Councilman Marks Votes for $100 Million in Cuts Over Two Years

At the Baltimore County Council meeting on May 29, I voted to cut $59 million from the proposed Fiscal Year 2021 budget. Combined with my vote last year, I have supported cutting nearly $100 million from the budget over the past two years.

These are tough times, and county government must trim its budget like families and businesses.

The budget adopted by the County Council includes a hiring freeze and reductions to agencies identified by the County Council’s auditors. The county negotiated changes to labor agreements, meaning that furloughs and layoffs are not expected.

While the budget is lean, it does contain the county share of building two new schools in northeastern Baltimore County, as well as an addition at Pine Grove Middle School. We secured $400,000 to add parking at the Seven Oaks Senior Center; $1 million to continue repairs to the Little Gunpowder Falls; and $800,000 to construct a female locker room at the Fullerton fire station.

I voted with my Republican colleagues to cut the property tax rate by a penny, but that motion was defeated. I also also voted for a tax cut in 2018.