Read more about the article Frederick Expands Tax Relief for Older Residents, Uniformed Service Members
County Budgets / County News / News You Can Use / Taxes and Revenues
Frederick Expands Tax Relief for Older Residents, Uniformed Service Members

Frederick County is expanding property tax relief for older residents and qualifying uniformed service members after the County Council unanimously approved legislation increasing the local property tax credit and broadening eligibility. Bill 26-07 increases the county property tax credit from 20% to 30% while raising both the household income and home value limits for eligible homeowners. According to the County's fiscal analysis, the expanded credit is expected to reduce county property tax revenues by approximately…

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July 23, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room: Inside the Private Side of Housing Finance
County Budgets / Economic Development / Finance and Procurement / Housing and Community Development
The Briefing Room: Inside the Private Side of Housing Finance

Building affordable housing takes more than public funding. Private lenders and investors play a critical role in turning plans into completed projects. In Episode 4 of The Briefing Room's housing finance series, Dom Butchko and Terry Hickey are joined by Jordan Bishop of JPMorganChase to explore the private side of the capital stack - the financing that helps transform housing plans into completed communities.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you…

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July 21, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room: The State’s Role in Solving Maryland’s Housing Crisis
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Housing and Community Development / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
The Briefing Room: The State’s Role in Solving Maryland’s Housing Crisis

Over the first two episodes of our housing finance series, Dom Butchko and Terry Hickey explored how affordable housing projects are financed and why today's economic conditions make development more challenging. In Episode 3, the conversation turns to the public sector. 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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July 14, 2026
Read more about the article Montgomery Taps Reserves as Weather Response Costs Exceed $50M
County Budgets / Emergency Management / Summer Conference
Montgomery Taps Reserves as Weather Response Costs Exceed $50M

Montgomery County has spent more than $51 million responding to snowstorms and severe weather during the past fiscal year, illustrating a growing fiscal challenge facing counties across Maryland as emergency response and recovery costs continue to climb. Last month, the Montgomery County Council unanimously approved a $44.4 million supplemental appropriation from the County's General Fund Undesignated Reserves to cover snow removal and storm cleanup costs that exceeded the fiscal 2026 budget. The supplemental includes approximately…

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July 14, 2026
Read more about the article What’s Next for County Budgets? Find Out at #MACoCon
County Budgets / Summer Conference
What’s Next for County Budgets? Find Out at #MACoCon

At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference, county leaders will examine one of local government's most pressing challenges: balancing growing fiscal demands with limited revenue flexibility. County governments continue to navigate rising education and infrastructure costs, State cost shifts, inflation, and economic uncertainty while delivering the essential services residents rely on every day. As these pressures mount, local leaders are increasingly focused on sustaining core services, maintaining long-term financial stability, and preparing for future economic challenges.…

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July 13, 2026
Read more about the article NACo Urges Changes to Proposed Federal Grant Rules Ahead of Today’s Deadline
County Budgets / County News / Feature / Intergovernmental Relations / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
NACo Urges Changes to Proposed Federal Grant Rules Ahead of Today’s Deadline

The National Association of Counties (NACo) has submitted formal comments urging substantive changes to a proposed overhaul of federal grant rules, arguing that several provisions would create considerable new challenges for county governments administering federal funds. Earlier this summer, Conduit Street highlighted a sweeping proposal from the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to significantly rewrite federal grant regulations governing roughly $1.1 trillion in annual federal financial assistance. As counties across Maryland finalize comments…

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July 13, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room: Why Housing Costs More Than Ever
County Budgets / Economic Development / Housing and Community Development / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
The Briefing Room: Why Housing Costs More Than Ever

Housing projects do not rise or fall only on land, design, or political will. They also rise or fall with the cost of capital, aka the capital stack. 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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July 7, 2026
Read more about the article Deep Dive: What’s Crowding Out Maryland’s Budget?
County Budgets / Feature / Policy Deep Dive / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Deep Dive: What’s Crowding Out Maryland’s Budget?

Maryland’s budget continues to grow, but lawmakers have less flexibility than they once did. A growing share of State spending now goes toward a relatively small number of long-term commitments, leaving fewer dollars available for transportation, housing, public safety, environmental programs, and other priorities. If it feels like every legislative session begins with another difficult budget debate, that’s because more of Maryland's budget now goes toward costs lawmakers have little ability to change. At the…

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July 2, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room: Before the Bricks, the Financial Realities of Housing
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Housing and Community Development
The Briefing Room: Before the Bricks, the Financial Realities of Housing

After wrapping our series on Maryland’s energy future, The Briefing Room turns to another defining challenge for counties: housing.   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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June 30, 2026
Read more about the article Conduit Street Podcast: From Maryland to Missouri, County Issues Align
County Budgets / County Government and Structure / County News / Economic Development / Education / Emergency Management / Energy / Environment / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations / Taxes and Revenues
Conduit Street Podcast: From Maryland to Missouri, County Issues Align

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson is joined by Steve Hobbs, Executive Director of the Missouri Association of Counties, for a conversation on the issues shaping county government across state lines.   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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June 26, 2026
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