The County Budget

On June 13, the Anne Arundel County Council voted on the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget. The budget passed unanimously after a 45-day marathon of hearings and deliberations.

The FY26 budget provides essential government functions in our county, without increasing your taxes. This was an important factor in my support, because I hear regularly how frustrated residents are with the increasing cost of living in Maryland, especially those on fixed incomes. I cannot control the decisions at the state level, but I do have a vote at the local level. At the end of the day, I don’t believe residents care where the increased costs are coming from; you just know that you feel it, and it has an impact on your daily life and your family’s financial decisions.

The FY26 budget had investments in public safety, education and infrastructure. This aligned with my priorities for our district and the county. Through the budget process, I worked collaboratively with my colleagues to make agreed upon cuts, reducing the proposed budget by $1.6 million. This is a small dollar amount compared to the $2.4 billion budget, but it was enough to allow for potential funding of other priorities in the supplemental budget.

I can’t speak for my colleagues, but it was very clear going into this budget cycle that it was a tight year. After hearing from all county departments, and residents who came to speak at the public hearings, I personally set my priorities for what could or should be focused on in the supplemental budget (the follow-up budget that reallocates any money cut by the county council).

How many of those priorities would be possible depended upon the amount that the council could agree to amend or reduce. Within the amendments that passed with bipartisan support was the reduction to the Public Campaign Finance Fund. Maybe you support this funding element, maybe you don’t. Perhaps you don’t even know what it is. It is important for me that you know my “why,” as this amendment has been highlighted in post-budget analysis by supporters and critics alike.

We are one year away from the 2026 primary election, and to date, no candidate has qualified for public campaign financing — a type of financing that uses county taxpayer dollars to match funds made through private contributions and prohibits contributions from businesses, unions or political organizations. Taxpayers do not get to decide what campaign their money is used to match, as the fund is set up to be available to any candidate who qualifies, regardless of political affiliation.

Since this financing was enacted in 2023, the county has shared little information about its existence and how to utilize the funds. Meanwhile, we have very immediate needs, as expressed by the dozens of individuals who testified before the council, requesting changes to the budget. I could not, in good faith of the taxpayer, support those funds sitting potentially unused. I do believe there is a way forward, through legislation, to add to the Public Campaign Finance Fund, should it need more financial support than the $1.25 million that is already reserved. By making this reduction, I was able to work with the administration and my council colleagues to invest in other important areas of the county, like the Board of Education of Anne Arundel County, the Anne Arundel County Sheriff’s Office, and public libraries, just to name a few.

Three personal priorities that I worked closely on were the funding of a pay stipend for our national board-certified school counselors, adding two special education positions, and providing the sheriff’s department with eight sheriff vehicles so that sheriff deputies are not using their personal vehicles on the job, as the county currently employs more sheriff deputies than there are sheriff vehicles. This is a department challenge that has been brought up over several budget years and one that has been a deterrent in recruiting deputy sheriff officers while posing a potential safety issue for those deputies using personal vehicles.

While there were policy and principle disagreements through the budget process, I remained focused on getting things done for our district and appreciate that my colleagues and the administration supported my request in the supplemental budget to reallocate funds in the capital budget to the Sidewalk Bikeway Fund and the State Highway Pedestrian Improvement Fund. This increased investment will keep two important projects moving forward for the Berrywood community (a feasibility study for a sidewalk connection at Maryland 648 and Asbury Drive) and Severn View community (funding completion of design so a sidewalk project can move forward). Without it, these projects would have been stalled for another year.

It is an honor to continue to advocate for residents all over the district through the budget process and make these important budgetary adjustments within the limited flexibility of our current fiscal position. This is your money at work, and I take that responsibility seriously. When government can live within its means, just like you do, I can support that.

As always, you can reach out to me with any county related questions or concerns by emailing me at amanda.fiedler@aacounty.org. It is an honor to serve you and your family.