March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 51 F

Schuh gets most of what he wanted from Council in his budget

Steve Schuh
Steve Schuh
Steve Schuh, Anne Arundel County Executive

The Anne Arundel County Council today enacted County Executive’s Steve Schuh’s amended budget plan designed to make Anne Arundel County the best place to live, work, and start a business in Maryland.

“Our people, our economy and the presence of so many critical assets have brought Anne Arundel County to the verge statewide leadership in Maryland,” said Schuh.  “This enacted budget will help us lead our state to a brighter future.”

The amended budget delivers on the County’s Executive’s five point strategic plan for a stronger Anne Arundel County, including:

  • Reducing Taxes: The $11 million reduction in income taxes will help working families across the county.
  • Strengthening our Education System: The budget contains teacher pay increases, as well as planning funding for a new Crofton High School and to study the feasibility of building two, smaller high schools to replace the Old Mill Complex.
  • Enhancing Public Safety: The budget plan includes funding for 20 new public safety personnel, new police academy and 3% compensation increase.
  • Reforming County Government: With an overall reduction in non-public safety departmental budgets, investments in technology and a hiring freeze, the budget makes county government more efficient and effective with $4 million in annual savings. 
  • Improve Our Waterways: The budget protects our waterways and the Bay through $70 million to support critical projects, including 1.5 miles of stormwater pipe repairs, over 300 outfall projects, 74 stormwater pond retrofits, and 9 miles of stream restorations.

“This budget delivers on a five point strategic plan to propel our county to a better tomorrow,” said Schuh. “It keeps the promises I have made to the people of Anne Arundel County.”

The enacted FY 2016 capital budget also makes historic investments in our county through the JumpStart Anne Arundel Capital Funding program that will help fund the following projects:

  • Smaller Schools: The budget takes a significant financial step towards smaller schools by funding a study to examine splitting the current Old Mill Complex into two smaller, neighborhood high schools.
  • Crofton High School: For the first time in county history, there is funding allocated for a high school in the Crofton area.
  • New Police Academy and Central Booking: The County Executive has kept this promise not only to ensure more public safety personnel, but to give them the tools to fight crime effectively. Central Booking and the new Police Academy are historic investments in our public safety infrastructure.
  • Annapolis Library: To strengthen our system of libraries, the budget begins construction on an expanded 32,5000 sq. library on West Street in Annapolis.
  • Riviera Beach Library: To strengthen our system of neighborhood libraries, the budget begins the planning of a brand new, state-of-the-art neighborhood library in Riviera Beach.
  • Route 2 Bike Bridge: To improve the quality of life here in Anne Arundel County, the budget makes strategic investments in our system of bike trails including funding to study the feasibility of a pedestrian bike bridge connecting the Broadneck and B&A Bike Trails.
  • Increased Road Investments: The budget contains a substantial $10 million increase in funding to maintain and rehabilitate county roads.
  • Expanded Water Access: The budget takes a first step in expanding water access throughout the county by funding the study of possible boat ramp locations on all major rivers.

The FY 2016 budget is effective July 1, 2015.

[do action=”blackwall-hitch”/]

Previous Article

Miss Shirley’s introduces new ice cream waffle treats for summer

Next Article

Man shot this morning on Bens Drive in Annapolis

You might be interested in …