More Teachers, First Responder Resources Touted As Anne Arundel Passes Bipartisan Budget

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — The Anne Arundel County Council recently passed the Fiscal Year 2023 budget, which includes a tax cut.

County Executive Steuart Pittman announced the news Tuesday. He touted the additional teachers and first responder resources included in the bipartisan plan.

“In the midst of partisan conflict in Washington, growing economic hardship across the country, and attacks on the basic institutions of government, here in Anne Arundel County we showed today that our two political parties are able to come together and support a budget that delivers the services that our residents depend on,” Pittman said in a press release.

The County Council, which has four Democrats and three Republicans, passed the budget with six yes votes. The only opposition came from Jessica Haire (R), the District 7 council member. The South County council member and county executive candidate has not issued an official statement since the budget passed.

Tax Cut

Anne Arundel County residents will get a tax cut on their first $50,000 of taxable income. The Council trimmed that income tax rate from 2.81 percent to 2.7 percent.

The tax rate did not increase for any other bracket.

The property tax rate wasn't changed either. It is still $0.933 per $100 in assessed value. That is the 7th lowest of Maryland's 24 jurisdictions, and it is the lowest in the region.

The budget is worth $2.16 billion. The previous budget was $1.87 billion. Adjusted for inflation, last year's budget would be worth about $2 billion in today's money.

This year's budget covers July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023.

“This budget provides a fiscally responsible approach to providing government services - cutting taxes while making sure our police and firefighters have the tools they need to keep us safe,” District 3 Council Member Nathan Volke (R) said in the release.

First Responders

The budget includes money to design and build a new 911 Call Center. This will combine police and fire call takers into a unified operation under the Office of Emergency Management.

There's also funding for new forensics and special operations facilities. The Anne Arundel County Police Department will welcome money to buy 55 new officer vehicles and replace the "dilapidated" firing range.

"This budget puts people and critical services first, while continuing the program of key infrastructure investments that we began three budgets ago,” District 1 Council Member Sarah Lacey (D) said. “Our County has a lot of competing needs that can't all be met at once. But some folks have been waiting a very long time for improvements to their schools, public safety and recreation resources, sidewalks and community centers. This budget delivers."

Schools

The fiscal plan fully funds the Anne Arundel County Board of Education's capital, or construction, budget request for the first time ever.

The budget includes overdue pay raises, known as back step increases, that were guaranteed in staff members' contracts. There's also money for general pay raises for all teachers and staff in Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

Supplemental budget amendments brought hiring and retention bonuses for school bus drivers and crossing guards. Leaders hope this will attract more commercial drivers during the nationwide shortage that has troubled AACPS all school year.

The budget will fully fund the county’s obligations from the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a law outlining education spending priorities. It additionally set a new county record with $50 million more than the state's maintenance of effort requirement, which orders jurisdictions to keep their education spending at a relatively consistent level.

“This budget provides a balanced approach and needed investment in our schools, infrastructure, and public safety,” District 4 Council Member and Council Vice Chair Andrew Pruski (D) said. “The County Council came together with the County Executive to pass a budget that helps Anne Arundel invest in our future.”

Other AACPS highlights include:

• 119 new special education positions
• 29 new social/emotional learning positions
• 48 new pre-K positions to convert half-day programs to full-day pre-K classrooms
• 20 new English language development positions
• 3 new bilingual facilitators
• 140 new classroom teacher positions, including the final year of staffing required to fully open Crofton High School

Anne Arundel Community College faculty and staff will similarly collect one-time pay equity funding.

Allison Pickard (D), the council member for District 2, cheered the results for her constituents.

“District 2 benefits from investment in roads and parks and especially in school construction with the Old Mill Complex Master Plan underway," Pickard said. "This budget also represents a critical investment in our County employees to ensure we can deliver fundamental County services.”

Parks

Anne Arundel County will build two new parks, Tanyard Springs and South Shore, with this budget.

Those parks pair with major projects for Bacon Ridge at Forney, the Odenton Library Park, Deale, the new Brooklyn Park Center and water access site improvements. These investments total $7.8 million.

Another $3.5 million will restore a building on the campus of the future Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park. The building will be known as the Crownsville Health and Wellness Center. It will serve as an incubator for emerging nonprofits, offer services to residents of nearby treatment centers and temporarily house the county team restoring the site.

"I am especially thrilled that green heart of our county - the Crownsville State Hospital Center - will finally belong to Anne Arundel County and its residents," District 6 Council Member and Council Chair Lisa Rodvien (D) said.

Rodvien also applauded the county for eliminating its bus fares and passing measures to increase the availability of affordable housing.

Related: Pittman Releases 2023 Budget Proposal For Anne Arundel County