The Howard County Council is studying a proposed change in the county charter that would give the body more authority over the county's budget.

Proposed by Councilman Jon Weinstein and Councilwoman Mary Kay Sigaty, the measure — if passed by the council this month and approved by voters in November — would give the council more options to move funds it cuts from the county executive's proposed budget.

By law, the council currently can only reduce — not increase — the county executive's budget, and can only do two things with funds it cuts: move the money to the school board, as long as it doesn't exceed what the board requested; or use cuts to decrease taxes.

The measure, part of a broader push to give the council greater budget flexibility, would allow the council to move any money it cuts into two additional categories: the county's pension fund or the county's reserve fund.

Weinstein, the newest member on the council, and Sigaty, who has served on the council since 2006, said the tool would improve the budget process by increasing the council's flexibility in a process where the county executive exercises most budgetary powers.

“We have a big responsibility to approve a $1.8 billion budget. But we have such limited leeway on what to do with those funds,” said Weinstein.

“This is just a practical tool for the council to address questions about the budget. The executive maintains the onus of power.

“Ultimately, we are preserving the money in the county's budget as opposed to putting it out of the budget,” he said. “If we transfer it to the school system, then it's gone.”

Although the proposal allows the council to hold funds, the council can't spend or appropriate them.

The county executive would maintain authority to bring back funds from the reserve for future consideration.

When the council unanimously approved a $1.8 billion budget for the next fiscal year in late May, opportunities arose to use the proposed measure, said Sigaty.

“In my tenure, there have been plenty of times where I've wanted to be able to do something like this. I see it being used sparingly, but it allows us to further our conversations. The council has very limited budget authority,” said Sigaty.

“This is a very executive-heavy process.,” she said.

Officials with the administration of County Executive Allan Kittleman declined to comment on the proposed legislation until it fully reviews its implications, said Andy Barth, the administration's press secretary.

In November, county auditor Craig Glendenning recommended updating the budget process to give the council more options to move funds between projects, shuffle the funding sources of capital projects and approve changes to the number and classification of government positions recommended in the executive's budget.

The auditor also suggested adding more detailed information about each project. Such information would include changes from previous years, justifications for increases in costs and for possible cuts as well as initial project estimates.

Glendenning formerly worked for Anne Arundel County government, where a similar measure is already in place.

He said the council has limited options on how it can handle funds it cuts from the county executive's budget compared to other jurisdictions.

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