Frederick County Commissioners are set to approve the county’s fiscal 2015 budget during their regularly scheduled meeting today.  The $525.7 million budget is $9.4 million more than the previous year, provides employee salary increases for the first time in six years and slightly lowers the property tax rate.

As reported by the Frederick News Post:

County budget officer Regina Howell said pass-through funds rather than spending increases account for some of the budgetary growth.

Last month, county commissioners lowered property tax rates from $1.064 to $1.06 per $100 of assessed value, resulting in the loss of an estimated $1 million in county revenue. At the same time, the county got word that a workers’ compensation premium could cost $1.2 million more than it did the previous year.

The two developments left officials searching for ways to cover an unanticipated shortfall in the budgetary plan.

However, the final quote for firefighters’ insurance came in only about $300,000 above the prior year. To bridge the remaining gaps, officials plan to transfer $200,000 from the commissioners contingency fund, which contains $500,000, Howell said.

The proposed budget also relies on a $6.5 million transfer from the fleet fund to balance.

Additional information on Frederick County’s fiscal 2015 budget can be located on the county website.