[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6099613,"mediaKeyId","2816954-9df07518d26704cd8f4edf0933172adb","parentId",2816954,"title","Residents and nonprofits press county for eviction support, food access, veterans services and animal shelter funding","audioSeconds",402,"startMs",3428000,"endMs",3830000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2816954-9df07518d26704cd8f4edf0933172adb&start=3428&end=3830","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2816954-9df07518d26704cd8f4edf0933172adb/thumbnail_3428000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6099613/Baltimore-County/Maryland/Residents-and-nonprofits-press-county-for-eviction-support-food-access-veterans-services-and-animal-shelter-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099613-4844c7af38cae4611e9df3071a5bd55f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171126&Signature=GxFoqlKO7Ib8K8YNx8wgfK61bV7AYwCFQLDJOPFap7TbX4F6ePRC0unqr0Xm52TE9~~umJQHba7oAXbyXvYsovV0y1zB3OOZQLxs9tWmNZvpu6FTpA5bFUSYhO1aHNUTMnHzynSfhJUUmx7RSnUufxyX8YXa8DB9zvRWXhLzoof0d-IGaFG3woL2gsxju3jlEtN2uZ5xclDafYA1-cKFEd9i1wAaRHfHZGIwPRbJqKCjZf1ty8KbKBVxIvwvi0GolhaukUOseS0FIF3-hax4xs8IDhLAXgKUcez4hAL~chmvAdZzXhLCHIQzK440PBDleBvTgCrXM5nGvAlJczXftA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Baltimore County, MD","date","2025-03-28T12:24:44Z","article","Several attendees used the budget town hall to press Baltimore County for expanded social services funding, including eviction prevention, food access, veterans services and animal shelter support.

Muriel Gray, chair of the Ministry of Kindness at St. Matthews United Methodist Church, said the community is seeing frequent evictions and that many residents lack resources to recover after being displaced. She asked the county to provide additional assistance for people who have been evicted and cited recent local cases where residents lost housing and had limited options.

Dr. Trofena Choti, CEO of AvriThrive, described a mobile food pantry and food access programs serving underserved families in Essex. Choti said the organization's mobile pantry and culturally appropriate food distribution operate without sustained county funding and that a federal funding award was recently rescinded. She asked for county support to renovate a building for cold storage and access to about five acres of land to develop community gardens and sustainable food projects.

Nancy Harris, representing the Baltimore County Commission for Veterans Affairs, requested continued support for veterans' programs, including a veterans treatment court, an annual resource fair and funding for outreach and small stipends to cover out-of-pocket costs for commission activities.

Speakers also raised concerns about animal control and shelter capacity, saying pandemic-era pet intakes have stressed staff and led to euthanasia of healthy animals; advocates called for additional funding and staffing for county animal services.

County staff at the event directed residents to department contacts for follow-up and said some programs have existing assistance through the Department of Social Services.

Why it matters: rising rents, food insecurity and stretched nonprofit and county social services affect health and housing stability in District 7 communities. Speakers asked county decision-makers to prioritize operating funds in FY26 to expand prevention and long-term supports.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025 Budget Town Hall - District 7","oneSentenceSummary","Speakers at the District 7 town hall described rising rents and evictions, strained animal control and shelter capacity, food access programs operating without stable county funds, and requests for veterans commission support.","taxTitle","Baltimore County, Maryland","taxId",3882,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6099618,"Essex and District 7 residents press county for library funding, park upgrades, dredging and CDC seed money",946,1953000,2899000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2816954-9df07518d26704cd8f4edf0933172adb&start=1953&end=2899","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2816954-9df07518d26704cd8f4edf0933172adb/thumbnail_1953000.jpg","/articles/6099618/Baltimore-County/Maryland/Essex-and-District-7-residents-press-county-for-library-funding-park-upgrades-dredging-and-CDC-seed-money","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099618-cc0245ecacb1fbdbac3252e4848e39f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171126&Signature=IHFGwswDkLDdCxcStcbTuFXhjbLcAj2k~X213y3DgzWk80AlV3NncolfypBYWlFLSNgrOcKqlBFTL7o7yWqxubkvJcbmZ39bWILqBOl9uvhz27I1FTxZksqqGQjz5t0Y3UaPvVWnAUwLZLeQlf59cJ44sdrrpZHKNpX7-84Za-EB2ezILSwQZYq8WVgGaonQSDXZt1JDxUUCiNN0zjPWmPIwH5CauBUvrN276EvuOvhOub6q9HHAPnj6reGqjNaqlhCM65PC2nzdHTVVuE86tsnPV142PriJrE-QjgsRVpfAMbzUQWeHnT2h8zErD11LnqKjdsT2PhL0tqHxcVX7OQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A cluster of District 7 residents, business groups and community development organizations used the budget town hall to press for local infrastructure and community investments centered on Essex and nearby neighborhoods.

