Howard County Executive Calvin Ball vetoes 2 council bills on nonprofit grants and solar projects
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball has vetoed two bills passed by the Howard County Council that relate to nonprofit grants and solar projects.
Ball said he made the decision to veto the bills after "careful review" and "consideration of public testimony."
The Howard County Council passed both bills last week during their final session after eight years together.
Nonprofit grants
The first bill, CB58-2026, would have changed the way the county awards grants to nonprofit organizations. It aimed to increase transparency with more audits and a new public database.
During a public hearing on the bill, several nonprofits said the changes would stretch them too thin.
The bill ultimately passed the council, but it was amended to apply only to grants for purchasing or developing property, and certain requirements would only apply to grants of $1.5 million or more.
In his veto, Ball called the $1.5 million threshold "arbitrary." He also noted the county has "deployed grant funding in excess of $1.5 million to support capital projects that serve our community in important ways."
"Accountability, transparency, and trust in government processes are key priorities of my administration. When we entrust public funds to nonprofit organizations to deliver services, create community facilities, and support our neighbors, those organizations should be held to a high standard," Ball wrote. "However, CB58-2026 fails to meaningfully advance responsible solutions to strengthen those shared goals of accountability and trust."
Solar projects
The second bill, CB59-2026, initially called for a moratorium on solar projects in the county, but it also had to be amended before it passed.
The final version increased the Agricultural Preservation Board's role in approving projects, and it shortened the public meeting timeframes.
Ball called the bill's new requirements "superfluous," because the county "already has the regulatory tools this bill erroneously asserts are missing."
He also said the changes would hinder solar advancements "during a precarious time for solar projects across our county, state, and nation."
"By delaying and thus potentially thwarting commercial solar development, CB59 could significantly undermine our energy independence and affordability as skyrocketing energy costs negatively impact Howard County residents and businesses. It would also undermine local climate progress as the climate crisis is worsening," Ball wrote.
Under the county's official charter, the county executive has the authority to veto bills and send them back to the county council for reconsideration.
