$54M Proposed HCPS Budget Increase Called 'Outlandish' By County Exec

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — The county executive this week expressed his displeasure with Harford County Public Schools' proposed 15.5% budget increase for fiscal year 2027.

The proposed annual budget was presented a recent school board meeting before superintendent Sean Bulson was placed on administrative leave. Bulson requested an additional $54 million in county funding for the following year.

Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly stated that 12 months ago, he proposed holding regular budget meetings between county and school system staff in order to hopefully avoid annual budget battles. He wanted a three-year budget plan to align school funding increases with the growth in county revenues. Cassilly said that Bulson agreed to work with the plan and presented it to the school board Jan. 27, 2025.

"Acting in good faith, I funded the first year of the plan, an 8% increase for the current year, and I am prepared to provide the agreed upon $23M increase in operating funds for next year, FY 2027.
Now, without warning and despite daily communication over the past year between our respective budget staff, Superintendent Bulson’s budget was presented ... requesting nearly double the agreed amount, or a 15.5% increase of $54M. The only way to fund this outlandish request is with a tax increase, which I will not support, or eliminate entire county departments, which I will not do.

"This budget request is further evidence of Superintendent Bulson’s mismanagement and lack of leadership. He allowed criminals in our classrooms and offered no change in procedures to prevent recurrences. While on a work trip, he invited an unknown woman into his taxpayer-funded hotel room and later reported to investigators that he was ‘rolled’ by her, for which is on administrative leave. To date, he has offered no explanation for this disgraceful episode. Enough is enough. I encourage the school board to uphold our prior funding agreement, move on from the chaos of Dr. Bulson’s term, and restore integrity and fiscal responsibility to Harford County Public Schools," Cassilly said.

View the HCPS capital improvement project needs in this document. Watch the school board meeting where the proposed budget was presented here.