Comment Period Open Now for January 21 Virtual Town Hall
Harford County Executive Barry Glassman will host a virtual town hall meeting this month for citizens to provide input on the next county budget – and this year will be entirely virtual via WebEx.
Harford citizens can provide testimony now up until the meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 21, 2021. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m., streamed live on the county website.
“We want to know what our residents would like to see funded in next year’s budget,” County Executive Glassman said. “We can’t meet in person, but it’s still important for us to collect all your comments and suggestions. We’ve made it as easy as possible, in an efficient and transparent process, for you to let us know your priorities.”
Citizens are welcome to send in their budget priorities for the county’s fiscal year 2022 budget via social media, email, or U.S. Mail, some of which will be read aloud during the live broadcast, which will also include live testimony from people who request to speak at our online event.
To submit your comments:
Email: iGovHarford@harfordcountymd.gov
Facebook: Harford County’s Virtual Town Hall
Twitter: @iGovHarford
U.S. Mail: Harford County Executive Barry Glassman, 220 S. Main St., Bel Air, Md. 21014
At 6 p.m. on January 21, anyone can also watch the live event on our county Web page, www.harfordcountymd.gov/VirtualTownHall.
To speak at the live event, register beforehand at iGovHarford@harfordcountymd.gov to receive a link or phone number to join.
The virtual town hall meeting will begin with a brief review of the budget process.
By law, the county executive must propose a budget each April to fund county operations and capital programs for the upcoming fiscal year that begins on July 1. The county executive’s recommended budget is based on revenue projections and must be approved by the Harford County Council.
Once the county executive sets operating funding levels, the council may not add funding to any area of the budget except for the public school system. If the council adds funding for the schools, it can only add up to the amount requested by the school board, and only by taking those funds from another area of the general fund.
Historically, 50% of all general fund revenues have been dedicated to Harford County Public Schools.
In unpredictable times, the Glassman Administration in last year’s budget fully funded the public school system’s operating budget request, an increase of $20.5 million over the previous fiscal year, and also provided record level funds for public safety, including full funding of the sheriff’s Office wage enhancements. Both were done without tax rate increases.
Other outside agencies, like the community college, public library and health department, depend in full or in part on funding from the county for their operating and capital budgets.
Once county funding for outside agencies is approved by the county council, the agency determines how its budget is spent, based on all revenue sources.
For more information about the county budget, please visit:
http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/1531/Budget-and-Management-Research.
