As previously reported on Conduit Street, the Board of Public Works approved approve more than $200 million in budget reductions brought forth by Governor O’Malley during its meeting on January 7.  These reductions, and fund transfers and other reductions to be proposed through the 2015 Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (BRFA), will close the more than $400 million shortfall in the current, fiscal 2015 budget.

MACo now has a county-by-county breakdown of the local aid reductions, which total more than $21 million.

• $8 million reduction to the Disparity Grant Program to fund it at the fiscal 2014 level;
• $558,000 to fund Police Aid at the fiscal 2014 level;
• $5.9 million in Core Funding for local health departments to bring the funding to the fiscal 2014 level; and,
• 6.8 million reduction to community colleges.

Fund transfers that will need to be approved through the BRFA include:

• A transfer  of $11.8 million in unencumbered special fund balance for both State-side and local Program Open Space to the General Fund; and,
• A $65 million fund transfer from the Local Income Tax Reserve Fund to the General Fund to be repaid in a subsequent fiscal year as specified in the BRFA.

Additional summary information can be found on the Department of Budget and Management’s website.