Queen Anne’s County Commissioners recently began work on their fiscal 2015 budget.  The proposed operating budget, submitted by the County Administrator for the Commissioner’s approval, projects revenues and expenditures of $118.9 million.

The budget submission document summarizes the operating and capital budgets:

The FY 2015 budget grows by $4.8 million or 4.2%. The growth is primarily based on growth of the local income tax and transfer and recordation taxes. Property tax assessments have continued to decline slightly, resulting in about $63 thousand less in property tax revenue in FY 2015 versus FY 2014. The recommended budget is based on no change in the property tax rate, remaining at $0.8471 per $100 of assessed value.

The expenditure increase of $4.8 million includes an increase in the Board of Education’s Maintenance of Effort of $3 million and a cost of living adjustment of 2.5% for county employees as well as the establishment of pay for performance evaluations. Pension costs and workers’ compensation continue to grow. The phase in of the teacher pension costs shifted from the State to the County last year represents an increase of $100 thousand.

The capital budget totals $30.4 million and includes the following highlights:

…Stevensville Middle School renovations and other board of education projects ($9.2 million), the upgrade of the County’s public safety radio system ($3.2 million), information technology upgrades ($0.45 million) and $1.65 million in construction projects at the airport.

Commissioners have begun holding a series of work sessions and plan to hold public hearings on the budget in May. The final budget is scheduled for adoption on May 27, 2014.

Additional information on the Commissioners Fiscal 2015 budget can be found on the Budget Office’s website.

County Administrator’s FY 2015 Budget Submission Presentation