County Budgets Archives

#MACoCon: Counties Face Growing Costs, Tougher Budget Choices

At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference, county leaders will examine the fiscal pressures reshaping local government budgets and the difficult choices many counties now face. Rising education costs, infrastructure needs, inflation, State cost shifts, and uncertainty surrounding future federal funding are all placing additional pressure on county finances. At the same time, counties have few broad revenue options available when significant new expenses arise. Funding the Future: Counties Confront Growing Costs, Limited Flexibility County budgets…

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August 3, 2026

Read more about the article Revenue Task Force Convenes: Counties Shoulder 96% of Local Spending, But Revenue Tools Haven’t Kept Pace

County-level entities accounted for 95.5 percent of Maryland local government spending in fiscal 2024. Source: Department of Legislative Services.

County Budgets / Feature / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues

Revenue Task Force Convenes: Counties Shoulder 96% of Local Spending, But Revenue Tools Haven’t Kept Pace

Counties face growing costs for education, transportation, infrastructure, and other core services, but State law offers relatively few ways to generate additional local revenue. For most local governments, the property tax remains the only practical tool to address significant budget needs. That reality framed Friday's first meeting of the Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures. The Department of Legislative Services began with an overview of local government finance, followed by representatives from the…

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July 31, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Health and Human Services / Taxes and Revenues

News or Noise: Redistricting, Revenue, and NBA Hot Takes

Kevin Kinnally, Michael Sanderson, and Karrington Anderson separate the headlines from the hype, discussing Maryland's potential congressional redistricting special session, local health department funding challenges, and a new task force examining county and municipal revenue structures, all before closing with a lively NBA debate. 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 31, 2026

County Budgets / Education

Baltimore County Posts Another Record Year for Education Funding

For the coming fiscal year, the Baltimore County Council and Executive approved another billion dollar budget for Baltimore County Public Schools saving more than 144 positions that were in danger of being cut. The FY27 budget allocation for the Baltimore County Board of Education operating expenses was approved by the County Council in late May and totals $1,035,771,751. This is about $30M over the prior year allocation of $1,006,619,953 and $50M over the amount required…

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July 30, 2026

County Budgets / Education

Somerset County Increases Discretionary School Funding for FY27 by Almost $1M

For the FY27 budget the Somerset Board of County Commissioners approved just over $13M of local government funds for the local school systems operating budget. In an early summer vote by the Somerset County Board of Commissioners, county leadership approved an appropriation of $13,065,071 to the Somerset Board of Education for FY27. This is just shy of a $1M increase over the prior year budget of $12,100,404 and is considered the maintenance of effort (MOE)…

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July 28, 2026

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

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

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

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

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