The Howard County Council unanimously approved a $2.4 billion fiscal 2025 operating budget with historic funding increases for public education and significant investments in healthcare services, public safety, business and nonprofit support, environmental protection, housing, and more.
In addition, the County Council voted to approve a $413 million capital budget, making transformative investments in infrastructure projects such as schools, community centers, stormwater management, and multimodal transportation.
As previously reported on Conduit Street
, County Executive Calvin Ball’s spending plan includes 1.15 billion for public schools, exceeding the State-mandated Maintenance of Effort funding by $52 million. The budget includes $9 million to fully fund the Blueprint, including expanding full-day pre-K for eligible four-year-olds, increasing student technology investment, and expanding National Board Certification pay for educators.
“I want to thank the County Council for thoughtfully considering and deliberating over our fiscal 2025 spending plan for Howard County,” said County Executive Ball. “This budget supports our priorities and the priorities of our community to ensure Howard County remains the best place for all to live, work, play, grow, and thrive. Because of our steadfast, sustained fiscal discipline, evident by our AAA bond rating, we can continue to make these historic investments in education, healthcare, public safety, business and nonprofit support, environmental protection, housing, and more.”
Budget Highlights
Education
In addition to exceeding Maintenance of Effort by $52 million, the operating increase of 6.2 percent for HCPSS brings the total County investment to $766 million.
The approved capital budget fully funds the Board of Education’s request for $75.7 million in local and state funding. This budget prioritizes systemic renovations across many HCPSS educational facilities, including a record-high $36.8 million to address systemic maintenance needs and $10.2 million for the Oakland Mills Middle School renovations/addition, which will expand capacity by 199 new seats.
In addition to fully funding the $75.7 million school capital funding request, the budget also provides $15 million in County PAYGO funds for land acquisition, planning, and design for High School #14 in Elkridge.
Community College and Libraries
The fiscal 2025 operating budget includes $44.5 million in total Howard Community College (HCC) funding. This record funding amount continues to build upon the historic funding growth provided in last year’s operating budget and support the community college’s unparalleled academic programs. The approved capital budget also directs $5 million to support HCC’s Workforce Development and Trades Center.
The approved FY25 operating budget includes $26.5 million in total funding for the Howard County Library System (HCLS). Furthermore, the capital budget includes $4 million to renovate and expand HCLS’s Elkridge branch and approximately $300,000 to plan and design a new Southwest Branch Library.
This is the highest amount of county funding delivered in a single year to both entities.
Healthcare
The approved budget contains $5 million in one-time funds to initiate an expansion of the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center’s Emergency Room. This expansion will help build a 29-bed observation unit, address hospital wait times, and expand access to critical care.
The budget includes a $1 million investment in the Howard County Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Unit and $1 million toward Sheppard Pratt’s Crisis Stabilization Center to further enhance the region’s behavioral health services.
Finally, the budget invests nearly $3 million in the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center to support the region’s emergency health system.
Public Safety
The approved operating budget includes an increase of $13.1 million for the Howard County Police Department (HCPD), supporting its staffing needs and services.
The budget includes funding to support hiring four additional firefighters to staff two new peak-load ambulances. These additional positions are vital as incidents and hospital wait times have increased.
Since Ball became County Executive, 94 authorized positions have been added to the Department of Fire and Rescue Services (DFRS). The budget also funds PFAS-free gear and vehicle replacements, including engines and ambulances. Additionally, funding is allocated for equipment and uniforms for 38 new firefighter trainees in classes that began in the spring of 2024.
The capital budget includes $3 million for the North Columbia Fire Station, which will continue site and building design. An additional $4.9 million is approved for the Replacement of Fire Station 7 to advance land acquisition, planning, and design efforts in fiscal 2025.
Business and Nonprofit Support
The approved budget includes more than $1 million in one-time funds to the Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) to support its business development and employment growth programs, including its Business Revitalization Initiative Through Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurs in Residence programs, Cyber Howard, and its business microlending program.
The budget includes $1 million to jumpstart Route 1 redevelopment efforts and spur redevelopment opportunities along Washington Boulevard.
