From the Harford County Democratic Central Committee:
The proposed budget by County Executive Bob Cassilly contains a number of particularly notable provisions that are of concern to the residents of Harford County. We urge citizens to call or email their County Council representatives to voice their concerns. In particular, Mr. Cassilly’s budget proposes the following cuts or flat spending to key agencies:
– A $19 million (6%) reduction in the County’s contribution to the school budget that’s the “maintenance of effort” minimum state-mandated funding level
– A $378K cut (7.7%) to the Planning and Zoning board — while proposing a comprehensive review of the zoning code in conjunction with the warehouse moratorium
– A $737K (5.8%) cut to the Parks and Recreation budget
– Flatlining of budgets for the public library system and for Harford County Community College
All of these will have direct impacts on the daily lives of Harford County Citizens.
In the case of the Harford County Public Schools budget, Mr. Cassilly claims credit for an increase in the overall amount of money the schools will receive. While it’s true that the schools will ultimately receive an increase in total funding, the increase is due exclusively to the State’s contribution. The County’s contribution declines by $19 million over the previous year, and the total allocation of $630 million represents a stingy 3.6% increase over 2023. Even if one assumes the most optimistic projections for 2023 inflation, this represents a cut in real spending. In short, by claiming credit for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future after having voted against it, then claiming credit for work the State is doing, Mr. Cassilly scrawls in vivid color the Republican mantra of “vote no and claim the dough.”
The County Council is holding public hearings on the budget at 7 p.m. on May 4 and May 10. We urge you to show up and support the school system, the library system, and other social services that are on the chopping block. And be sure to email your Councilperson to let them know your concerns!
Finally, Mr. Cassilly has been quick to blame his choices on irresponsible decisions made by previous Republican administrations. We agree. It is past time for Harford County to elect a Democratic County Executive whose budget prioritizes the whole county — not just the coffers of his Republican donors and their allies.
You can be a part of that change by volunteering with the Harford County Democratic Central Committee as we gear up for the 2024 and 2026 election cycles!
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Important Update on the County Budget
From Citizens for Bob Cassilly:
Dear Friends,
Last week I introduced a responsible county budget that maintains essential services and does not raise your taxes.
Now I’m being attacked by those who are addicted to the unsustainable growth in our county budget. They want me to either increase taxes so the government can spend more, or they want me to pretend that county revenues (AKA your tax dollars) will grow, grow, grow in the miracle of the Joe Biden economy.
I won’t raise taxes and I will not override the solid advice and recommendations for the budget by Harford County’s Spending Affordability Committee (made up of local business owners, CPAs, financial investors, and the like) who tell me that our County will likely have to endure a faltering economy in the coming year and must reduce spending over the coming year to account for likely reductions in revenues.
I want to remind you of a famous quote by President Ronald Reagan — balancing the budget is a little like protecting your virtue, you just have to learn to say “no.”
My proposed budget says no to excessive and unnecessary spending. Today, we’re living in fiscally challenging times, and we must focus on what we need before we overspend or raise taxes for what we want. This is the same thing I hear from Harford County families who are tightening their own household budgets – needs come before wants.
Harford School Superintendent Bulson, who lives in Montgomery County and has no personal stake in our local economy, and the teachers’ union have been the most vocal critics, claiming that my budget will force drastic cuts in education. As you can see from the below graph, this is simply not true; it’s always good to have the facts. Not only does my proposed budget meet the state mandated level of funding for our County, but, as the graph shows, Mr. Bulson is, in fact, receiving $22.1M more this year than last.
Superintendent Bulson has also accumulated a reserve school fund of over $90M of your tax dollars from previous years, including a $30M County bonus payment last year alone. Ninety million of your tax dollars is too much to have sitting in Board of Education accounts while Superintendent Bulson and the union are pushing for a tax increase.
Unfortunately, Mr. Bulson, who has seen student performance fall throughout his term in office (see below graph presented by HCPS to the Board of Ed on March 27, 2023), emphasizes spending over student performance as his measure of educational success. He has chosen to stray from Harford’s traditional focus on the 3Rs and, instead, emphasizes building the school bureaucracy to support an array of new programs and making our schools agents of societal change. Rather than reduce nonessential expenses, he threatens to cut essential educational services. Mr. Bulson has, within his control, sufficient funding to meet important educational priorities of keeping class sizes small, improving student performance, and making sure we can retain and recruit good teachers.
Folks are asking me why, after so many years of watching the County budget grow without objection, we are suddenly in the midst of a major budget battle. Two things changed since those prior budget expansions. First, I was elected by a solid majority of voters who demanded fiscal accountability, and they trusted my well-earned reputation from my days in the Army and as a state senator to always do the right thing.
Secondly, last year being an election year, the previous County administration went on a big spending spree, ran up the debt, and reset government spending expectations to a new high, which some want me to sustain going forward. That big spending included, in part, a major increase to the Board of Education of $30M above the county’s state mandated funding for schools. Because the County overspent last year, we had a budget deficit of over $90M, which we had to dip into our fund balance (savings) to pay.
