Small Increase, No Tax Hikes in Harford County Budget

Taxes won't be going up under Harford County Executive David Craig's proposed budget.

The budget for the 2014 fiscal year is, in all, $6 million higher than the 2013 fiscal year's budget, a 1.31 percent increase, according to a county press release.

According to the statement, funding for the Harford County Board of Education is more than $1.95 million above state-mandated maintenance levels, and the budget spends an additional $1.5 million on teacher pensions. The budget has no wage increases for county, sheriff's office or county library employees. 

The new budget will fund new or replacement schools at Youth's Benefit Elementary and Havre de Grace High School and "major systemic projects" at Joppatowne High School.

The budget includes $9.4 million in funding for the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association and will fund 10 new sheriff's office correctional officers for a half-year.

"In preparing the FY 2014 budget, we have combined prudent budgeting and finance with strategic planning to help keep Harford County finances healthy as we continue to deal with fiscal problems of the state and federal government," Craig said in the release.

Craig went on to say the county "sought to lessen ... impacts" from tax increases passed in recent years by the state government.

"Forcing teacher pensions on county governments, cutting highway user funds, and cutting state aid to local government among other initiatives does not solve the state’s tax and spend problem it just rearranges the issues,' Craig said in the release.