Navigating County Budgets: Trends, Challenges, and Solutions - Part II

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Ted Zaleski and Robbie Sandlass join Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson to discuss pressing budget and finance issues for the State of Maryland and county governments. Topics include the intricacies of bond ratings and how they affect financial health and borrowing capabilities, increasing pressure to fund public schools, why distinguishing between one-time and ongoing costs is crucial for sustainable budgeting and financial planning, and more.Ted Zaleski is the director of the Carroll County Office of Budget and Management. He also serves as president of the MACo Budget and Finance Officers Affiliate and is the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Local Government Insurance Trust (LGIT)Robbie Sandlass has served as Harford County Treasurer since 2014. In addition to his duties as the County’s chief financial officer, he also chairs the Boards of Trustees for the County’s Sheriff Office Pension Plan (SOPP) for correctional officers, Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP) for volunteer firefighters, and Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) for retiree health care. He also represents MACo on the Maryland Retirement and Pension System's Board of Trustees.The Conduit Street Podcast is available on major platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Episodes are also available on MACo's Conduit Street blog.