Martirano’s proposal for funding, but fell $51 million short of what the school board had sought.
Even with the additional school funding, Councilman Calvin Ball, the presumptive Democratic nominee to face Kittleman, a Republican, for executive in the November election, said the county “could have done a better job” on this year’s budget.
Ball said he wanted to see more funding for improvements in the U.S. 1 corridor and also expressed concern about the existing school health-fund deficit and deferred maintenance funding for schools.
The budget also includes funds to hire 37 firefighters, raises grants by 8 percent to nonprofit organizations and includes —for the first time — operating money for Howard County General Hospital: $389,000.
At its meeting Thursday the council also approved a $164.7 million capital budget — the capital spending plan is for construction and renovation projects such as schools, roads and other infrastructure.
The budget includes $1.45 million in funding for bicycle infrastructure projects.
In a statement after the budget approval three groups — Bicycling Advocates of Howard County, The Horizon Foundation and the American Heart Association — issued a joint statement offering mixed reaction to the bike spending.
See BUDGET, page 8
The budget, which is1.9 percent larger than the current year’s spending plan, holds the county property tax rate at $1.014 for every $1,000 of assessed value.
County employees, on average, will get a 2 percent cost-of-living pay increase.
In a 4-1 vote, the council shifted $5.1 million to the school system budget, a move designed to keep Howard County school class sizes from increasing.
School officials said last week that without additional funds, class sizes across grades one through 12 would increase by one student.
Republican Greg Fox, the only member of the council not running for political office in November — and the lone vote against the shift — said he felt it was a political move by his council colleagues to appease voters.
Democrat Jen Terrasa, who is running for a state delegate seat in District 13, responded that the decision “isn’t about politics, it’s about priorities.”
The shift places more money into a school budget request of $594.5 million, already a record, advanced by County Executive Allan H. Kittleman. His recommendation was on par with Superintendent Michael Martirano’s proposal for funding, but fell $51 million short of what the school board had sought.
Even with the additional school funding, Councilman Calvin Ball, the presumptive Democratic nominee to face Kittleman, a Republican, for executive in the November election, said the county “could have done a better job” on this year’s budget.
Ball said he wanted to see more funding for improvements in the U.S. 1 corridor and also expressed concern about the existing school health-fund deficit and deferred maintenance funding for schools.
The budget also includes funds to hire 37 firefighters, raises grants by 8 percent to nonprofit organizations and includes —for the first time — operating money for Howard County General Hospital: $389,000.
At its meeting Thursday the council also approved a $164.7 million capital budget — the capital spending plan is for construction and renovation projects such as schools, roads and other infrastructure.
The budget includes $1.45 million in funding for bicycle infrastructure projects.
In a statement after the budget approval three groups — Bicycling Advocates of Howard County, The Horizon Foundation and the American Heart Association — issued a joint statement offering mixed reaction to the bike spending.
See BUDGET, page 8
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