Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith today is expected to propose a budget that comes within dollars of his spending cap, addressing state and federal aid cuts without raising taxes, sources said.
The Democrat?s proposed 2009 budget maintains property and tax rates for the 19th and 15th years in a row, respectively. But Smith, who declined to offer specifics on his proposal but has indicated employees will not receive across-the-board raises, said budget highlights “are slim.”
“This is a budget responsive to the economic circumstances our county, our state, our country, and quite frankly, the world, is facing,” Smith said. “That is the economic slowdown.”
Smith will present his budget in his sixth State of the County address today before members of the County Council.
Tasked with preventing the county from spending more than it collects, a spending-affordability committee last month recommended a$67 million growth over this year?s $1.48 billion operating budget, which covers ongoing costs such as salaries, trash collection and police protection.
In the committee?s 17-year history, no county executive has exceeded its recommendations.
But faced with $40 million in state cuts and $8.5 million in federal reductions, Smith has indicated the budget will not include cost-of-living adjustments for county employees, most of whom will receive longevity increases. An arbitrator awarded an additional $4 million pay step for police, which Smith is legally bound to include.
Council members, who are scheduled to pass a final budget May 22, can cut the budget but not add to it.
County teachers have been working to strict contract rules ? including ending extended school library hours ? to protest Smith?s decision. Cheryl Bost, president of the Teachers Association of Baltimore County, said about 20 percent of teachers will not receive a longevity increase next year and will be required to increase pension contributions.
“We?ll be hoping at the last minute he sees fit to put in cost-of-living increases, or at least make sure no one will be walking away with less take-home pay,” Bost said.
