Read more about the article Session Updates on Housing, Budget Pressure, and the Road to Crossover
Bill Hearing / County Budgets / County News / Education / Employee Benefits and Relations / General Assembly News / Housing and Community Development / Pensions & Public Funds / Planning and Zoning / School Construction and Capital Budgets
Session Updates on Housing, Budget Pressure, and the Road to Crossover

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, we check in on the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session as lawmakers approach the critical crossover deadline.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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March 6, 2026
Read more about the article Howard Earns Highest AAA Credit Rating From All Three Rating Agencies
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education
Howard Earns Highest AAA Credit Rating From All Three Rating Agencies

Howard County has, once again, earned the highest possible credit rating, AAA, from all three bond rating agencies – Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investor Services, and Standard & Poor’s.  Howard County ranks among the top 2% of counties nationwide to earn this vote of confidence based on a stable outlook from experts. Being one of roughly 130 counties with this distinction among approximately 3,100 in the U.S. demonstrates that the County's financial management is fiscally strong,…

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February 12, 2026
Read more about the article Local Leaders Rally To Avoid Highway User Revenue Cliff
Bill Hearing / County Budgets / County News / General Assembly News / MACo Testimony / Transportation and Public Works
Local Leaders Rally To Avoid Highway User Revenue Cliff

As Maryland lawmakers weigh how to address a looming transportation “cliff,” local leaders are sounding the alarm about what’s at stake for local roads and bridges.     Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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February 6, 2026
Read more about the article Harford Leverages AAA Rating To Finance Major Projects at 3.3%
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Harford Leverages AAA Rating To Finance Major Projects at 3.3%

Harford County held its annual bond sale on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, borrowing funds for essential public infrastructure at a low 3.3% interest rate, thanks to the county’s AAA bond rating. Harford sold $110 million in AAA-rated consolidated public improvement bonds to the winner among 11 bidders. The bonds will be paid back over 20 years. The county also refunded $44.6 million in existing 2015 bonds at a lower rate of 2.3%, saving $1.5M over…

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February 5, 2026
Read more about the article Kent County Secures Over $2M in State Revitalization Investments
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Housing and Community Development
Kent County Secures Over $2M in State Revitalization Investments

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has recently announced a series of planned awards and investments in Kent County, totaling more than $2M in total funding that will benefit the County and its residents, businesses, and communities. DHCD’s State Revitalization Program (SRP) has selected Kent County entities for awards through a variety of programs, including: Community Legacy Funding, providing funds for projects that stabilize communities, reverse economic or physical decline, and encourage sustainable…

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February 4, 2026
Read more about the article Conduit Street Podcast: The Governor’s Budget and the County Bottom Line
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / General Assembly News / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Conduit Street Podcast: The Governor’s Budget and the County Bottom Line

In this week’s episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, our familiar hosts Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson take the microphone to walk us through Governor Wes Moore’s proposed FY27 budget and the accompanying Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act – or as Michael likes to call it, “Big BRFA.”   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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January 30, 2026
Read more about the article NACo Public Promise Insurance Supports County Workforce Benefits
County Budgets / County News / Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
NACo Public Promise Insurance Supports County Workforce Benefits

NACo Public Promise Insurance provides a platform of voluntary employee benefits solutions, along with a Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) Coalition, built exclusively for public sector employees and their families. These benefits help counties recruit and retain top talent, while managing skyrocketing costs of prescription drug benefits. More than 30% of county employee health plan expenses are related to pharmacy benefits. NACo’s PBM Coalition, partnered with CVS Caremark—One of the largest PBMs in the nation—is the only plan specifically built for counties & county…

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January 29, 2026
Read more about the article Counties Face Uneven Revenue Growth as Pressures Build
County Budgets / County News / Taxes and Revenues
Counties Face Uneven Revenue Growth as Pressures Build

As counties across Maryland move deeper into fiscal 2026, the latest county revenue outlook points to familiar patterns and growing risks. Property taxes continue to anchor local budgets, but other significant revenue sources show uneven performance and limited growth. At the same time, State budget pressures and cost shifts continue to narrow counties’ fiscal room to maneuver. As previously reported on Conduit Street, Maryland’s broader fiscal outlook remains strained. Structural deficits, growth in education costs,…

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January 29, 2026
Read more about the article DLS Fiscal Briefing Warns of Mounting Cost Shifts and Budget Gaps
County Budgets / County News / Feature / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
DLS Fiscal Briefing Warns of Mounting Cost Shifts and Budget Gaps

This week, the Department of Legislative Services (DLS) presented its annual fiscal briefing to the General Assembly’s budget committees. The briefing outlined the governor’s proposed fiscal 2027 operating and capital budgets, State aid to local governments, and Maryland’s broader economic and revenue outlook. As previously reported on Conduit Street, Governor Wes Moore’s $70.8 billion fiscal 2027 budget closes a projected $1.5 billion shortfall through fund transfers, capped formulas, and cost shifts rather than long-term structural…

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January 27, 2026
Read more about the article Governor Moore’s Fiscal 2027 Budget: Navigating County Effects
County Budgets / County News / Feature / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Governor Moore’s Fiscal 2027 Budget: Navigating County Effects

This week, Governor Wes Moore introduced a $70.8 billion fiscal 2027 spending plan that, according to the administration, expands funding for housing, education, and public safety while closing a projected $1.5 billion shortfall without increasing taxes or fees. The governor's budget increases aid flowing through county governments, but it does not resolve the underlying pressures counties face or meaningfully realign State funding with county responsibilities. Education funding continues to grow, and transportation aid remains temporarily…

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January 22, 2026
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