Read more about the article Early Voting Underway in Maryland
County News / Elections / News You Can Use
Early Voting Underway in Maryland

In-person early voting for Maryland’s 2026 Gubernatorial General Election begins today, Thursday, October 22, giving voters eight days to cast a ballot before Election Day. Early voting runs through Thursday, October 29, with voting centers open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm each day, including Saturday and Sunday. Voters can cast a ballot at any early voting center in the county where they live. Anyone in line by 8:00 pm will be allowed to vote.…

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October 22, 2026
Read more about the article State Revenue Gains Come With a Catch
County Budgets / County News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
State Revenue Gains Come With a Catch

Maryland closed fiscal 2026 ahead of forecast, but much of the strength came from capital gains and other non-wage income rather than a stronger labor market. The latest numbers look better than the economy underneath them, with slower withholding growth and continued job losses raising questions about how much of that strength will hold. Maryland finished fiscal 2026 $563.5 million above the official revenue estimate. Bureau of Revenue Estimates Director Robert Rehrmann told the MACo…

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October 21, 2026
Read more about the article FEMA Tells States To Go It Alone
Emergency Management / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
FEMA Tells States To Go It Alone

FEMA is telling states to prepare to handle more disasters with less federal help, adding to months of uncertainty over the future of federal emergency management funding and disaster assistance. For counties, the shift could mean more pressure on state and local budgets to maintain response and recovery capacity when federal support vanishes. According to POLITICO, FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton told state emergency management leaders that states need stronger financial reserves and emergency capabilities to…

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October 21, 2026
Read more about the article Suspicious Mail Targets Maryland State Board of Elections
Elections / News You Can Use
Suspicious Mail Targets Maryland State Board of Elections

Federal authorities intercepted a suspicious envelope targeting the Maryland State Board of Elections before it was delivered, as they investigate similar mailings sent to election officials and lawmakers across the country ahead of the November 3 general election. Maryland State Administrator of Elections Jared DeMarinis said the State Board of Elections was among the agencies targeted and that law enforcement intercepted the envelope before it arrived. DeMarinis said threats and harassment against election officials need…

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October 15, 2026
Read more about the article Montgomery Council Considers Three Targeted Tax Credits
County Budgets / County News / Taxes and Revenues
Montgomery Council Considers Three Targeted Tax Credits

The Montgomery County Council is considering three tax-credit proposals for families with children, homeowners, and public school employees. The County Council held public hearings on all three bills on October 13, with committee work sessions scheduled for October 29. Bill 46-26 would create a County grant supplementing Maryland’s child tax credit. Taxpayers with federal adjusted gross income of $15,000 or less could receive $500 per qualifying child, decreasing by $50 for each additional $1,000 in…

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October 15, 2026
Read more about the article Baltimore County Weighs Critical Area Protections for Energy Storage Facilities
County News / Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning
Baltimore County Weighs Critical Area Protections for Energy Storage Facilities

Baltimore County is considering new landscaping requirements for energy storage facilities near the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area. The proposal would add another local standard as counties continue siting large energy projects. Bill 106-26 would require an energy storage device located adjacent to or within the Critical Area to include a berm with dense landscaping tall enough at planting to screen the building from view. Baltimore County already requires landscaping buffers when data centers or energy…

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October 15, 2026
Read more about the article Mail-In Ballot Request Deadline Approaches for General Election
Elections / News You Can Use
Mail-In Ballot Request Deadline Approaches for General Election

Maryland voters who want to receive a mail-in ballot by mail or fax must submit their request by October 27 for the 2026 Gubernatorial General Election. Voters requesting electronic delivery have until October 30. The Maryland State Board of Elections is reminding voters to plan for the November 3 general election. Mail-in ballot requests must be received, not simply mailed, by the applicable deadline. Voters can request a mail-in ballot online. Ballots returned through the…

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October 15, 2026
Read more about the article Deep Dive: What Is One Penny on the Property Tax Worth?
County Budgets / County News / Feature / Policy Deep Dive / Taxes and Revenues
Deep Dive: What Is One Penny on the Property Tax Worth?

Maryland counties all levy property taxes, but the same one-cent increase can generate more than $25 million in one jurisdiction and less than $500,000 in another. The difference comes down to the size and makeup of the local property tax base. That gap helps explain why comparing county tax rates alone tells only part of the story. Counties fund many of the same core services, but with very different levels of property tax capacity. A…

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October 7, 2026
Read more about the article Federal 988 Bill Would Boost Local Crisis Response Funding
County Budgets / Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues
Federal 988 Bill Would Boost Local Crisis Response Funding

A bipartisan bill in Congress would provide long-term federal funding for 988 call centers, mobile crisis teams, crisis stabilization services, and the behavioral health workforce that supports them. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Doris Matsui of California introduced the 988 Implementation Act, H.R. 10280, last month. The bill would authorize $441 million for local 988 call centers and another $100 million for mobile crisis response teams. The legislation would also make permanent an enhanced…

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October 6, 2026
Read more about the article Revenue Task Force Weighs School Funding Gaps, New Local Options
NACo compared the mix of county-generated revenues in Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia using 2022 Census finance data.
County Budgets / County News / Education / Feature / General Assembly News / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
Revenue Task Force Weighs School Funding Gaps, New Local Options

Maryland’s Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures focused its October 2 meeting on rising school facility costs and several potential new revenue options for local governments. School construction and maintenance costs dominated the first part of the meeting. IAC outlined nearly $2 billion in annual unmet needs for school maintenance, operations, and capital renewal, along with a separate $1.3 billion gap in State school construction funding over the past two decades. The…

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October 5, 2026
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