Harford Executive Cassilly Signs FY26 Budget

Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly today signed the Fiscal Year 2026 county budget, approved by the County Council Tuesday evening. The budget, which goes into effect July first, fully funds the school board’s operating budget request, increases funding for police salaries, and invests in community improvements countywide, all without raising tax rates. The county’s increased investments come despite intense fiscal pressures. Cost shifts from the state onto Maryland counties, which totaled $6.2M for Harford alone, have strained county budgets statewide. Thanks to unprecedented efforts to find efficiencies and cost savings, the Cassilly administration has managed to meet these challenges without sacrificing key government functions, while maintaining the county’s AAA bond rating.

Public safety remains a top priority in next year’s budget, with wage increases of 6% for eligible law enforcement deputies and corrections officers, bringing their average salaries to $106,000 and $82,000, respectively, not including overtime. Funding is also provided for top-of-the-line police equipment, including new vehicles, encrypted radios, and more. To address requested increases in police protection for judges, fully funded, but unfilled, positions are available to be utilized at the sheriff’s discretion. And the State’s Attorney’s office funding will increase next year by 11%, bringing to 31% the total unprecedented increase for that office over the three years of the Cassilly administration.

Education continues to receive the largest share, by far, of the county’s general tax revenue. Operating funds for Harford County Public Schools will increase by $26.2M to $347.6M, representing full funding of the school board’s budget request. An additional $3.4M million for teachers’ pensions that had previously been a state responsibility is funded, per the state mandate. Funds are also provided for safety and security upgrades, construction of the new combination elementary school/Harford Academy for students with disabilities, renovation of Harford Technical High School, and a new roof for North Harford High School.

Harford Community College will receive $8M toward a new regional workforce training center. An additional $300K in new funding is provided for the state-mandated cost shift to the county for college employee pensions. The college also has prior, unspent taxpayer funding of $46M available to meet other needs. Harford County Public Library will receive additional funding to increase staff salaries.

Other major capital projects in the budget include: the new Aberdeen Recreation Center, a new Whiteford fire station, safety and traffic improvement upgrades to the Mountain Road and Harford Road intersection and the dangerous intersection at Grafton Shop Road and MD Route 23. Funding is also provided for the long-sought extension of Woodley Road to divert warehouse traffic away from Perryman residences, upgrades to the Abingdon Road bridge over the CSX tracks, and a new access road to the CopperPlex facility in Edgewood.

“The state’s self-inflicted fiscal crisis continues to challenge county budgets statewide,” Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly said. “Instead of demanding more from our hardworking taxpayers, our fiscally responsible approach has been to fund essential public services while working to keep expenditures in line with revenue, collaborating with our government partners, like the school board, to better align their spending with our revenue, and supporting businesses to grow the economy. I would like to thank my directors and all county employees for their dedication throughout this long process. Special thanks go to Budget Chief Ben Lloyd and Treasurer Robbie Sandlass and their award-winning teams for continuing our good stewardship of taxpayer funds.”

The complete approved FY 2026 budget will be posted on the county website at https://www.harfordcountymd.gov/1531/Budget-Management.