Neither income nor property tax rate hikes appear to be in the cards for Baltimore County residents and homeowners.

County Executive Johnny Olszewski presents his proposed spending plan for the coming year to the County Council on April 13.

Olszewski was asked about the possibility that a tax hike will be part of that budget on WYPR’s Midday on Thursday.

“At this point I do not believe that that will be necessary and am not intending to have that be part of our proposal before the council,” Olszewski said.

In 2019, Olszewski raised several different types of taxes during his first year in office to deal with a budget shortfall of $81 million he inherited from the previous administration. That included the first increase of the county’s income tax rate since 1992.

Meantime, the school board is asking Olszewski for $26.2 million more than he gave the school system last year. Olszewski said he has already agreed to at least a $10 million increase.

“The good news is that we’re already sort of committed to doing almost half of what’s being requested in the school system’s budget,” Olszewski said.

His administration is reviewing the school board’s $2.6 billion budget request, he said. Education spending makes up about half of the county’s overall $4.8 billion budget.

The County Council approves the county executive’s budget but its authority is limited by the county charter. It can only cut the budget, it cannot increase it. The council accepted Olszewski’s last two annual spending plans without making any changes.

The council will approve the budget by the end of May. It goes into effect July 1.