Harford Executive Cassilly Signs FY27 Budget: Record Funding, No Tax Increase

Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly has signed the Fiscal Year 2027 county budget, approved by the County Council Tuesday evening. The budget goes into effect July 1 and includes record-level funding for public safety and education along with funding for community improvements countywide - all without raising tax rates. The Cassilly administration ignored pressures by government employee unions to increase spending in an election year to earn their endorsements.

Public safety

Public safety remains the top priority through highly trained and equipped ambulance services, robust volunteer fire companies, and highly competitive salaries for sheriff’s deputies.

Early in the Cassilly administration the county government was asked to take over ambulance services, which required standing up 17 ambulance units countywide. Through improvements in service and innovative programs, response times are reduced and lives are being saved every day.

Volunteer fire companies will receive record-level funding for their critical mission.

For law enforcement, County Executive Cassilly chose to invest in deputies rather than in new buildings. Funding is included in the FY 27 budget to raise the average deputy salary to $113,700 before overtime, making Harford law enforcement salaries highly competitive among area jurisdictions.

Education

K-12 education will receive the second-highest dollar increase in county history. This includes full funding for instructional salary increases, as requested by the school board, and $60,000 starting salaries for new teachers, as required by the state. Harford’s per pupil funding is in line with its per-capita-income peers. School funding also includes $3M in costs shifted onto Harford County by the state to help pay for mandated private pre-K and for teacher pensions.

Capital projects for public schools include a new elementary school, the new Harford Academy, a new roof for Hall’s Cross Roads Elementary, and a new HVAC system for Edgewood Middle and many more.

Harford County Public Library will receive record-level funding and Harford Community College’s operating budget request is fully funded. Funding is also provided for the college’s new workforce development center.

Quality of Life

Investments in parks and recreation facilities include new fields in Fallston and Joppatowne; parks in Norrisville and Edgewood; Aberdeen’s activity center, and park improvements at Eden Mill, Schucks Road, Mariner Point, and the Oakington Peninsula Park System.

Although the budget passed unanimously, a majority of the council cut funds from the county executive’s budget that would have been used for potential legal action against a proposed energy storage facility that has raised alarms about fire dangers and damage to the Deer Creek watershed. Coupled with other cuts including cybersecurity, the council cut a total of $2.3M from the county’s operating budget to add funding to the school system. This is on top of the 9.2% increased school funding proposed by the county executive and despite a whistleblower report on wasteful spending by the school administration.

The council also cut funds to purchase rights-of-way and easements that enable road safety improvements and funds to purchase a new elementary school in Aberdeen after the council expedited the development of apartments near IronBirds Stadium.

Overall, the fiscal year 2027 budget reflects the Cassilly administration’s approach to fiscal discipline that has allowed Harford County to close an inherited $90M deficit, absorb state cost shifts, fund key government functions, increase investments in public safety, education and community amenities, and maintain the county’s AAA bond rating over three years without raising taxes.

“Over the past three years, my administration has resisted demands to spend significantly more than we were taking in, which would have required a tax increase. Our hardworking taxpayers deserve better,” County Executive Bob Cassilly said. “Instead, we found efficiencies and cost savings to better align our expenditures with revenues moving forward, while funding essential services and quality-of-life improvements affecting daily life for our citizens. I would like to thank our taxpayers, my directors, and all county employees for their dedication throughout the budget 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 2027 budget will be posted on the county website at harfordcountymd.gov/1531/Budget-Management.