City Council Adopts 2012 Budget

The City Council Monday unanimously approved a $41.5 million general fund budget for fiscal year 2012.

In spite of the recession and a significant decline in property tax revenues, the city’s property tax rate will remain at 40 cents per $100 of assessed value.

Bowie residents will see a dip in their county tax rate as the county gives a credit to city residents for services the county does not provide, such as the police department. The reducted rate reflects the growth of the city's department.

The combined city/county rate—$1.21 per $100 of assessed value—is the lowest it has been since 2003, said Mayor G. Frederick Robinson after the vote to adopt the budget.  

“At the end of the day, we’ve hammered out a very effective, very balanced and very conservative budget,” Robinson said.

Nearly $1 million in additional spending was added to the proposed budget from the city’s $30.4 million unreserved fund balance.

The city also received an infusion of $540,000 in state highway funds for road repairs on the city’s 185 miles of streets.  The money was set aside in the state legislature after years of funding cuts to local governments for road projects. The city had expected to get only about $100,000 in state aid.

Councilman Todd Turner suggested that the city maintain funding for street resurfacing at $1 million, rather than allocate the extra $540,000.

But Robinson objected, saying that the condition of the city's roads had suffered since the state slashed highway user funds and that not allocating the full amount would send a "mixed message" to lawmakers in Annapolis. Robinson said he and others had lobbied for the restoration of the state funding for roads.

The other members of the council agreed with Robinson, dedicating the $1.5 million to street repair.

After a request from Councilman Isaac Trouth, the council unanimously approved a for fiscal 2012 at in South Bowie, a project that originally had been deferred until 2015.

Trouth, whose district includes the park, said a shortage of parking at the athletic fields had created a dangerous situation as many parents and spectators were forced to park along a winding Church Road. 

Robinson said, at the council’s May 9 meeting, that since the council had agreed to the improvements at the South Bowie park, it was fair to move up the installation of the artificial turf field at in the northern part of the city.

But Trouth said he did not see it that way.

“I don’t view this as the south side versus the north side. I view this as the kids. I’d like to make that clarification,” Trouth said.

By a 6-1 vote, the council approved adding the turf field funding to the 2012 budget at a cost of $270,000 in the upcoming fiscal year. It had been slated for 2013. Councilman Todd Turner voted against it.

Turner, along with Councilman Henri Gardner, for the replacement of the HVAC system in the Belair Mansion. Turner and Gardner supported spreading out the cost of the project over two years.

Robinson said it was important to maintain the historic property, valued at more than $7 million. The council voted to go forward with the replacement of the HVAC system.

The city also added more than $200,000 in the budget to cover the estimated rising fuel costs for the city’s vehicles. The council opted to adjust the fuel cost estimates upward in light of forecasted higher gas prices.