Harford County 2019 Fiscal Budget Passes: Ag Preservation Stays

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — The Harford County Council passed the county's fiscal year 2019 budget on Tuesday. It doesn't include a controversial amendment brought forward by Councilman Mike Perrone which would have defunded the agricultural preservation program, reports say.

The Aegis reported the $734.6 million operating budget and a $166.1 million capital budget will take effect July 1. County Executive Barry Glassman signed the budget in to law Wednesday.

The budget includes funding for a 2 percent cost of living increase for county employees and a $2,000 merit-based increase, Glassman said, according to the Aegis, as well as a $250,000 contribution to a 24-hour mental health and addiction crisis center.

Harford County is teaming up with the health department and the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health using public and nonprofit funds to build the crisis center and implement a crisis hotline and mobile units.

School resource officers and safety upgrades are in the budget, too. High schools and middle schools will all have resource officers, and county officials said they are looking into the feasibility of adding school resource officers to all elementary schools, according to the Aegis.

Councilman Perrone's was the only member on the losing side of a 6-1 vote to pass the budget without the amendment that would have defunded the ag preservation program. He said the money could be better used elsewhere.

Almost 3,000 retired military veterans and senior citizens have a reason to celebrate the budget. They will get a 20 percent property tax credit if they've lived at least 40 years in their current homes.

See more at the Aegis

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