FY 27 Proposed Operating Budget

- Full-funding of the sheriff’s non-personnel operating request - Wage increases of 9% for eligible sworn law enforcement and corrections officers, including one merit step, a 3% COLA and a 3% market adjustment - Average salary is now $113,700 per year for a law enforcement deputy and $87,000 for a correctional officer (not including overtime) - Law enforcement deputies who have been with HCSO since December 2022 are earning $32,000 or 36% more on average than they were four years ago - A 25% increase in uniform allowance for correctional officers for FY27 - $10 million in capital funding, including providing body worn cameras for correctional officers State’s Attorney’s Office - Overall operating increase of $700,000 (6.2%) - Funds included for a COLA and wage enhancements at the discretion of the State’s Attorney - One (1) new Assistant State’s Attorney position added Harford County Public Library - Funding increase of $1.3 million (6.2%) - Includes $900,000 for equivalent COLA and merit increases - Increased funds for healthcare, books and digital records, as well as for state-mandated cost shift of employee pensions to the county Harford Community College - Full-funding of operating request, an increase of $1.6 million (8.1%) - Increase in state-mandated cost shift of employee pensions - Added $11 million in county funds to Regional Workforce Development Center project Humane Society: Funding increase of $463,000 (35%) for operating costs, plus an additional $100,000 as a contingency for court-mandated animal seizures and boarding expenses Volunteer Fire Companies - Full-funding of requested 12% increase in funding allotment to companies - $250,000 provided for cancer screening for volunteer firefighters - $13.8 million for new Whiteford station, $500,000 for major maintenance projects Parks & Recreation - $30 million in capital projects, including $10 million for Aberdeen Community Center - Other projects include construction or improvements of parks in Norrisville, Edgewood, Joppa (Mariner Point), Havre de Grace (Oakington), Bel Air (Schucks, Blake’s Venture), and Pylesville (Eden Mill)

Ag Preservation: $12.8 million for the permanent preservation of additional farmland and forests

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