At the same time the prior administration was spending $90M from the fund balance to cover excessive spending, they also cut the tax rate, which reduced revenue by $20M. That is the classic “have your cake and eat it too” political play. It can work in the very short run, but fiscal reality dictates that we can be big spenders and high taxers or a little spenders and low taxers. We cannot be big spenders and low taxers.
Today, we are feeling the pain from last year’s budget. This year, the County is no longer sitting on a fat fund balance, our tax revenues have been reduced by $20M, and inflation has pushed up our costs across the board. Our choices are to either live within our means or raise taxes. I have opted to live within our means.
If you support fiscal conservative practices and oppose more spending and higher taxes, then I thank you for supporting this budget. Good leadership is about having to make hard decisions and making the right ones. This is the fiscal conservative approach you elected me to carry out.
Please make sure to come voice your support for this responsible budget! Budget public hearings will be held on May 4 and 10, 2023, 7:00 PM at 212 S. Bond St, Bel Air, MD 21014. You must be registered by the start of the FY Budget Public Hearing if you want to provide comments at the hearing. According to the official announcement, “It is strongly recommended you pre-register by emailing Council@harfordcountycouncil.com or calling 410-638-3343 by 5:00 PM the day of the scheduled hearing.”
Looking forward to working together to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars,
Bob
Mr. Cassilly your own charts say you are pulling a dancing act. The biggest one is you are very forgetful . You want to forget that this country and county went thru a pandemic which lead it up to the parents to teach their children, not Harford School teachers.
Next you own chart says you are going backwards in county funding of the school system. Your going back to 2022 funding. That is a disgrace to all the students of Harford County.
The one big mistake you also point out is Former President Reagan words. He is the one president who started all this back fighting and stabbing others in the back for political agenda and now you are doing the same thing.
As the DCCC points out you are taking credit for growth that you voted for in the senate and now you are taking credit for what the state is finding to make yourself look good.
You also point out that you received a voter referendum when elected when in fact your victory was entirely a vote against Billy Boniface, not a vote for you. Your election is known as VOTE FOR THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS..
CORRECTION. The fourth paragraph should read; “As the DCCC points out you are taking credit for growth that you voted AGAINST in the senate.”
In general, I support the County Executive’s budget. Particularly, I support the pushback on the impregnable tsunami of school spending. The State has done a great job ensuring the schools get plenty of funding with unfunded mandates and changes to Blueprint funding on the fly against the Counties.
This comment is true.
“Mr. Bulson has, within his control, sufficient funding to meet important educational priorities of keeping class sizes small, improving student performance, and making sure we can retain and recruit good teachers.”
The letter from the Harford County Democratic Central Committee shows the organization’s fiscal illiteracy.
The County Executive could either dip into fund this year and support unsustainable HCPS spending growth, which the County has NO say in how it’s spent, or the County cut make further cuts to other departments, which, based on the HCDCC’s universal disapprovals listed above, would be inappropriate.
The HCDCC does not reference HCPS’s fund balance. Why must the County further erode its fund balance while HCPS can grow its fund balance? Especially when the County has no back-up. Who does the County go to when it has a structural deficit and no fund balance? HCPS goes to the County.
Moreover, no one has mentioned the increasing County responsibilities to the Blueprint, which continue to grow and supersede Maintenance of Effort in the years to come. The County has to hold firm now just to hope to survive the State’s mandates. New Blueprint funding now has Counties paying for special education increases directly outside of school funding.
The only legitimate criticism of the County Executive’s budget seems to be he may have lacked proper communication with stakeholders prior to certain decisions and that revenues might be understated. Certainly, I’d like revenues to be estimated as accurately as possible and I’d rather underestimate slightly. That’s a fiscally responsible approach. There are major national and global circumstances that are beyond our control. This is a new day. The borders are wide open with fentanyl and unskilled individuals seeking economic asylum all while costs for everyday necessities and housing are growing much faster than wages and jobs are being lost intentionally to battle inflation. And all this happened on the back of a 5%-ish property tax rate reduction. Hell, I tried to pay my taxes on the old rate but it would’ve resulted in a credit. (So I donated it to the Arc and Harford Center.)
Reasonable people can disagree, but to think the County should erode its savings with dark economic realities on the horizon, leaves the County completely vulnerable in FY2025 or even in FY2024. If the County Executive’s budget proves to have significantly underestimated revenues, then he can be criticized for being overly cautious while building up the County’s fund balance and he can be pressed to fund certain areas next year. But if he’s correct and revenues are lower than everyone thinks and inflation continues on at this rate, next year’s budget will need fund balance as well.