Finally, the budget includes a record $13.5 million for nonprofits through Community Service Partnership (CSP) grants. These grants will support various organizations that provide critical human services, arts and cultural programs, and tourism promotion in the county.
Environmental Protection
In taking significant strides to implement Howard County Climate Forward: Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, the approved budget includes $1 million in funding to support the expansion of Howard County’s electric vehicle infrastructure and $250,000 to launch the County’s new Climate Infrastructure Rebate Pilot program.
The budget also pledges more than $5.3 million towards initiatives that protect land with high ecological and environmental value, including $3 million for environmental land banking, $1 million to continue the Purchased Conservation Easement Pilot Program, $1 million to reimagine the County’s forest conservation easement program, and $335,000 to achieve Howard County’s tree planting goals.
Housing
This approved spending plan includes a transformational $16.8 million for housing affordability programs offered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. This includes $4 million for homeownership, $1.5 million to continue the County’s rental assistance programs for HCPSS families and HCC students, and $1 million for home rehabilitation and repair programs.
This budget also includes $2 million to continue Howard County’s successful Right of First Purchase program, which acquires, preserves, and creates affordable housing units, and $2 million in gap financing to Enterprise Community Development for the redevelopment of Fall River Terrace, a mixed-income community in Columbia.
Furthermore, this budget reauthorizes $10 million for the Housing Opportunities Trust Fund, which will support homeownership, rental assistance, foreclosure prevention, and the creation of new affordable units.
Recreation and Parks
Our beautiful park system will receive $12.2 million for various projects and renovations to existing facilities. Park projects include completing Phase I of the Centennial Park West Area sports complex, improving Ilchester Park and Recreation Center, and expanding Howard County’s popular Community Garden Plot program.
Additionally, an investment of $400,000 will advance the design of the new vibrant public garden, which will provide beautiful, reflective, and sustainable spaces for the community to enjoy.
Community Facilities
The approved budget contains significant investment in community facilities and amenities, including:
- $20.1 million investment towards the North Laurel Pool project
- $15 million in county, state, and federal funding for the Historic Circuit Courthouse in Ellicott City, which will be renovated and revitalized into a new Center for Arts, Culture, and History, including an Asian American and Pacific Islander Cultural Center
- $11.5 million for a new Elkridge Community Center
- $3 million for renovations to the County’s Rockland Arts building on High Ridge Road
- $2.5 million to move forward with an indoor track at Troy Park in Elkridge
- $1 million toward a new public ice rink in Howard County
Transportation and Infrastructure
The capital budget includes $15.1 million in funding to address critical road resurfacing needs and maintain an aging road network and $14.7 million in County funding for sidewalks, bike lanes, pathways, and other Complete Streets infrastructure.
Since December 2018, the total county investment in active transportation has grown to more than $50 million, compared to just $14 million over the previous year’s five-year period. This record multimodal transportation funding has supported the construction of many miles of sidewalks, bike lanes, pathways, and safety improvements throughout the county.
The approved budget includes $1.1 million for new bus purchases, bus replacements for the Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland (RTA), and the future transit expansion to Montgomery County’s FLASH bus rapid transit service. Moreover, Howard County will direct $120,000 to expand the Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland’s (RTA) bus services between The Mall in Columbia and HCPSS’s Central Office, Homewood, and Applications and Research Laboratory campus located on MD 108.
Flood Mitigation
Following the devastating floods of 2011, 2016, and 2018 in Historic Ellicott City, Ball continues implementing elements of his comprehensive Ellicott City Safe and Sound flood mitigation plan. This year’s budget of $44.9 million will support the construction of the North Tunnel, the final design of the Maryland Avenue Culverts, and the New Cut Branch (NC-3) and the Tiber Branch (T-1) flood mitigation ponds.
Stormwater and flood mitigation extends beyond Ellicott City to county-wide resiliency. Out of the 171 ponds in Howard County, 74 are rated in critical condition. An investment of approximately $13 million per year will address seven to eight ponds annually.
Fiscal Responsibility
Howard County continues to exercise fiscal planning, strategy, and discipline to implement innovative, cost-efficient solutions to deliver core services. Its sound financial management again resulted in Howard County’s AAA rating from all three credit rating agencies.