Speakers asked the county to prioritize funding for a new Essex library and renovations to the Essex police precinct. Several speakers, including Leah Bittinger of the Sussex Community Association and Chrissy Erb, executive director of the Essex Community Development Corporation (Essex CDC), asked that library construction remain a county priority and noted the county has purchased property for a new branch.

Community leaders also requested additional amenities and infrastructure at Renaissance Park, including an outdoor amphitheater, permanent restrooms, lighting, electrical service for events and improvements to the connected baseball and turf field. Lisa Harlow, secretary of the Essex CDC board and president of the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River, described recent community events at the park and urged continued investment to expand its use.

Local waterfront and park advocates asked the county to fund dredging of local waterways and to invest in trail connections. The Rockaway Beach Improvement Association and other speakers sought dredging to protect marinas and waterfront businesses and requested funding to convert horse trails into linked hiking, biking and walking trails at several parks.

Community development requests included a $150,000 seed allocation to create a new Greater Dundalk community development corporation to replace the dissolved Dundalk Renaissance Corporation, testimony by Scott Halotka said. Speakers also requested additional building and code inspectors and more legal staff for enforcement to speed permit and code work.

Why it matters: speakers said these investments would support economic development, recreation, access to services and waterfront businesses and asked the county to set priorities for FY26 capital and operating funds.

County staff and directors attended the event and were invited to follow up with speakers for project details and possible next steps.","Multiple speakers from Essex and surrounding neighborhoods asked Baltimore County to prioritize a new Essex library, continued improvements at Renaissance Park and other parks, dredging local waterways, and seed funding for community development corporations.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6099623,"Teachers and facilities staff press county to fully fund BCPS wage agreement and school maintenance",753,1740000,2493000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2816954-9df07518d26704cd8f4edf0933172adb&start=1740&end=2493","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2816954-9df07518d26704cd8f4edf0933172adb/thumbnail_1740000.jpg","/articles/6099623/Baltimore-County/Maryland/Teachers-and-facilities-staff-press-county-to-fully-fund-BCPS-wage-agreement-and-school-maintenance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099623-bb9e8119459001aee37855c5876ed357/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171126&Signature=gNdmwtoH83ZxJ0MQhxJqb5jFpIc3KeICr-~ztIRAqFfEvqPAdqk9x2pAAUpjoVtBzLbQ6HJBFVa2jfocbKacMvWqIfj5FniwQbVq9fIK8-D6VbSl-fFhXkcm9XxBdQRt-OYleip7jJ~zcPcPPUVbGltdbJ1xBQgzS1lM8DUpkjNzaW9W0LCIfpzA9cJwLptbvcnQE4JHQIqBMiD-vna2g2tdDB5MwBWT49YzaKa~W5UjBVylv-zSLHNFGwllsuKGh8kyqRD24f4GfPyCfS7Fe~HE1~2t1Q6ohS27w~VEZKyZddegbmr39w~RF~QZp3anWGGZwGBeE06LajrQsJehkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several speakers representing Baltimore County Public Schools staff and teachers urged the county to fully fund school system wage and facilities needs as Baltimore County builds its FY26 budget.

Christina Bosetti, identified as manager of BCPS Facility Support Services and president of the BCPS Organization for Professional Employees (OPE) union, said long-standing staffing shortages in facilities, maintenance, grounds and custodial work make a competitive wage scale essential. She cited Montgomery County's plan to set a $20 minimum wage for school staff effective July 1, 2025, to argue BCPS pay needs to be competitive with neighboring jurisdictions and the private sector.

