County Budgets Archives

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

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

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

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

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

County Budgets / County News / General Assembly News / Housing and Community Development

MACo’s Michael Sanderson Joins the “I Hate Politics Podcast” To Talk Housing

As the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session begins, housing policy is once again front and center in Annapolis. In this episode of the I Hate Politics Podcast, host Sunil Dasgupta speaks with MACo Executive Director Michael Sanderson about where counties stand following last year’s housing debates, how local governments balance housing growth with infrastructure and fiscal realities, and whether a path toward compromise is emerging this session. The conversation explores the evolving state–local dynamic on…

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January 22, 2026

County Budgets / General Assembly News / Taxes and Revenues

2026 Session Primer: When Do State Tax Changes Spill Over Into County Budgets?

As the 2026 Maryland General Assembly gets underway, tax policy once again sits at the center of the legislative agenda. With lawmakers weighing new credits, deductions, exemptions, and structural tax changes, a familiar and critical question: Which State tax changes affect county budgets — and which do not? The distinction matters. Counties must balance budgets every year, and even small State-level tax decisions can ripple through local revenues. Here’s a practical primer for navigating where…

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January 20, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Emergency Management / Risk Management

Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants Awarded To 55 Local Responder Agencies

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service is providing Volunteer Fire Assistance grants to 55 volunteer fire departments in 17 counties across the state. The funded projects help volunteer fire companies enhance wildland fire protection in rural communities. For the 2025 grant cycle, finalized in December, the Maryland Forest Service is providing $167,314 in match funding to complete $370,376 in total project cost. The grants match up to 50 percent of project cost with…

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January 19, 2026

County Budgets / Housing and Community Development

New State Report Outlines Housing Production Targets Through 2030

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development on December 31 published the 2030 Housing Production Targets for the State of Maryland report, which estimates the number of housing units needed to house every projected Maryland household in 2030. The report also establishes annual housing production benchmarks for jurisdictions that reflect both the severe and urgent need to address the state’s housing shortage and a realistic scaling of current production trends. Some key findings from the…

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January 15, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Elections / Energy / General Assembly News

Setting the Stage for 2026: Affordability, County Priorities, and an Election Year Shift

As Maryland heads into the 2026 General Assembly session, county governments are confronting a familiar challenge, but with sharper edges. In this episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, MACo’s Kevin Kinnally, Michael Sanderson, and Dominic Butchko break down why affordability is the defining theme of the upcoming session. 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 14, 2026