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From YouTube: State of The County: Budget 2010 -2011
Description
Towson, Md. (April 15, 2010) - Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith submitted his eighth State-of-the-County and Annual Budget address to the Baltimore County Council this morning. The County Executive presented the County Council with a budget consistent with Baltimore County's history of responsible budget management, and one that complies with spending affordability limits established by the Baltimore County Council's Spending Affordability Committee. Baltimore County's General Fund Operating Budget, including one-time expenditures, actually decreases by 4.4 percent under Smith's proposal for FY 11.
A
The
budget
that
I
present
today
is
a
maintenance
budget,
a
budget
responsive
to
these
perilous
economic
times.
It
is
balanced
and
within
spending
affordability,
guidelines
established
by
the
county
council.
It
maintains
the
important
services
that
support
Baltimore,
County's
high
quality
of
life.
It
does
not
raise
the
property
tax
rate
or
the
income
tax
rate
for
the
22nd
and
18th
year
in
a
row
respectively.
It
continues
our
four
percent
cap
on
property,
tax
assessments,
saving
Baltimore
County
homeowners,
an
estimated
172
million
dollars
in
property
taxes.
A
We
have
also
reached
agreements
increasing
employee
pension
contributions,
amending
entitlements
to
retirement,
colas
and
further
adjusting
of
employee
health
and
post
retirement
health
care
benefits.
These
agreements
represent
a
collective
coming
to
grips
with
the
affordability
of
public
pensions,
post
retirement
benefits,
health
care
costs
and
the
reality
of
the
economic
times
in
which
we
live
in
a
in
addition
to
the
support
of
our
county,
labor
leaders
and
their
members
I
appreciate
the
cooperation
of
our
department
heads
who
looked
for
greater
efficiencies
within
their
own
departments.
They
submitted
budgets
budgets
that
included
no
new
programs
or
initiatives.
A
A
This
budget
will
allow
Baltimore
County
to
maintain
our
triple-a
bond
rating,
recognized
by
all
three
New
York
bond
rating
agencies,
where
we
are
one
of
only
22
counties
in
the
nation
to
receive
the
highest
rating
from
all
three
agencies.
In
its
last
ratings
report,
Standard
&,
Poor's
noted
and
I
quote
in
our
opinion,
Baltimore
County's
financial
performance
remains
sound,
benefiting
from
conservative
budgeting
practices
and
strong
fiscal
policies.
A
This
proposed
budget
funds,
maintenance
of
effort
for
the
Board
of
Education
and
provides
the
board
a
660,
1.4
million
dollar
operating
budget.
It
fully
funds
increment
and
longevity
increases
for
Board
of
Education
employees
and
includes
funds
to
move
17,
infant
and
toddler
positions
from
10
month
to
12-month
employment
status.
It
includes
staffing
for
the
new
West
Towson
elementary
school
opening
in
August
and
funds,
an
additional
two
hundred
and
five
thousand
dollars
for
increases
in
individuals.
A
Schools
supplies
the
capital
budget
continues
funding
for
the
first
phase
of
our
high
school
renovation
program
for
catonsville,
parkville
and
milford
mill
academy.
It
also
includes
funding
for
the
completion
of
the
George
Washington
Carver
center
for
arts
and
technology,
as
well
as
funding
for
a
new
Dundalk
high
school
and
sollers
point
Technical
High
School,
12.8
million
dollars
in
county
funds
has
been
provided
for
a
330
seat
addition
and
renovation
of
Hampton
elementary
school,
which
will
increase
elementary
school
capacity
in
New
York
Road
corridor.
A
The
school
system's
capital
budget
also
includes
10.2
million
dollars
to
fund
the
board
of
education,
prioritized
list
of
schools
able
to
be
retrofitted
for
air
conditioning
at
a
reasonable
cost.
These
schools
are
Riverview,
randallstown,
glenmar,
Harford,
Hills,
johnnycake,
Deep,
Creek
and
Norwood
elementary
schools,
old
court
and
Ridgely
middle
schools
and
loch
raven
academy.
A
None
of
us
here
this
morning
thought
this
budget
would
be
easy
and
it
was
not,
but
it
is
a
budget
of
which
we
can
be
proud.
It
reflects
the
realities
of
our
time,
yet
it
does
so
by
respecting
our
employees,
preserving
county
services
and
maintaining
our
County's
quality
of
life.
Dr.
Martin,
Luther
King
jr.