Budget reflects ‘tighter economic times’

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Howard residents might not pay more in property and income taxes, but funding for new police positions and community services was paid for, in part, by closing the county-owned television station and print shop.

“We’ve been able to find efficiencies in county government that have allowed us to fund our priorities,” said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, referring to his proposed fiscal 2009 $854.5 million general fund budget, the most visible part of the operating budget, which pays for the county government’s day-to-day operations.

Ulman’s proposed budget, released Tuesday, was a 5.16 percent increase over the fiscal 2008 budget, which he said reflected “tighter economic times.”

Since 2004, the budget had increased between 7.4 percent and 10.7 percent, according to county officials.

Ulman proposed adding 22 police officers and two civilian positions to create a repeat-offender unit and enhance community policing, he said.

The county’s community services, which include transportation and public health, would get a 9.43 percent increase, mainly because of the purchase of 14 hybrid-electric buses to replace the aging Howard Transit buses.

“We had no choice but to upgrade our fleet,” Ulman said.

The increase also reflects $500,000 proposed for the Healthy Howard health access plan, aimed at expanding low-cost health care access to county residents who are uninsured.

These gains were possible in part because of a $1.25 million savings from closing GTV, the county’s television station, and the print shop, eliminating a total of 13 positions.

The county also took over from the state the collection of the recordation tax, a real estate tax, saving another $700,000, county officials said.

“We really tried to squeeze where we could,” Ulman said, adding county officials scrutinized each line item looking for savings.

However, the budget includes several fee increases.

For example, most residents would see a $50 increase for trash and recycling collection, and parking violations would go up, such as handicapped space violations jumping from $150 to $250.

County officials assess fees periodically, and several of the increases reflect a “routine increase to keep them in line with cost increases,” said Budget Director Ray Wacks.

smichael@baltimoreexaminer.com

Advertisement