County Budgets Archives

Montgomery Proposing Record School Budget Despite Continued Enrollment Decline

With a seven year loss of almost 10,000 students, the nationally ranked Montgomery County Public School system budget has grown by $1B in that same time. In FY26 the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) system posted the largest single year decline in student enrollment since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Year over year decline from 2024 - 2025 totaled nearly 2,200 students. This brings the nationally ranked school system to a loss of nearly…

Comments Off

April 30, 2026

County Budgets / County News

Howard Exec Ball’s Final Budget Increases School Funding, Holds Tax Rates Flat

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball introduced a $2.5 billion fiscal 2027 operating budget, outlining a spending plan that leans into essential services while managing a tightening fiscal picture. The proposal includes a $1.7 billion General Fund budget, a 6.8% increase over fiscal 2026. Growth is driven in part by stronger-than-expected revenues, including capital gains, alongside continued pressure from rising costs and State-imposed obligations. The budget holds the line on both property and income tax rates.…

Comments Off

April 30, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Education / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations

3 Takeaways on Counties, Policy, and Power

Most of the services people rely on every day, from roads and schools to public health and recycling, don’t come from Washington. They come from counties. That idea sits at the center of a recent conversation between Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman and Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Executive Director Michael Sanderson, who joined the Pittman and Friends podcast to talk through how state policy decisions play out at the local level. The discussion…

Comments Off

April 22, 2026

County Budgets / Policy Deep Dive / State Budget and Fiscal Issues

Deep Dive: Disparity Grant Delivers Less Than It Promises

This article is part of MACo’s Policy Deep Dive series, where expert policy analysts explore and explain the top county policy issues of the day. Maryland created the Disparity Grant to deal with a basic problem. Counties raise revenue very differently, even when they apply the same tax rates. Some generate far more at the same rate because of higher incomes, while others cannot keep up. The program still tries to address that gap. But…

Comments Off

April 22, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Public Safety and Corrections / School Construction and Capital Budgets / Taxes and Revenues

Baltimore County Unveils $5B Budget Focused on Public Safety, Schools, and Affordability

Baltimore County has released its proposed $5 billion Fiscal Year 2027 budget, outlining a spending plan centered on public safety, education, infrastructure, and cost-of-living pressures, all without raising taxes. The proposal reflects an effort to balance continued investment in core services with maintaining the county’s strong financial standing, including its Triple-A bond rating. Core Priorities: The FY2027 proposal directs funding toward several areas that residents are most likely to see directly, including: public safety and…

Comments Off

April 21, 2026

Business Affairs / County Budgets / County News / Courts / Economic Development / Education / Elections / Emergency Management / Employee Benefits and Relations / Energy / Environment / Feature / Finance and Procurement / General Assembly News / Government Liability and Courts / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development / Human Resources / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Parks and Recreation / Pensions & Public Funds / Planning and Zoning / Public Information and Ethics / Public Safety and Corrections / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Tourism / Transportation and Public Works

2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups

Catch up on all of the latest outcomes of the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session with wrap-ups on important county-related bills in each policy area. Maryland’s 448th legislative session unfolded under significant fiscal pressure. Lawmakers closed the fiscal 2027 gap, preserved reserves, and fully funded principal commitments, such as the Blueprint, but did not resolve the larger structural deficits projected for the years ahead. That budget pressure shaped debates across nearly every policy area, from…

Comments Off

April 17, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Elections / Energy / Environment / General Assembly News / Housing and Community Development / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections / Transportation and Public Works

Conduit Street Podcast: 90 Days Later — Sine Die Recap

This Week on the Conduit Street Podcast, we bring you an episode fresh from Sine Die to break down the 2026 legislative session from start to finish. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

Comments Off

April 17, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Environment / Parks and Recreation / Risk Management

Frederick Moves Forward on Green Infrastructure Plan

Frederick County is moving ahead with a long-range planning effort aimed at protecting natural resources, improving resilience, and shaping how growth and conservation work together over time. The County Council is set to begin reviewing the county’s Green Infrastructure Plan, a policy framework focused on preserving and connecting environmental, agricultural, and recreational assets across Frederick County. While the title may sound technical, the larger question behind the plan is straightforward: "How should the county protect…

Comments Off

April 9, 2026

County Budgets / County News

Baltimore City’s Budget Reveals 2027 Priorities

Baltimore’s proposed FY2027 budget offers a clear picture of where city leaders want to focus next: core services, neighborhood investment, youth support, and long-term infrastructure. Mayor of Baltimore City, Brandon Scott’s preliminary budget closes a $12M funding gap while maintaining or expanding funding for several visible priorities, including violence prevention, summer jobs, homelessness services, libraries, public safety infrastructure, and neighborhood investment. That makes this more than a routine budget release. It is also a snapshot…

Comments Off

April 9, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Emergency Management / General Assembly News / Intergovernmental Relations

Conduit Street Podcast: Puzzle Pieces of the Balanced Budget

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson break down where Maryland’s budget and “Big BRFA” stand as the General Assembly enters its final weeks. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

Comments Off

March 27, 2026