The St. Mary’s County Commissioners approved their FY 2020 budget on a split vote this week, adjusting their county income tax rate to 3.17%.

St. Mary’s County has adopted its budget for the coming year, a $253 million spending plan fueled in part by an adjustment of its county income tax rate from 3.00% to 3.17%. The eventual outcome, on a 3-2 vote, followed some wrangling over education funding and other spending priorities, and proposals to alter the county’s property tax rate, which was untouched in the end.

The Commissioners’ final budget, as prepared for their approval, is available online. That document notes that a sizable portion of the county budget ahead includes capital “pay as you go” projects, funded in part by a transfer of county reserve funds. Revenues are projected to increase only 4.5%, despite the adjustment in the income tax rate. Because income taxes are levied on a calendar year basis, only about one half of their effect will occur in the fiscal year ahead.

A video of the Commissioner’s meeting is available to stream online.