Public Safety, Education Highlighted In Harford County Budget

From Harford County Government: Harford County Executive Barry Glassman signed legislation Wednesday enacting the county’s fiscal year 2020 budget and issued the following statement:

"I would like to thank County Council President Vincenti, and Council members Beulah, Woods, Giangiordano and Shrodes for approving the FY 20 budget, which invests record-level funding in education and public safety, without raising tax rates. This budget also marks the fifth year in a row that funding has been provided to increase salaries for teachers, law enforcement and county employees, all of whom provide vital services for our citizens. I would especially like to thank my budget staff and everyone who supported our budget this year. Together, we continue to move Harford County forward."

Although student enrollment in Harford County Public Schools has remained relatively flat, the county budget provides the school system with a $10.7 million increase, which together with state increases will far exceed the school board’s budget request for next year. Specifically, these increases combined will provide nearly $26 million more to education in FY 20 and a total operating budget for HCPS of nearly half a billion dollars.

Over the past five years, county and state increases have provided $55 million more to HCPS to educate approximately the same number of students.