The Anne Arundel County Council adopted a $2.31 billion operating budget Friday for fiscal year 2025 that increases spending, boosts the starting pay of police officers and provides new teaching positions.

County Executive Steuart Pittman proposed a $2.31 billion budget May 1, a spending plan with an 8.2% increase from the $2.14 billion budget approved for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

“What has impressed me most about this year’s budget is the process,” Pittman said in a statement. “All seven members of the County Council have different priorities, and sometimes they disagree with one another or with my administration, but we’ve established a process that respects all voices.”

Total Budget

The total operating budget is $2.31 billion, with $915 million allocated to the capital budget needs such as new road safety projects. The library system will get $35.5 million, with funds set aside for demolition and building a new Glen Burnie Library.

Schools

Pittman boosted education funding by nearly $48 million, which funds Superintendent Mark Bedell’s compensation request with a step increase, a 3% cost-of-living adjustment.

The budget also funds elementary school teaching positions and pre-kindergarten programs, and funds will pay for a new middle school athletics department and help the district meet Maryland’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future requirements.

Public safety

The budget includes funding for a 3% cost-of-living raise for county employees and merit/step increases for all county employees and includes funding to provide benefits and supplemental salary adjustments to school health staff.

Under the budget, the starting pay for police officers would increase from $62,160 to $70,000, the highest in Maryland, officials said.

Funding will include a “generous pay package” aimed at retaining existing officers and funds to train Fire Department recruits, officials said.

Taxes

The adopted budget raises the fee that residents pay each month for 911 service from 75 cents to $1, a move that will generate $1.7 million, officials said.

Local income tax rates will rise for “middle-tier” earners from 2.81% to 2.94%, a move that would generate $6 million a year. This would apply to single filers with taxable income of $50,000 to $400,000, and joint filers with taxable income of $75,000 to $480,000. As a result, someone who earns $75,000 a year would pay $2205 in local income taxes, an increase of $97.50.

The county’s property tax rate for properties outside Annapolis will rise from 98 cents to 98.3 cents per $100 of assessed value, the so-called “cap rate.” The county limits how much property tax revenue can be collected each year.