Budget
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the major sources of revenue for the budget?
- What are the tax rates of the County's major taxes?
- What is the size of Baltimore County's Budget?
- How many full & part-time positions are employed in Baltimore County government?
- What is the size of the County's Capital Budget and Capital Program?
- How can I get more information about the Baltimore County Budget?
Q. What are the major sources of revenue for the budget?
A. Property taxes provide 32 percent of the County's General Fund revenue and individual income taxes provide another 19 percent. Like other Maryland counties, Baltimore County can not levy corporate income tax or a general sales tax, and does not have access to lottery revenues.
Q. What are the tax rates of the County's major taxes?
A. The rate for real property is $1.10 and the rate for personal property is $2.75 per $100 of assessed value. Baltimore County's Income Tax rate is 2.83 percent of a taxpayer's Maryland Adjusted Gross Income. These rates have not been raised.
Q. What is the size of Baltimore County's Budget?
A. The General Fund (tax supported) budget for FY 2012 is $1,603,784,784. When special funding for restricted grants and non County aid such as state / federal grants to the public schools and tuition for the community college is added to the General fund amount, the Total Operating Budget reaches $2,868,191,223.
Adopted FY 2012 Total Operating Budget - Source of Funding
Agencies | General Fund | Special Fund | Total |
Schools | $702,982,279 | $683,770,295 | $1,386,752,574 |
Police Protection | $193,215,666 | $12,327,950 | $205,542,616 |
Community College | $44,257,668 | $216,241,786 | $260,499,454 |
Public Works | $119,750,288 | $184,384,902 | $304,135,190 |
Insurance Contributions | $68,574,811 |
| $68,574,811 |
Fire Protection | $92,288,954 | $2,278,345 | $94,567,299 |
Debt Service | $76,598,024 |
| $76,598,024 |
Economic Development | $1,641,919 | $17,658,500 | $19,300,419 |
Health | $20,130,295 | $36,110,237 | $56,240,532 |
General Government | $53,793,799 | $1,635,406 | $55,429,205 |
Retirement & Social Security | $76,933,463 |
| $76,933,463 |
Libraries | $34,070,272 | $7,379,655 | $41,449,927 |
Corrections | $34,511,918 | $577,857 | $35,089,775 |
State Mandated Agencies | $22,887,724 | $3,559,605 | $26,447,329 |
Aging | $5,618,585 | $12,470,973 | $18,089,558 |
Other Programs | $14,723,118 | $72,492,487 | $87,215,605 |
Recreation & Parks | $17,757,983 | $3,756,777 | $21,514,760 |
Social Services | $6,521,721 | $9,080,493 | $15,602,214 |
Emergency (911) Communications Center | $11,131,331 |
| $11,131,331 |
Environmental Protection & Sustainability | $5,759,161 | $681,171 | $6,440,332 |
Contribution to Capital Budget (PAYGO Funds) | $636,805 |
| $636,805 |
Fund Total | $1,603,784,784 | $1,264,406,439 | $2,868,191,223 |
Q. How many full & part-time positions are employed in Baltimore County government?
A. In FY 2012, there are 8,262 full and part-time positions employed in the County's general government and another 16,880 positions with the County's schools, community college, and libraries - thus a total of 25,142. Public Safety comprises over half (4,272) of those general government positions. Position allocations for FY 2012 are presented in the following chart:
Position Allocation - All Funds
| FY 1987 | FY 1991 | FY 1995 | FY2011 | FY 2012 | FY 2010-2012 - % Change | FY 1987-2012 - % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Government | 856 | 975 | 788 | 831 | 793 | -4.6% | -7.4% |
Health and Human Services | 1,144 | 1,282 | 1,127 | 1,273 | 1,255 | -1.4% | 9.7% |
Recreation and Community Services | 570 | 660 | 551 | 411 | 420 | 2.2% | -26.3% |
Public Works | 1,473 | 1,621 | 1,206 | 1,181 | 1,128 | -4.5% | -23.4% |
Subtotal | 4,043 | 4,538 | 3,672 | 3,696 | 3,596 | -2.8% | -11.1% |
Public Safety | 3,386 | 3,738 | 3,712 | 4,325 | 4,272 | -1.2% | 26.2% |
State Mandated Agencies | 330 | 363 | 369 | 408 | 394 | -3.4% | 19.4% |
Schools, College, Libraries | 12,158 | 12,697 | 13,154 | 17,075 | 16,880 | -1.1% | 38.8% |
Grand Total | 19,917 | 21,336 | 20,907 | 25,504 | 25,142 | -1.4% | 26.2% |
Q. What is the size of the County's Capital Budget and Capital Program?
A. The Capital Program is a six-year plan for the provision of the County's long-term facility and infrastructure needs. In the Capital Budget, the first year of the plan is the only year actually appropriated. The plan receives a full update on a biennial cycle that first coincides with the passage of the bond referendum every two years. FY 2012 is the first year of the cycle. The County's FY 2012 Capital Budget is $659,496,814. The entire Capital Program, covering fiscal years 2012 to 2017, totals $1,948,426,360.
