"We will not sacrifice public safety to save a couple of dollars," Bane said. "We have a safe county and won't let that slip."
Increased enrollment has helped Harford Community College avoid cuts to its staffing, said President James F. LaCalle. A third of the college's revenue comes from tuition, and a 4.2 percent increase in its student body should help the school address the economic impact, he said. It was able to return $830,000 from its budget and still move forward with plans to build a 3,300-seat arena next year.
The downturn in the housing industry has affected the county's revenues, particularly money derived from the transfer and recording taxes assessed on home sales, officials said. State contributions to county coffers will be considerably less this year and next, officials said.
Craig said the county will meet the demands of BRAC, the military expansion that will bring an additional 10,000 jobs in the next few years to Aberdeen Proving Ground, the county's largest employer. Work on schools, roads and other infrastructure is moving forward, he said.
"We will be ready for BRAC," Craig said. "I don't believe the state will be ready."
He also criticized state efforts to save money by proposed cutbacks in mass transit, some of which he said will be critical to moving BRAC workers to their jobs.
"Just when people are turning to mass transit is not the time to take it away," he said.
While the economy has shown no signs of improving, Craig said he will take a wait-and-see attitude before calling for more cuts. He has not considered decreases in the county's contributions to Harford's three municipalities.
It will be February before the state makes its income and revenue projections, which might force another round of budget trimming, he said.
"It is easier to cut now," he said. "These cuts will lead us through the immediate crisis and potentially help us in the long-term crisis. In the meantime, we are watching revenues and expenditures."
He ended the news conference on a note of optimism.
"This too shall pass," he said. "We will work our way through it."
