Harford County Executive Vetoes Bill Directing How To Spend $750K Hotel Tax Revenue

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Legislation that directs Harford County as to how officials are to distribute $750,000 in hotel tax revenue has been shot down by County Executive Bob Cassilly.

On Wednesday, Cassilly said the legislation violates the County Charter.

"Specifically, County Council Bill 23-034 Hotel Tax imposes a spending mandate, allowing the legislature to assume the executive branch’s responsibility for creating the county budget. Spending mandates are permitted by the Maryland General Assembly, but they were strongly criticized by former Gov. Larry Hogan for their negative impacts on the executive branch’s ability to effectively manage government spending," Cassilly said.

"The former governor observed that the process had become so prevalent during his term in Annapolis that billions in mandated spending was being proposed by the General Assembly each year," he added.

Cassilly said that Harford County "must not emulate such a flawed spending policy."

“This bill was originally proposed by Councilman Dion Guthrie to improve access to tourism-related funding for organizations in Edgewood, Joppa and Joppatowne," Cassilly said. “Unfortunately, it was later amended to illegally direct $750,000 in hotel tax revenue to a non-governmental entity in violation of the County Charter. The charter remains our indispensable guide to proper fiscal management and we must follow the charter.”