Budgeting for Snowy Days & Securing Rainy Day Funds

Baltimore City is budgeting twice as much for snow this year as it has in the past: $6.3 million, to be exact. That money pays for 300 employees, 280 snow removal vehicles and 15,200 tons of salt.

Last year, the city budgeted $2.8 million – and then it got hit with 30 inches of snow. The administration had to allocate an additional $40 million in June to pay for removal of all the snow, reports The Baltimore Sun.

When snowfalls are unpredictable and proactively budgeting for its removal provokes little excitement, what’s a county to do?  At this year’s MACo Winter Conference session, “Budgeting for Bust or Boom,” county financial experts will share how they incorporate sound financial management practices to shore up reserves, budget conservatively and long-term, and prep for whatever rain – or snow – tomorrow may bring.

This year’s MACo Winter Conference, “An Ounce of Prevention,” will focus on how counties can prepare to best serve and protect their residents across many different areas of county service – including saving for those unfortunate rainy days.

County Budget & Finance Officers’ Affiliate Session: Budgeting for Bust or Boom

As our counties bounce back from the Great Recession with lessons learned and belts tightened, it becomes especially important to plan and save to protect against whatever may come next. With furloughs and freezes thankfully behind us for the time being, the present reality of stagnant property tax revenues and sluggish income growth leaves our local governments in a different position than we were in ten years ago – and prudence warrants budgeting accordingly.

Speakers

  • Ted Zaleski, Director of Management and Budget, Carroll County
  • Mira Green, Budget Analyst, City of Baltimore

Moderator: The Honorable Mike McKay, Maryland House of Delegates

Date & Time: Thursday, December 8, 2016; 2 pm – 3 pm

Learn more about MACo’s Winter Conference: