The Baltimore County Council Tuesday unanimously chose Democrat Izzy Patoka to serve as chairman in 2024.
After taking over as chairman, Patoka warned of a challenging budget year ahead for the county.
State officials are predicting a budget shortfall of more than $760 million. Patoka said that will impact Baltimore County’s budget deliberations this Spring.
“Whenever the state has a tough year, then that trickles down to local jurisdictions,” Patoka said. “We’re going to have a tough year. So we’ve got to really dig in and make sure we do things right when the budget comes our way.”
The Council will only be able to cut the budget that County Executive Johnny Olszewski will propose in April.
Patoka is beginning his sixth year on the council. He said the current body has more of an appetite than previous councils to make changes, such as increasing the size of the county council and figuring out why developers are paying so little in impact fees.
“It is a thoughtful Council and willing to hear interesting ideas and also willing to move on interesting ideas,” Patoka.
In the 2022 election, two longtime Council members, Democrats Cathy Bevins and Tom Quirk retired. They were replaced by fellow Democrats Mike Ertel and Pat Young.
Patoka also promises quick action on the county’s 2030 master plan, which is more than three years late, in violation of the county charter.
“For me it’s the first order of business in 2024,” Patoka said.
Democrats control the seven-member council and each year choose one of their own as chairman. However, Republican Councilman David Marks nominated Patoka to be chair, citing his career in local government planning.
“Councilman Patoka has been collegial and bipartisan and I think he can continue building on the record of this Council,” Marks said.
Patoka replaces Democrat Julian Jones as the chairman. Jones has served as chairman the past three years. In a deal brokered between the Democrats a year ago, it was agreed Jones would be chair again in 2023, followed by Patoka in 2024.
