Posted by: Christine Calvert/ Legislative Committee Chairperson
Please note these  AA County  budget highlights and link to the polystyrene food service products ban bill.

 

•  Education: The County Executive’s budget will directly invest $684 million in our schools, including $21.2 million for two educator step pay increases. To reduce class sizes, the proposal would add 80 educators. The County will also fund expanding the “Triple E” initiative to the Annapolis Cluster.  This program provides additional electives for our elementary school population and provides planning time for teachers.  Additionally, the budget funds a third early education center, which will serve South County, to ensure residents access to high quality Pre-K opportunities and programs. 

 

•  Public Safety : To ensure our Police Department can recruit and retain the best officers, the budget begins funding a 15% increase in compensation for police over the next two years. Under the County Executive’s plan, starting police salaries will also increase from $46,854 to $51,500. The budget adds 20 new police positions, including 10 new school resource officers.

 

•  Investing in Roads and Relieving Congestion: The budget proposal makes targeted investments in congestion relief. Three years ago, the County increased road maintenance funding by 53 percent to $26 million annually. This was the first time the County has ever committed the funds required to stabilize the system and to prevent further deterioration.  This year's budget proposal takes the historic next step of increasing the maintenance budget to $30 million, which will allow the County to actually improve the road system in the next few years. The proposal also funds crucial chokepoint improvements at  Catherine Avenue in Pasadena, Brock Bridge at MD 198 near Fort Meade, MD 214 at Loch Haven Road in Mayo, and a road widening on Mountain Road in Pasadena.

 

A few other budget items that are of concern to just Pasadena area residents are:

 

Downs Park Improvements and Amphitheater - This project authorizes the patching and resurfacing of parking lots, roads, trails and two basketball courts at the 242 acre regional park on Pinehurst Road in Pasadena. This project also includes the rehabilitation or replacement of the existing amphitheater. 

 

Fort Smallwood Park Improvements- The boat ramp that we now have at the park was phase 1 of 4 phase to the improvements to Fort Smallwood Park. Phases 2 through 4 will be funded in this budget and future budgets. They are listed below.

 

 Phase IIA - Beach area parking, concession, restrooms and storm shelter. Also, winterize stone restroom building on northwest side of park.

 Phase IIB -Addl parking, new maintenance bldg, convert barracks into a visitors center

 Phase III - Park Roads and Parking

 Phase IV - Weinberg Park Nature Center

 

Chesapeake High school will be getting a turf field as well as  Marley Middle School

 

Here is a link to the FY 2019 budget as proposed by the County Executive incase you wanted to take a deeper look at anything.   http://www.aacounty.org/departments/budget-office/proposed-budget/index.html

 

Also here is the link to the above mentioned polystyrene food Service products ban bill. http://www.aacounty.org/departments/county-council/legislation/bills-and-resolutions/PROPOSED%20BILLs20NO.49-18.pdf