Conduit Street Podcast: Budgeting in Tumultuous Times
Cecil County Executive Danielle Hornberger this week released her fiscal 2022 budget. The County Executive's proposed budget is fully balanced, cuts property tax rates, protects the County's AA+ bond rating, preserves reserve funds, and maintains high-level services for the residents of Cecil County. “I am proud to introduce a budget that is balanced, provides a property tax cut to residents and businesses, and funds the services that are critical to our County’s growth and our…
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski today announced plans to introduce legislation that would create Baltimore County's first Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). The new DHCD would help ensure access to affordable housing, provide housing stability support, and develop stronger neighborhoods by providing community revitalization supports in a timely and efficient manner. From the press release: “Access to quality housing is a fundamental right and we must do whatever we can to build stronger,…
The State will restore $10.2 million in veto-driven cuts to the Disparity Grant program - which promotes fiscal equity by providing noncategorical state aid to less affluent counties with proven local income tax effort. The funding is part of a bipartisan budget agreement to allocate more than $3.9 billion in federal funding that the State expects to receive through the American Rescue Plan Act. As previously reported on Conduit Street, MACo, along with several counties…
Maryland’s Board of Public Works (BPW) reviews projects, contracts, and expenditure plans for state agencies – many of which have an effect on county governments. The BPW is composed of Governor Larry Hogan, Treasurer Nancy Kopp, and Comptroller Peter Franchot. It meets on alternating Wednesdays and the meetings are open to the public. The meeting will be held in Governor’s Reception Room on the 2nd floor of the State House in Annapolis. Note: In light of the COVID-19 epidemic,…
A bill to repeal the state processing fee for filing articles of dissolution and certificates of cancellation has passed the House of Delegates and looks to be on track to advance from the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. MACo supports HB 647 Corporations and Associations – Fees for Processing Articles of Dissolution, Certificates of Cancellation, and Other Documents – Repeal., as county governments expend significant time and resources on fruitless and administratively burdensome attempts to collect…
The Maryland Senate this week passed a county-friendly budget that relieves counties of proposed cost shifts and restores needed funding for community colleges. The nearly $51 billion budget plan leaves enough cash on hand to erase the projected fiscal 2023 budget shortfall. In addition, a general fund surplus is forecast through fiscal 2024. While the Senate made several amendments to the House version of the budget bill and Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2021…
The Board of Public Works (BPW) considered and approved the following requests and recommendations in its March 24, 2021 meeting. This is not a comprehensive list of all considerations and approvals during the meeting. Allegany A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $150,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Allegany County for new artificial turf at Mountain Ridge High School (Item 1A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property…
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today announced that his fiscal 2022 operating budget will include more than $3.2 million for the implementation of a body-worn camera program. The program is slated to include the Howard County Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, and staffing needs for the State’s Attorney’s Office. “Nationwide, we know that many communities are hurting and have faced injustice at the hands of those entrusted to protect and serve,” said County Executive Ball. “While…