NEWS
By Larry Carson | April 22, 2007
Critics of proposals to build a park and community center in North Laurel and playing fields at Blandair Park in Columbia continue to try to derail both projects as the County Council prepares to discuss County Executive Ken Ulman's capital budget this week. Ulman's budget contains $1.9 million for the $19.5 million North Laurel Park Community Center and $1.4 million for planning Blandair's development. In addition, the General Assembly approved $375,000 for Blandair and $200,000 for North Laurel Park.
NEWS
By JOHN R. LEOPOLD | June 17, 2007
Our Anne Arundel County fiscal 2008 budget, a collaborative effort between my administration and a unanimous County Council, makes a historic commitment to the education of our children. Half of the tax money that will be spent will go toward our schools, a level unmatched in the history of charter government. We have focused our resources on the classroom, funded the Advancement Via Individual Determination program, expanded the International Baccalaureate program and promoted a safer, more secure learning environment with additional security provided by our Police Department.
NEWS
By Larry Carson | September 16, 2007
Howard County school officials are intensifying their campaign for a new funding source for school construction projects as demand increases while state and county contributions decrease. School board members and Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin made a pitch for help to the county's General Assembly delegation and County Council members at a meeting Friday at board headquarters, but the legislators indicated that they had little enthusiasm for raising revenue. The largest and most contested issue in next year's capital budget is how much to spend on Mount Hebron High School.
NEWS
By Larry Carson | March 31, 1999
Howard County Executive James N. Robey unveiled a $98 million capital budget proposal yesterdaythat is 24 percent smaller than this fiscal year's, but fueled by enough surplus cash to plan for a new Fulton high school, a disputed in-line skating pavilion and a new Ellicott Mills Middle School.Robey said he resisted seeking more in order to begin reducing the county's $400 million debt -- a burden that would cost $45 million in operating budget cash just in interest payments next fiscal year.
NEWS
By Erika Niedowski | December 17, 1999
The Columbia Association unveiled last night a $48.9 million proposed budget for the coming fiscal year that includes $100,000 for Howard County schools and $340,000 for a possible increase in staff salaries.Overall, the combined operating and capital expenditures proposed for the fiscal year that begins May 1 represent a negligible increase over current spending.According to the budget, released to the 10-member Columbia Council last night, the association "assessment" -- the planned community's equivalent of a property tax -- would remain unchanged.
NEWS
By Gady A. Epstein | January 27, 1999
With a record $1.05 billion to spread around for capital projects, Gov. Parris N. Glendening is proposing a $24 million expansion of the Senate office building -- part of a makeover long sought by some legislators.More than $700 million of Glendening's capital budget, released yesterday, is earmarked for public school construction, higher education and the environment, traditionally three areas that receive the lion's share of the state's annual investment in projects.Baltimore would receive about $185 million, the most of any jurisdiction, including $15.5 million for an African-American museum and $3 million for the zoo.Glendening's budget earmarks $10 million toward the University of Maryland Medical System's $218 million renovation project in downtown Baltimore, and he pledged yesterday to add $30 million overall to the state's $70 million commitment.
NEWS
By Michael Hill | December 17, 1999
In an early holiday gift, Gov. Parris N. Glendening handed out hundreds of millions of dollars yesterday for new buildings at Maryland's colleges and universities.Glendening announced the higher education portion of the capital budget at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to an eager audience that included most of the presidents of the state's public schools.Glendening said a five-year $1.23 billion construction budget will be funded with the state budget surplus projected at $925 million, as well as with income from a tax on tobacco products passed last year and money from the settlement with tobacco companies.
NEWS
By Brenda J. Buote | May 7, 1999
More than 400 people flocked to the Westminster High School auditorium last night to listen to the Carroll County commissioners promote their proposed spending plan for fiscal 2000, which begins July 1.The commissioners are looking to raise capital spending by $25 million to pay for school construction projects, including the new Century High in South Carroll and a new classroom building at Carroll Community College.The budget proposal, presented to the public during a three-hour hearing, drew comments from more than 70 residents, most of whom expressed concerns about school funding.
NEWS
By Larry Carson | March 10, 1999
Despite its wealth, Howard County should curb its debt by trying to borrow no more each year than the $25 million raised through a bond sale yesterday, say several members of a spending affordability committee that met hours before the sale.Yesterday's sale attracted an interest rate of 4.6065 percent from 1st Union Capitol Markets Corp., the lowest of eight bidders."That's the best interest rate we've received in a long time," county Budget Director Raymond S. Wacks said. "We're happy."The low rate is a tribute to the county's top AAA rating by New York bond houses.
NEWS
By Mary Maushard | April 25, 1999
Carroll County residents will not face increases in property or piggyback taxes next fiscal year, even though the county's proposed operating budget is $10 million or about 5.5 percent higher than this year.In its fiscal 2000 budget released Friday, the county commissioners proposed an operating budget of $192.7 million and a capital budget of $80.8 million, an increase of more than $33 million over the current year.This year's operating budget is nearly $182.7 million. The property tax rate will remain at $2.62 per $100 of assessed value.