Read more about the article Fed Raises Interest Rates for First Time Since 2023
Finance and Procurement / News You Can Use
Fed Raises Interest Rates for First Time Since 2023

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter percentage point this week, its first rate hike in more than three years, as policymakers respond to persistent inflation. The Federal Open Market Committee voted unanimously to raise the federal funds rate to a target range of 3.75% to 4%. The Fed had held rates at 3.5% to 3.75% since December 2025. The move follows several months of renewed inflation pressure. Consumer prices rose 3.4% in…

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September 17, 2026
Read more about the article Fitch Affirms Calvert’s AAA Rating, Assigns Top Rating to New Bonds
County News / Finance and Procurement / News You Can Use
Fitch Affirms Calvert’s AAA Rating, Assigns Top Rating to New Bonds

Fitch Ratings has again affirmed Calvert County’s AAA credit rating with a stable outlook and assigned the same top rating to nearly $76 million in new general obligation bonds. Fitch assigned a AAA rating to $75.955 million in Consolidated Public Improvement Bonds, which Calvert County plans to sell competitively on or around September 29. The County will use the proceeds to finance public improvements. The agency also affirmed Calvert County’s Issuer Default Rating and outstanding…

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September 17, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room: All Bangers, No Mash
Finance and Procurement / Housing and Community Development
The Briefing Room: All Bangers, No Mash

Housing’s biggest challenges rarely have a single solution. What happens when you stop talking about the housing problem and start kicking the tires on possible solutions? In Episode 9, Dom and Terry are joined by Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day for a rapid-fire look at some of the ideas gaining attention in the housing conversation. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to…

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September 15, 2026
Read more about the article County Leaders Push for Revenue Flexibility, Guard Against Cost Shifts
County Budgets / Feature / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
County Leaders Push for Revenue Flexibility, Guard Against Cost Shifts

County leaders across Maryland called for more local revenue options while delivering an equally clear message: a new authority cannot become another way to shift state costs onto county budgets. The Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures held a public hearing on September 14, giving county executives, council members, commissioners, and fiscal leaders a chance to weigh in as the panel develops recommendations ahead of the 2027 legislative session. The General Assembly…

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September 14, 2026
Read more about the article MD Dept of Labor: FAMLI Employer Registration Is Now Open
County Budgets / County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor
MD Dept of Labor: FAMLI Employer Registration Is Now Open

Maryland has opened employer registration for its Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program, another step as the state prepares to launch the program. The Maryland Department of Labor announced in a press release the opening of employer registration for Maryland’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program, marking another key step toward implementation of the state’s paid family and medical leave program. All employers with at least one Maryland-based employee are required to register…

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September 8, 2026
Read more about the article WV Builds Data Center Strategy Around Growth and Local Revenue
County Budgets / Economic Development / Energy / Environment / Finance and Procurement / Information Technology / Planning and Zoning / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Transportation and Public Works
WV Builds Data Center Strategy Around Growth and Local Revenue

West Virginia is pairing incentives for data center development with a statewide plan to distribute new revenue among host counties, infrastructure needs, and tax relief. West Virginia is positioning itself as a major destination for data center development, with state officials announcing two new projects valued at more than $81 billion. The announcements build on a broader push that state leaders say has generated approximately $96 billion in private-sector investment and more than 19,000 projected…

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September 8, 2026
Read more about the article $15.1M Goes to Counties This Week from the Board of Public Works
Board of Public Works / County Budgets
$15.1M Goes to Counties This Week from the Board of Public Works

A little more than $15M went to four counties this week following a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Public Works.  At its latest meeting, the Maryland Board of Public Works approved approximately $15.1M in funding for local projects across Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Worcester counties. The awards primarily support parks and recreational facilities, community amenities, redevelopment, and land conservation. The two largest awards went to Montgomery County, which received a $6M…

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September 3, 2026
Read more about the article Local Revenue Task Force Sets Public Hearing: Here’s How To Testify
County Budgets / County News / Feature / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Local Revenue Task Force Sets Public Hearing: Here’s How To Testify

County governments, local leaders, residents, and other stakeholders have a chance to weigh in directly as Maryland considers the future of local revenue flexibility. The Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures will hold a virtual public hearing on September 14, with registration and written testimony due September 10. The hearing comes as the Task Force examines whether Maryland’s local revenue structure still works for local governments. Counties face growing responsibilities and rising…

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September 2, 2026
Read more about the article Deep Dive: Navigating Maryland’s FAMLI Private Plan Option
County Budgets / County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor / Policy Deep Dive
Deep Dive: Navigating Maryland’s FAMLI Private Plan Option

As Maryland moves toward implementation of the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program, counties considering participation in a private plan through the MACo, MABE, MML Time to Care Act (TCA) Collaborative should be aware of several important updates to the private-plan process and upcoming deadlines. As previously covered by MACo, in 2023, MACo joined with the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) and the Maryland Municipal League (MML) to develop a collaborative joint…

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September 2, 2026
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