Harford County Budget For FY 2021: Glassman Presents Priorities

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — County Executive Barry Glassman presented the FY 2021 budget Tuesday to the County Council. He said 50 percent of general fund revenue will go to education.

Other priorities include first responders and county employees.

"They are all on the front lines of this crisis," Glassman said of the workers, who are helping to fight the new coronavirus pandemic.

The total budget approaches $1 billion, a 4.9 percent increase, he said. The operating budget is $633 million, or 6 percent higher than last year, according to Glassman.

The capital budget is down 7 percent from last year, to curb spending and address essential needs only, such as education and the current public health crisis.

"We have deferred some projects except for education and public safety," Glassman said. "Our reserves will help us weather this storm," Glassman said of the new coronavirus.

Here are some items he described as priorities:

• Fully funding Harford County Public Schools' operational budget request at $276,927,778.
• Putting $1 million for capital projects in Harford County Public Schools such as technology, Joppatowne High modernization and roofs at Bel Air Middle and Hickory Elementary schools.
• Fulfilling a salary enhancement request for the Harford County Sheriff's Office pay plan.
• Setting aside $1 million for opioid addiction treatment and behavioral health services, including $250,000 for the Klein Family Harford Crisis Center.
• Giving a 3 percent cost-of-living increase to volunteer fire companies and planning a new station for fire/EMS in Riverside in partnership with the Abingdon Fire Company.

Glassman said the funding for first responders was "historic," with nearly $7.196 million toward volunteer fire companies and $3.5 million for Harford County EMS service, including a third crew added for FY 2021.

The county executive will present his budget proposal at the 7:30 p.m. County Council meeting.