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Anne Arundel County proposes balanced $2.56 billion FY27 budget, seeks modest tax-rate change to fund schools and public safety
Summary
The county executive's FY27 proposal would fund a $2.557 billion general fund, retain AAA ratings, increase school funding by a record roughly $72.8 million, and fund public-safety and library staffing while raising some utility rates; the council heard hours of public testimony on schools, the food bank, library needs and security grants.
The Anne Arundel County budget officer presented a proposed fiscal year 2027 general fund budget totaling approximately $2,557,129,400 and described it as balanced, with no structural deficit and AAA ratings retained from all three major credit agencies. Chris Trumbau said modest growth in income and property tax revenues plus elevated investment income support the plan and that the proposal holds a $5.7 million unappropriated contingency for federal funding risks.
The executives proposal includes what the presentation identified as a record increase in direct funding for the school system roughly $1.054 billion in direct school funding, an increase of about $72.9 million over the prior year and a compensation package for educators with a 2.25% cost-of-living adjustment and merit steps. Trumbau said the proposal would add roughly 26 new special-education positions and meet state "blueprint" requirements while continuing contractual commitments for public safety.
On property tax, Trumbau explained the county charter sets a cap that would yield a rate of about 96.2 cents per $100 of assessed value; the county executives proposal is slightly above that cap to support additional school compensation and staffing. The presentation stressed that the proposed rate would remain below the current 97.7-cent rate cited in the presentation. Trumbau emphasized that all recurring expenses would be paid with recurring revenues.
The proposal would increase some utility charges: a roughly 10% rise to the solid-waste fee and about a 9% increase in water and sewer rates. Trumbau said the average annual residential water and sewer bill is estimated near $1,033. The six-year capital improvement program before the council was described as within debt-affordability guidelines and oriented toward completing existing projects rather than adding many new ones.
The budget officer noted funding for public safety initiatives, including staffing for an innovative real-time information center in the police department and a proposed addition of 21 firefighter positions, the largest such increase since 2019. Trumbau also highlighted investments in health and human services, including $2 million proposed for the county food bank and expansions to violence-intervention and REACH programs.
No council vote occurred at the May 13 hearing; the presentations were followed by a lengthy public-comment period in which residents and organizational representatives urged the council to preserve or increase funding for schools, the food bank, library positions and security grants.
The council closed the public hearing and adjourned to its next legislative session.
