Public Hearing on Proposed FY27 Budget – Anne Arundel County Council – May 13, 2026

The Anne Arundel County Council held a public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 County General and Board of Education budget. The meeting began with the invocation, pledge of allegiance, and the reading of the titles of 14 budget-related bills. Chris Trumbauer, County Budget Officer, presented a comprehensive overview of the executive's proposal, followed by presentations from library CEO Skip Ald and school board CFO Matt Stanski. Dozens of public speakers testified, focusing primarily on education funding, food bank support, library staffing, security grants for nonprofits, and animal shelter needs. No votes were taken; the hearing closed with adjournment.

Presentations

• Chris Trumbauer, Budget Officer: The proposed FY27 general fund increases by $176 million (3.3% over current year; 5.9% after adjusting for fund balance) to a total of $1.317 billion. The budget is balanced with no structural deficit, and includes an additional $5.7 million contingency for federal funding impacts. The county executive recommends a property tax rate of 96.8 cents per $100 of assessed value, a 0.9 cent decrease from the current 97.7 cents, using a state provision to fund education. Local income tax rates remain unchanged. School funding reaches a record $1.054 billion, a $72.9 million increase, funding a 2.25% COLA and step increases for educators, all state blueprint requirements, and 26 new special education positions. Public safety includes staffing the police real-time information center and adding 21 firefighters. Health and human services: $2 million for the County Food Bank, expansion of gun violence intervention to Brooklyn Park, and two new REACH positions. Library funding increases by $1.1 million; community college by $2.4 million. Utility rates increase: solid waste fee up 10%, water/sewer up 9% (average annual residential bill estimated at $1,033, still among lowest regionally), stormwater fee unchanged. The six-year capital improvement program is within debt affordability guidelines, focusing on completing existing projects and fully funding school construction.
• Skip Ald, CEO, Anne Arundel County Public Library: Of 602,000 county residents, 321,209 hold library cards, with 200,000 active users. The library system leads Maryland in children's programs, database downloads, and interlibrary loans, yet its per capita funding of $57 is the lowest among six suburban Baltimore systems. Key requests: a maintenance mechanic position, a performance measures and data analyst position (currently filled by a Maryland Service Corps employee whose contract ends in June), and continued support for three Maryland Service Corps positions. Capital projects include a $4.7 million renovation of Brooklyn Park Library and a feasibility study for a new Mountain Road library.
• Matt Stanski, CFO, Anne Arundel County Public Schools: The county executive's proposal provides $72.8 million in new funding (7.4% increase), the largest dollar and percentage increase in 20 years. This funds a 2.25% COLA and step increase for all employees, meets state blueprint mandates, opens a new early childhood center at Carver, and a new charter high school (New Village Academy) in the Annapolis Mall. It also includes 26.8 special education positions. Stanski noted the school board has a list of unfunded requests should the council find additional resources.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Christy Giuliano (AACPS math teacher, step 25+): Urged raising the property tax back to the current rate or higher to fund at least a 3% COLA for educators. She described a 5.7% gap between cumulative COLAs (17%) and national inflation (22.7%) over five years, and noted a 14.7% higher cost of living in the county. Her rent increases have exceeded her raises.
• Brian Daig (Edgewater resident, Food Bank board chair): Asked the council to preserve the full $2,727,097 funding for the Food Bank, citing rising demand and the organization's role in helping families avoid trade-offs between food and other essentials.
• Jeremiah Batoukin (local business owner, Food Bank board member): Emphasized that food insecurity affects working families, not just those in poverty, and described long lines at monthly pantries that reflect immediate impacts of federal policy changes. He noted 51,000 neighbors served but 66,000 food insecure residents, leaving a 15,000-person gap.
• Lindsay Alamey (Food Bank director of community programs): Reported that in March, the Food Bank served over 15,500 households (highest monthly total outside the November SNAP pause) and distributes an average of 400,000 pounds of food monthly. She urged maintaining the $2.727 million allocation.
• Christopher Cano (SEIU Local 500, political director): Urged full funding for Anne Arundel Community College, noting that adjunct faculty teach a significant share of courses and are central to student success, especially for low-income and first-generation students. Inadequate funding would disproportionately harm vulnerable communities.
• August Wickman (library data analyst, Maryland Service Corps): Explained that the data analyst position supports efficiency across the library system, from digital operations to community health initiatives (e.g., gun safety lock distribution, COVID-19 response). Her contract ends in June; she asked for permanent funding.