Natalie Avaloni, a 26-year teacher at Patapsco High School and a board member representing District 3 for the Teachers Association of Baltimore County (TABCO), asked county leaders to fully fund the second year of a three-year negotiated agreement for teacher wages. \"We simply ask that you keep your promise to teachers,\" Avaloni said, citing the need for stability to recruit and retain educators across more than 150 schools serving over 100,000 students.

Speakers also requested funding for maintenance and inspectors so aging school infrastructure and other county facilities receive needed repairs and oversight.

Why it matters: pay and staffing levels for school employees affect operations, student safety and educational continuity. Funding a negotiated wage package and increasing maintenance capacity were described as steps to improve hiring, retention and building conditions.

County and school officials at the town hall did not announce formal budget allocations; speakers were asked to submit additional testimony via email and follow up with department contacts where applicable.","Representatives of Baltimore County Public Schools staff and teachers asked county leaders to fund the second year of a three-year negotiated wage agreement, raise minimum hourly pay for some positions and fund facility maintenance and inspections.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6099627,"Volunteer EMS and fire volunteers urge higher county support, warn of staffing and equipment shortfalls",1319,1682000,3001000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2816954-9df07518d26704cd8f4edf0933172adb&start=1682&end=3001","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2816954-9df07518d26704cd8f4edf0933172adb/thumbnail_1682000.jpg","/articles/6099627/Baltimore-County/Maryland/Volunteer-EMS-and-fire-volunteers-urge-higher-county-support-warn-of-staffing-and-equipment-shortfalls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099627-404b5e64a26c1fdc3e4baea864019d9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171126&Signature=I1WjUDWf9mXhOozrr8QQx5Fm0b1NoMkT1d85NmjDR7SlYV9E720S8njcJXQaiPYAbbM4qly4gVt40mLLwK2YkhI5Q0z9LbqUlS3DCzrrNxTZ5xJW-YNvIe9q7VgFrtW1jJQ5Gp7nE2vPsyTuUyNQjovP4ESEf~EuGSuR-yyxLekNZfAPWflm7utULNRoA0ZdzbseGW45Hl9AbLiSJm8rhR-YSmEuGrvHT8cyvoVGijN0MSa26XLFq8ZEkS-uec9i22tqoo3NFRlobBXKx6yxO8q3m~CnhNsHYCmVxyjKSqe2MFQDIhojs6WTc15hx4Y0BYcCqt8UDippynH73JBgKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A succession of speakers at the District 7 budget town hall urged Baltimore County to increase financial support for volunteer emergency medical services and volunteer fire companies, saying current funding and equipment shortfalls threaten response capacity.

A speaker identified only as a volunteer EMS representative said volunteer EMS companies are expected to provide ambulance service for $35 an hour while the true cost is about $67 an hour, and that EMS transport billing has generated about $40 million in revenue for the county while still failing to cover \"reasonable expenses.\" The commenter urged the county to increase funding so volunteer units can staff more ambulances and reduce response times.

Andrew, identified in the meeting as a volunteer firefighter at the Essex Volunteer Fire Company, described aging apparatus and unsafe station conditions and asked county officials to visit his company. \"We need help,\" he said, recounting 30-year-old engines, failing roofs and pump leaks. Andrew told officials the county saves more than $120 million annually in payroll by using volunteers and asked officials to inspect conditions firsthand.

Other public remarks at the event referenced a decade-old contract that authorized Baltimore County to bill for transports in exchange for the county covering reasonable transport expenses. Speakers asked the county to honor that commitment more fully and to address equipment and staffing through the FY26 budget.

Why it matters: volunteer companies supply substantial emergency coverage across Baltimore County. Speakers said inadequate pay, aging vehicles and insufficient staffing compromise response times and public safety, and they asked county leaders to account for those needs as the budget is finalized.