Finally, I’m disappointed in the public temper tantrums of the Sheriff. I expect that of the Superintendent, who is straight out of central casting for a privileged out-of-touch ivy tower progressive, squatting in Harford County leading a school system that performed worse since his hire while demanding significant increases in funding on top of Blueprint guarantees made by others of the Superintendent’s ilk. But not the Sheriff.
Unfortunately, too many citizens are either selfish, ignorant, or afraid to stand up for civic responsibilities necessary for a sustainable future. People love to talk about environmental sustainability – and they should! What about cultural sustainability? What about fiscal sustainability? We need serious people managing finances and expectations. We need people who know how to say no.
Well said. This is where we are.
From what I have just read is; HCPS head is not telling the truth, but the county executive is Telling the truth.
From todays perspective the county executive is under stating the revenue by large amounts.
Inflation is falling and getting back to it’s usual growth all except gasoline. Foreign sources control those prices more then this country can, especially with Oil Executives who refuse to up grade their equipment to produce more gasoline.
In my opinion the only thing that the county executive is doing is supporting his far right base. The book burners and banners. His actions speak louder then any words most people are about to write yet understand.
Where is the outrage over the superintendent of hcps giving himself a $71,000 raise.
I doubt many of the residents of Harford County got anything near that amount of money for a raise last year.
DemoKKKrats mad about fiscal responsibility. Go figure.
I’m not a fan of Bob Cassilly, but the hyperpartisan activists at the Democrat Central Committee really don’t have much credibility.
Anyone seen what their buddy Wes Moore is doing to the state budget?
It sure would seem like it’s not only the democrats that disagree with Cassilly and his cheapskate budget.
BEL AIR, Md. — Plans for a third police precinct and a new training facility, already approved to the tune of more than $22 million last May, have been shelved in Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly’s proposed budget, and Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler isn’t happy about it.
“I’ve met with the county executive both before he came into office and after and each time, I’ve heard different things from him to the point where I’m 100 percent convinced, he’s just not being honest,” said Gahler.
For his part, Cassilly is downplaying their differences.
“I can’t explain, to be quite frank with you, why we’re going through the vitriol of defunding police and the like,” said Cassilly, “We’ll continue to work together.”
Cassilly says he is not obliged to meet a commitment from a former county council that left him with a $90 million structural deficit.
“These are tough choices you know and I respect the sheriff that he wants the best for the men and women of the sheriff’s department, and they deserve the best, but so do the children, so do the teachers, so do the old folks,” said Cassilly, “Everybody deserves the best.”
Cassilly’s proposed spending plan also cuts more than $19 million from the school district’s budget drawing criticism that it’s setting students up to fail.
The county executive also has called for setting aside $13 million to replace the volunteer EMS service in the ever-growing county, but expanding the reach of police service apparently will have to wait.
“There’s been no commitment by the county executive other than he wanted us to look at some other property that cost twice as much to build brand new. In our opinion, it would cost twice as much to do that project,” said Gahler, “I think that was a red herring by him to push this can down the road. I don’t think he had any intention of doing this project from Day One.”
There are 37,000 students in Harford County Public Schools. Meanwhile, the 2023 HVPS budget is $1,221307,000. Multiply that number c 28 or 30, a reasonable classroom size. If that doesn’t make your eyes pop out not sure what would. Where the f is this money going? 92 million bucks in Covid money was given directly to HCPS and seems to have vaporized like all the rest. Forget it administrators – you pay your teachers w some of this money that seemingly disappears.
Overpaid groomers
Don’t forget: They were the ones principally responsible for doping a generation of youth, some of which would become mentally unstable monsters.
Test scores in the classes of 13 to 17 students quickly surpassed scores in the larger classes of 22 to 25. Those gains persisted for years. Other studies in California, Minnesota, New York City, North Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin have shown lower class sizes boost test scores, too.
While the average class room size is around 24 seems primitive Harford County residents want 30 then 35 then 40, where does it all end that these oldster have gotten theirs but want to stop todays youth from getting theirs. Selfishness always says I got mine, the heck with you.
All this rhetoric is such nonsense. I looked up the number. Given the number of teachers w HCPS and student population you’ve got a 1:15 ratio. I teacher per 15 students. Fact.
The only classes I know of that have 15 or or less are self-contained special ed rooms.
There are many HCPS teachers who don’t have their own classrooms because they co-teach or provide services to a small number of students for pull-out interventions. Other teachers share students so you can simply divide students by teachers to get an average class size. This is one of the ways the county fools you with misleading data.
If class sizes in Harford are low, then just why is Harford County the highest classroom size in the state for this curriculum.
Appendix D: 2021–2022 Class Size Distribution Core Academic Subjects
My class sizes: 31, 20, 27, 27, 29, 29. Average of 81.5 students a day, not counting class coverages and duties.
As teachers remark with classroom sizes : My class sizes: 31, 20, 27, 27, 29, 29. I ask just whom is supplying the misinformation about class room size in the state to the Federal Government. Seems every county in the state has low classroom size of 1:15 yet in reality it’s more like 1:26.