As the 2024 Maryland General Assembly prepares to convene its three month session on Wednesday, the threat of state budget cuts, along with the drying up of federal COVID money as well as inflation are teaming up to create a rocky budget year not just for Baltimore County but for localities across Maryland.
“You put all of that together and it’s going to be a much more challenging budget cycle for us,” Baltimore County Johnny Olszewski said. “It really is in some ways the perfect storm of presenting some challenges.”
While not ruling out a tax increase to help the county get through a tough budget year, Olszewski said that should always be “the last option as we consider our budgets.”
State officials began painting a gloomy picture in December.
They warned that transportation projects could be delayed and commuter bus service and road repairs could be cut because of a more-than-$3 billion hole in funding the state’s six-year transportation plan.
Lawmakers were told the state has a $761 million budget shortfall.
Also in December, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore warned local officials of a worsening budget picture at the Maryland Association of Counties’ (MACo) annual meeting. Olszewski is the current president of MACo.
Read more (and listen) at WYPR.
