According to an article in SoMdNews.com, Southern Maryland Newspaper Online, Charles County’s deficit is roughly $200,000 less than previously projected.

Current estimates place the county’s deficit at nearly $700,000, down from about $900,000 in November, “so we’ve gotten a little bit better,” Director of Fiscal and Administrative Services Dave Eicholtz said.

This is in large part because of the lack of snow storms in Maryland this winter season. Snow clean up is one of the most expensive storm clean ups, last year costing Charles County $2.4 million dollars. Charles County has budgeted $700,000 for this year’s snow clean up, which has been sufficient and helped to reduce the deficit. However, with this sufficient snow clean up allocation there is a risk.

Should the same happen this winter, that $700,000 deficit could increase drastically.

“That number may be good, but again it all depends on the weather,” Eicholtz said.

Charles County has used several non-tax measures to help soften the expected shortfall, and has created savings with employee turnover and changes in spending procedures.

For more information on Charles County’s lower deficit, you can find the article here.