Henn Releases Statement on Tonight’s Board Meeting on Budget

The Board of Education of Baltimore County will meet today, January 28 to discuss the Superintendent’s Proposed FY 2026 Operating Budget. Before tonight’s session, BCPS 5th District Board Member Julie Henn released a statement with her concerns.

Tonight the Board is scheduled to have a work session on the Superintendent’s Proposed FY 2026 Operating Budget. 

It’s one of the most important discussions we have all year.  Each board member has been allotted roughly 3 minutes for discussion of a $3 billion budget (45 minutes total).

Some board members spend weeks poring over the near $3 billion budget. We submit questions. We receive answers. We meet to ask follow up questions and receive more information. And lastly, we recommend changes based on our review.
At least that’s how the process should work. Fiscal oversight is our job. Asking questions is our job. Ensuring the sound use of your tax dollars is our job.  The problem is – we aren’t allowed to do our job.
1.  Our review of school system finances usually takes place year-round in our budget committee.  That committee was gutted by the board majority.

2.  We usually receive a budget book that includes department-level financial details.  This is the second year we have received an anorexic budget book without department details.

3.  We usually receive answers to questions we submit in advance of our work session.  We are given a deadline to submit questions in order to receive such answers.  It is difficult to formulate meaningful questions without #2.  My request for #2 was ignored.  My questions were (again) largely unanswered.

4. Any answers we do receive are usually provided at least a day in advance of the budget work session.  Today, we received a document at 2:30 pm the day of this evening’s session.  It neither provides the information I requested nor adequately answers the questions I submitted.  I would share it here, but it has not been made available to the public as of yet.

Your elected board members serve you – the voting public – and a majority can hold system leadership accountable for the answers you deserve. Demand better for your $3 billion.