Community Corner
Harford Executive Reacts to School Superintendent’s Requested 15.5% Budget Increase for FY 2027
County Executive Bob Cassilly issued the following statement on the proposed school budget requesting $54M more in county funding next year.
Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly issued the following statement in response to last night’s presentation of the annual budget prepared by the now-suspended school superintendent, Dr. Bulson, requesting an additional $54M or a 15.5% increase in county funding next year.
“To avoid annual budget battles, 12 months ago I proposed regular budget meetings between county and school system staff and a three-year budget plan to align school funding increases with the growth in county revenues. Superintendent Bulson agreed to work with this plan and presented it to the school board on January 27, 2025. (see attached graphic prepared by HCPS).
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.
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Now, without warning and despite daily communication over the past year between our respective budget staff, Superintendent Bulson’s budget was presented last night 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.
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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.”
Below is a comparison of requested local funding increases requested by other area school systems:
Baltimore County: 2%
Howard County: 7.6%
Montgomery County: 7.7%
Harford County 15.5%
[graphic attached]