Capital Budget 2012
Capital Improvement Program FY 2012 - 2017
County Funds | Total | Budget Year | FY | FY | FY | FY | FY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9331R - General funds | 636,805 | 636,805 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9339R - Reallocated General Funds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9351R - Metro Construction Fund | 15,000 | 5,000 | 0 | 5,000 | 0 | 5,000 | 0 |
9359R - Reallocated Metro Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9441R - Current/Future G O Bonds | 771,699,640 | 265,868,640 | 0 | 255,428,000 | 0 | 250,403,000 | 0 |
9444R - Rereleased O Bonds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9449R - Reallocated G O Bonds | 510,000 | 510,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9451R - Metro Bonds | 1,059,279,278 | 346,837,732 | 0 | 358,246,546 | 0 | 354,195,000 | 0 |
9459R - Reallocated Metro Bonds | 437,437 | 437,437 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 1,832,578,160 | 614,295,614 | 0 | 613,679,546 | 0 | 604,603,000 | 0 |
Outside Funds |
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9105R - Community Block Grant | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9115R - Reallocated CDBG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9118R - American Recovery and Reinvest | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9119R - Federal/State Aid | 22,485,000 | 5,120,000 | 0 | 5,105,000 | 0 | 12,260,000 | |
9222R - Department Natural Resources | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9224R - Program Open Space | 13,675,000 | 2,000,000 | 0 | 3,675,000 | 0 | 8,000,000 | 0 |
9226R - St Waterway Improve Fund | 2,988,000 | 576,000 | 0 | 1,856,000 | 0 | 556,000 | 0 |
9229R - State Aid | 31,852,200 | 18,637,200 | 0 | 8,105,000 | 0 | 5,110,000 | 0 |
9234R - Reallocated Open Space | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9236R - Reallocated State Aid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9560R - Developers Responsibility | 7,500,000 | 4,300,000 | 0 | 1,600,000 | 0 | 1,600,000 | 0 |
9563R - Homeowners Reimbursement | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9564R - Petitioners Responsibility | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9565R - Fixed Deposits | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9650R - Storm Water Waiver Fee | 3,273,000 | 993,000 | 0 | 1,140,000 | 0 | 1,140,000 | 0 |
9666R - Verizon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9667R - Sale of Property | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9670R - Agricultural Pres Tax | 3,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 0 | 1,000,000 | 0 | 1,000,000 | 0 |
9671R - Local Open Space Waiver Fee | 4,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 0 | 1,500,000 | 0 | 1,500,000 | 0 |
9672R - Baltimore City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9673R - Harford County | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9674R - Howard County | 9,500,000 | 4,000,000 | 0 | 1,500,000 | 0 | 4,000,000 | 0 |
9675R - Anne Arundel County | 4,500,000 | 2,000,000 | 0 | 500,000 | 0 | 2,000,000 | 0 |
9677R - Student Fees | 300,000 | 300,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9678R - Donations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9679R - Other | 775,000 | 475,000 | 0 | 150,000 | 0 | 150,000 | 0 |
9680R - MD Water Quality Rev Loan | 9,000,000 | 3,000,000 | 0 | 3,000,000 | 0 | 3,000,000 | 0 |
9681R - Reallocated MD Water Quality | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9682R - Baltimore City - Appropriated | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9683R - BWI Airport | 800,000 | 300,000 | 0 | 200,000 | 0 | 300,000 | 0 |
9684R - Howard County - Appropriated | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9690R - Reforestation Waiver Fee | 1,700,000 | 1,000,000 | 0 | 400,000 | 0 | 300,000 | 0 |
Total | 115,848,200 | 45,201,200 | 0 | 29,731,000 | 0 | 40,916,000 | 0 |
Total Capital Program | 1,948,426,360 | 659,496,814 | 0 | 643,410,546 | 0 | 645,519,000 | 0 |
Q. How can I get more information about the Baltimore County Budget?
A. The full budget for the last three fiscal years, which end June 30, is available online. You also may call 410-887-3313 or fax 410-887-3097 for further information.
Revised October 25, 2011
