The Wicomico County Council has adopted a $216 million budget for fiscal 2026 that cuts tax rates while expanding investments in education, public safety, and the County workforce.
Council Members dropped the real property tax rate from $0.8468 to $0.8099 per $100 of assessed value and trimmed the personal property rate to $2.0247. These reductions uphold the County’s revenue cap and return growth-driven savings to residents.
The budget fully funds the Board of Education’s $55.8 million request, exceeding Maintenance of Effort requirements and bolstering local support for schools. County employees will receive a 5% raise — split between a 3% cost-of-living adjustment in July and a 2% step increase in January.
The Council added $1.5 million for the City of Salisbury Fire Department to maintain service for County residents and approved $123,125 for the State’s Attorney’s Office to match staff raises provided across departments.
Council Members also reassigned the proposed Chief EMS position’s duties to the Assistant Director of Administration and capped salary increases at 9% for department directors and deputy directors.
Rising property values pushed General Fund revenues up by 5.3% over last year. Council Members thanked residents for their input at the May 6 public hearing and stressed the importance of protecting fiscal health while delivering dependable local services.
The adopted budget builds on the County Executive’s proposal and reflects shared priorities — supporting core services, investing in County employees, and keeping government responsive and affordable. Wicomico County advanced these goals without raising the burden on taxpayers.
