Hefty Budget Not Enough To Fund All '09 Wish Lists

Hundreds of millions of dollars doesn't go as far as it once did. That's a key message in the proposed $420.8 million county construction budget released this week for the 2009 fiscal year.

The budget is one of Howard County's biggest ever, but the 19 percent growth over the current year mainly reflects more spending for water and sewer projects, which are paid for with utility fees. However, spending for other capital budget items dropped by $8 million. A number of major requests by school and county department heads didn't make the final cut.

"We don't have an unlimited pot of money," said County Executive Ken Ulman (D), in presenting his proposed budget Tuesday. "These are tighter economic times."

The County Council will conduct public hearings and work sessions on the budget before it is scheduled to be adopted May 22. The council has the power to make additional cuts in department budgets and restore construction funding sought by the Board of Education. The 2009 budget year starts July 1.

Big spending is still in the proposed budget, which includes $100 million in new general obligation bonds. Renovating Mount Hebron High School in Ellicott City, one of the top priority projects, is estimated to cost $57 million over two years. Ulman said he'll put $27 million for first-year spending into a holding account while the school board considers a revised design for the school next Thursday.

The county executive trimmed the school board's capital budget request of $113.8 million to $80.5 million. Among the requests turned down was $13.7 million to renovate the former Cedar Lane School as a community center and $12 million for a new warehouse and maintenance facility.

"There were a lot of projects we felt we couldn't afford this year," Budget Administrator Ray Wacks said.

That kind of thinking prevailed early in the budget process. In January, Ulman said he was scrapping plans for a new government complex in Ellicott City in favor of remodeling existing buildings, saving an estimated $100 million. The capital budget contains about $20 million to renovate the George Howard Building.

The budget reflects declines in revenue. The real estate transfer tax has dropped 27 percent from fiscal 2007. And money from a county excise tax on residential building is expected to generate only $12.2 million to pay the debt service on new bonds for school construction. The price of a new high school in Howard is estimated at $90 million.

"Education still has huge needs. That takes away a lot of your flexibility," said James M. Irvin, director of the Department of Public Works.

Irvin faces similar rising construction costs in his road-resurfacing budget. Yet the budget gives Irvin's department the same amount for resurfacing, $10 million, that it received in the current fiscal year.

"It's an essentials budget," Irvin said.

Howard Community College lost out on its request for $15 million for a new parking garage and nearly $2 million in planning and design money for a new health sciences academic building. But HCC President Kathleen B. Hetherington's request for $7.9 million to help renovate the James Clark Jr. Library was included.

As for other college projects left off the list, Hetherington said she'll look forward to next year. "I don't know if I'm always patient, but I'm always hopeful," she said.