County Executive Jan Gardner today presented her Fiscal Year 2018 proposed budget with an emphasis on ensuring world-class schools, a safe community and economic prosperity for residents and businesses.
“With the input of thousands of citizens, I have shaped a fiscally responsible budget that reflects our community values and priorities. The budget provides record funding to ensure top-notch education for our children, an investment in police, fire, corrections and 9-1-1 communications to keep our community safe and services that create an enviable quality of life in which to live and grow our businesses,” commented Executive Gardner. “My budget plans for our growing senior population, supports a strong and vibrant economy and job creation and invests wisely and strategically in our future prosperity. The budget ensures that we live within our means, protects taxpayers and demonstrates good stewardship of limited county dollars.”
There are no tax rate increases. The county’s AAA bond rating saves taxpayers millions of dollars and allows the county to accomplish more with less. The county executive’s budget recognizes the value of education and county government employees who deliver exceptional services while saving millions of dollars through their hard work and efficiencies. The budget includes adequate funding to accomplish the second year of the transition to a new pay scale for Frederick County Public Schools so children can have the best teachers and staff in the classroom. The community is safe due to the hard work of the men and women in public safety. To support their efforts, the plan provides for additional staff, training and equipment for 9-1-1 emergency communications, fire and the Sheriff’s Office in both law enforcement and corrections. The budget supports and implements recommendations from the Seniors First initiative to deliver services more efficiently with other agencies and support seniors so they can age in place and stay in their homes.
Highlights of Executive Gardner’s budget message may be found by visiting www.tinyurl.com/GardnerBudgetMessage.
For more information, visit www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/budget.