• Linda Adamson (St. Luke's Episcopal Church volunteer): Supported food bank funding, describing clients who often have working adults and line up hours before the weekly one-hour pantry opening. Fresh food from grocery stores is especially popular.
• Donna Weingarten (St. Luke's volunteer): Emphasized the positive atmosphere at the pantry and the partnership with the Food Bank, whose deliveries are met with enthusiasm from volunteers and clients.
• Lauren Bloom (rector, St. Luke's): Stressed that nutrition affects learning, work, and senior well-being. The Food Bank provides the bulk of what the pantry distributes; she anticipates increased need due to federal cuts.
• Christina Corona (TAC president): Noted the budget funds only 26 of 82.2 requested special education positions (including teachers, SLPs, PTs, OTs, and TAs) and does not fund English language development teachers, counselors, psychologists, social workers, or PPWs. She asked the council to maintain the current property tax rate (raising $9 million more) to fund a 3% COLA and additional staffing.
• Jonathan Goldsmith (president, Jewish Federation of Annapolis and the Chesapeake): Proposed a $250,000 pilot program for security grants to faith organizations and nonprofits, capped at $15,000 per organization, arguing it would make a meaningful difference. He noted that county executive Pittman had declined a larger request as too costly.
• Joe Tulin (Annapolis resident): Supported the security grant pilot, citing rising hate crimes: 113 anti-LGBTQ incidents in Maryland over four years (four in Annapolis), an 18% increase in anti-Latino hate crimes nationally from 2024-2025, and 73% of LGBTQ centers experiencing threats. Latino churches spend up to 50% of annual budgets on security.
• Linda Maser (Animal Welfare Council chair): Supported the full animal services budget of $5.281 million, including $530,000 for a concept design study for a new shelter (current facility deemed inadequate) and an adoption coordinator position to improve placement of harder-to-adopt animals.
• Sarah Gillen (AACPS special educator, Odenton): Asked the council to keep the property tax rate unchanged to fund a 3% COLA and all 82.2 special education positions. She described working 10-hour days plus weekend hours, and having to reduce a second job to meet student needs.
• Benjamin Tuck (Chinese teacher, Annapolis High): Highlighted a hiring freeze on custodians and cafeteria workers, leaving students unable to eat lunch within 25 minutes and custodians cleaning 36 classrooms nightly with short staff. He urged fully funding special education positions (82.2) and a 3% COLA.
• Elizabeth Ruddy (sixth grade math teacher, Crofton): Thanked the council for past budget support but urged them to increase property taxes to current levels to fund additional positions and a higher COLA, as education faces federal attacks.
• Richard Otten (adjunct faculty, AACC; SEIU Local 500): Asked for full funding of the community college budget to support adjunct compensation, as the college president indicated a compensation pool below what was expected. Adjuncts teach about half of all classes.
• Mike Shire (Fraternal Order of Police): Asked for support for police staffing and facilities, noting the newest academy class had a failure rate exceeding 10% due to maintained standards, and described mold and sewage issues at the academy, Northern District station, and CID building.
• Dr. Margaret Turner (Annapolis Pediatrics): Reported that 11% of county children are food insecure and that screening in her practice shows drastic increases. She emphasized the long-term return on investment from feeding children (higher test scores, lower healthcare costs).
• Paul Higgins (Woodholm Community Association president): Requested continued funding for the Jumpers Hall Road connector project, specifically for right-of-way acquisition and design completion (currently at 60% design). He noted the budget package number remains largely unchanged but land acquisition remains uncertain.
• Liz Glass (Jewish Federation board member): Described personal experience with security costs at Temple Beth Shalom, where armed guards are now present for all services. She noted that Maryland hate crimes against Jewish people tripled in the past year and urged a security grant pilot.
• Deanna Edmonds (second grade teacher): Supported special education staffing, noting that caseloads at her school are double the manageable level despite increased staffing each year.
• Carolyn Matthews (Arnold resident, Food Bank volunteer): Asked to preserve the $2.7 million Food Bank funding. She described the mobile food pantry serving all areas of the county, where a two-hour distribution often runs over to serve everyone. The pantry allows choice and has no income gatekeeping.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken on the budget; the meeting was a public hearing for testimony. The council will deliberate and vote at a later date.
• A motion to adjourn was passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned at an unspecified time, with the next legislative session scheduled for May 18, 2026, at 7 p.m. (Note: the transcript states "May eighteenth, 2025," which conflicts with the meeting year of 2026; the intended date is likely May 18, 2026.)