At his weekly media briefing, County Executive Marc Elrich responded to the MCGOP ballot initiative filed on Tuesday. The objective of the petitions was to limit future increases in the county budget to the rate of inflation.
On Wednesday, the County Executive countered. He explained in detail how that proposal would restrict county improvements in every sector from education to construction. “This is a serious problem because schools don’t cost less, roads don’t cost less, nothing we build costs less.”
He compared the potential ballot question to “tying our own hands.” He cited several projects that would have to be put on hold including a new justice center, the White Flint fire station, the 4th District police station and the replacement of 1,300 suits of body armor.
“Their proposals are not just fiscally irresponsible, they would diminish the county’s ability to serve and protect its residents and educate its children,” Elrich stated.
Despite indications to the contrary like tariffs and federal job loss, Elrich said the county is actually in its strongest fiscal position since 2011.
He concluded, “A blunt cap tied to general inflation is not fiscal discipline. It is like a noose around our necks. We’d wind up paying more in the long run, shortchanging the residents who count on county services every day. That’s not the direction this county needs to go in.”
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