Caroline County Commissioners approved their fiscal year budget on June 4, increasing property and income tax rates.  As reported on MyEasternShoreMD.com:

The budget includes a 5-cent property tax increase, approved at the commissioners’ May 28 meeting, including a 3-cent increase to produce constant yield following an $800,000 decrease in tax assessments in the northern part of the county, and an additional 2-cent increase, largely to cover the increase in the county’s portion of teacher pension costs, said Finance Director Margaret Roe in a statement.

The budget also includes an increase in the income tax rate, from 2.63 percent to 2.73 percent, but Roe said that extra income will not be seen until the county’s 2015 fiscal year, and will go toward capital improvements.

Additional information can be found in the County’s FY 14 Budget Message.

…the County Commissioners required every department and allied agency to submit a flat budget request.  Commissioners made across the board cuts to the departments where they had authority to reduce spending…

For the first time since 2007, the Commissioner granted a very modest (one-percent) increase for all County employees, except senior management.