County staff at the event directed individual speakers to department contacts to follow up on specific repair needs and contract questions.","Multiple residents and volunteer responders told the county the current pay and equipment levels for volunteer EMS and fire companies are unsustainable, citing billing shortfalls, aging apparatus and unstaffed units.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6099633,"Baltimore County outlines FY26 budget gap, warns of rising mandatory costs and limited borrowing capacity",1486,93000,1579000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2816954-9df07518d26704cd8f4edf0933172adb&start=93&end=1579","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2816954-9df07518d26704cd8f4edf0933172adb/thumbnail_93000.jpg","/articles/6099633/Baltimore-County/Maryland/Baltimore-County-outlines-FY26-budget-gap-warns-of-rising-mandatory-costs-and-limited-borrowing-capacity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099633-e9dae39224234d9d1b552252b21e35bf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171126&Signature=RT9JGqREGO3119mFQ2Rk1K4L1s5sfR8zZILmIXXXG9jquzV2Qesw3agM1QnzxuagHQwE-s-0PIanp4q3SHqVXZcqqp9dVxd9TolLvGua5UkCDXws~Ima8pkkoClBBSyi8tOyohWzYT9u1Ey4Hc2vD8gA7FCJbh8hvbhzzPw41a9T2aOE1lOZvR-4EmwuqFYgMiHuU2RzEKrIVh9zbBaR-LiXEro8oAKjFo6x63voNEnfw2Ylni1NHJIZBxnSHaW6wYXU4KrXXOCIc9RL0yHxCo0zRWpS0VvWLAxIqc4oEgEWRrno-pYvNSqwehGtMkLGb4wTZtdZxRm4d0w0uqENSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County Executive Kathy Klausmeier and Kevin Reed, director of budget and finance, laid out Baltimore County's fiscal constraints and timeline for the fiscal year 2026 budget during a District 7 town hall at Solars Pointe Multipurpose Center.

Klausmeier said county leaders must \"be prepared to make tough decisions in this uncertain climate\" as the executive prepares a budget to submit to the County Council in April. Reed gave a line-by-line view of revenues and spending pressures, telling attendees the county estimates about $127 million in general fund growth for FY26 but has received roughly $189 million in new requests from agencies, including mandated increases.

The presentation said the county's operating budget is about $4.6 billion and that more than half of local revenue is allocated to Baltimore County Public Schools. Federal funding accounts for roughly $400 million to the county, the public school system and the Community College of Baltimore County, Reed said. The six-year capital program totals about $3.13 billion; roughly half of capital funding comes from user fees for water and sewer, with general obligation bonds making up nearly 40 percent of capital revenue.

Reed recapped American Rescue Plan Act funding the county received: $161 million in ARPA funds were fully obligated and booked as of Dec. 30, 2024, but projects still must be built out and spent down over the next two years. He also listed other pressures: state budget uncertainty, teacher and community college pension costs that may be shifted to counties, double-digit annual health-care cost increases for employees and retirees, and capital inflation that has pushed construction and materials costs higher since 2016.

On borrowing, Reed said the county has reached or approached its maximum borrowing limits for general obligation bonds. Maintaining the county's triple-A bond rating, reaffirmed recently, remains a priority because it lowers borrowing costs, he said.

Reed outlined the FY26 calendar: the county executive's proposed budget will be submitted to the County Council on April 11; the council will hold agency hearings and make adjustments in April and May; and the council is scheduled to adopt the budget in May with the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Why it matters: the presentation framed a narrow set of choices as county leaders craft a balanced budget under the spending affordability guideline set by the County Council's spending affordability committee. Officials signaled they will seek program and operational changes to close the gap while protecting the county's fiscal ratings.

The county accepted public testimony at the event and urged residents with additional priorities to submit them by email to townhall@baltimorecountymd.gov.","County Executive Kathy Klausmeier and Kevin Reed, director of budget and finance, presented the county's FY26 fiscal picture at a District 7 town hall, saying estimated general fund growth of about $127 million falls short of roughly $189 million in agency requests and mandatory costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents and nonprofits press county for eviction support, food access, veterans services and animal shelter funding

Essex and District 7 residents press county for library funding, park upgrades, dredging and CDC seed money

Teachers and facilities staff press county to fully fund BCPS wage agreement and school maintenance

Volunteer EMS and fire volunteers urge higher county support, warn of staffing and equipment shortfalls

Baltimore County outlines FY26 budget gap, warns of rising mandatory costs and limited borrowing capacity