ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball will hold his second Residents’ Budget Hearing for the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget cycle on Thursday, March 20th at 6:00 p.m. This year’s budget hearing will be held virtually and can be watched live via Webex, using webinar number 2313 908 0833 and the password “Password”.
The FY26 Residents’ Budget Hearing is being held amidst growing fiscal uncertainty and risk at the state and federal levels. The County is currently monitoring more than $8 million in proposed cost shifts from the State to the County in FY26, as well as potential risks to an estimated $25-$35 million in federal funding that comes to Howard County. The proposed funding cuts and cost shifts at the State level, on top of elevated risks of funding or revenue loss caused by actions at the Federal level, put Howard County in a precarious position ahead of the FY26 budget process.
Our budget is a reflection of our community’s shared priorities and this hearing provides a wonderful opportunity for our residents to offer input on how public funds should be allocated, voicing their priorities and concerns on programs, services, and community needs, as we work to develop the County’s FY26 budget. I’m confident that when we work together as a community to set our spending priorities, we will continue to remain resilient to any challenges that might emerge.
Residents will be able to sign-up ONLINE to speak at the hearing by going to www.howardcountymd.gov/residents-budget-hearing. Speakers must sign-up individually, and one person may not sign-up for several testifiers. Additionally, individual testimony is limited to three minutes and group testimony is limited to five.
From the same link, residents will also have the option to provide online budget testimony; however, residents are reminded that internet testimony is considered public information and, as such, is subject to the Maryland Public Information Act.
If you have any questions and/or problems registering for the Budget Hearing, please contact the Budget Office at 410-313-2077 (voice) or use Relay at 7-1-1, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.