BEL AIR, Md. — Residents in Harford County are demanding change.
Thursday evening many are expected to attend a rally ahead of the Council's proposed budget meeting, calling for more school and police funding.
School leaders accuse County Executive Bob Cassilly of funding them $39 million less than what the school board requested.
They claim spending cuts will cause class sizes to increase, athletic fees to not be waived, and teacher salaries will no longer be competitive with neighboring districts.
RELATED: HCPS calls Cassilly's budget proposal 'disaster for the children'
Last month Cassilly put out this statement denying those claims.
“I have met with my budget team every day for the past four months and reviewed county spending and operations in detail to ensure we’re acting responsibly as good stewards of taxpayer funds. Like other counties and families across Maryland, we’re also facing a very uncertain economic future and steep cost increases from unfunded state mandates. I have not raised taxes as other Maryland counties have done. But we must act now to restore fiscal responsibility while maintaining essential services. My budget reduces our structural deficit, greatly increases funding for my top priority - public safety - and provides education funding in the amount required by the state. I encourage the Harford County Board of Education to take the same close look at their budget and operations to find efficiencies, especially in non-instructional salaries. However, they will be able to fully fund their budget by using a combination of county and state funds, and a portion of the $92 million in unspent taxpayer dollars they have amassed from prior years of overfunding.”
Yet school officials believe more needs to be done, "My students are more in need than some other students in different schools and so I'm really stressed about this," said Leigh Bondrole, an English teacher at Edgewood High School.
Law enforcement officers are in the same boat. The County Sheriff has said Cassilly is trying to defund the police.
MORE: Harford Sheriff, County Executive clash over new precinct funding
This comes after plans for construction on a third police precinct and a new training facility were put on hold as the project could cost more than $22 million.
Some neighbors say its unfair which is why they plan to meet behind HCPS central office at 5:30pm, and then march together in all red in opposition.
The Council's public hearings will take place at 7pm with another on May 10.