Read more about the article See What’s In Store for Winter #MACoCon – View the Schedule and Session Details
Feature / Winter Conference
See What’s In Store for Winter #MACoCon – View the Schedule and Session Details

MACo’s Winter Conference, "Local Leadership, Lasting Impact: Shaping What’s Next,” will be held on Dec 10-12, 2025, at the Hyatt in Cambridge, MD. Don't miss this chance to be a part of the conversation as hundreds of leaders from across the state gather to discuss local priorities before heading into the 2026 legislative session. Our lowest rates end on Nov 7. REGISTER TODAY! County governments are on the front lines of delivering essential services during a…

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October 17, 2025
Read more about the article Counties Urge Swift End to Federal Shutdown
County News / Feature / Intergovernmental Relations / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
Counties Urge Swift End to Federal Shutdown

The ongoing federal government shutdown is straining local economies and threatening essential services nationwide. Counties are urging a bipartisan solution to restore stability and protect the federal–state–local partnership that residents depend on. The National Association of Counties (NACo) this week issued a statement urging a swift, bipartisan resolution to the ongoing federal government shutdown, warning that lapses in operations undermine critical partnerships that counties depend on to serve residents effectively. NACo Executive Director Matthew Chase…

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October 16, 2025
Read more about the article MACo’s Fall Symposium: Counties Navigating Federal Crosscurrents
Feature / MACo Events
MACo’s Fall Symposium: Counties Navigating Federal Crosscurrents

Every year, MACo hosts a one-day symposium for county officials and professionals to dive deeply into a hot topic. The 2025 Fall Symposium will be held on October 23 and will focus on Counties Navigating Federal Crosscurrents. MACo Fall Symposium October 23, 2025 | 9:30 am - 3:00 pm Crowne Plaza Annapolis  Counties Navigating Federal Crosscurrents  Counties sit at the crossroads of federal policy and local impact. When Washington makes decisions on funding, regulations, or…

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October 7, 2025
Read more about the article Shutdown Countdown: State Leaders Outline Risks and Response
County News / Feature / General Assembly News / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
Shutdown Countdown: State Leaders Outline Risks and Response

Maryland leaders outlined on Tuesday both the serious risks of a federal shutdown and the steps they are taking to manage its impact on workers, revenues, and local communities. Without a last-minute deal in Washington, the federal government will close at midnight. Update — October 1, 2025: The federal government officially shut down after Congress failed to reach a last-minute agreement. As the closure begins, the impacts described in Tuesday’s Joint Federal Action Oversight Committee…

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September 30, 2025
Read more about the article Deep Dive: Budget Brinkmanship — Q&A Explainer on Shutdown Stakes for Maryland
County News / Feature / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / Policy Deep Dive
Deep Dive: Budget Brinkmanship — Q&A Explainer on Shutdown Stakes for Maryland

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. Read all of MACo’s Policy Deep Dives. What happens if Congress misses the deadline to fund the government? Maryland counties, home to hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors, face another shutdown scenario that could disrupt paychecks, delay services, and squeeze local revenues. This Deep Dive explains the shutdown process,…

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September 29, 2025
Read more about the article State Revenue Update: Tepid Growth, Outlook Weakens
Source: Board of Revenue Estimates
County Budgets / County News / Feature / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
State Revenue Update: Tepid Growth, Outlook Weakens

Maryland ended fiscal 2025 with a $521 million surplus, but that good news didn’t carry over. The Board of Revenue Estimates (BRE) reduced projections for the years ahead, citing weaker income and sales tax collections, sliding corporate revenues, and the drag of federal job losses. Revenue Projections: From Strong Finish to Slower Growth The Board, which includes Comptroller Brooke Lierman, Treasurer Dereck Davis, and Department of Budget and Management Secretary Helene Grady, approved general fund…

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September 25, 2025
Read more about the article Maryland’s FY25 Surplus Sets Stage for Deficit Years Ahead
Source: Department of Legislative Services
County Budgets / Feature / General Assembly News / News You Can Use / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
Maryland’s FY25 Surplus Sets Stage for Deficit Years Ahead

Maryland closed fiscal 2025 with a $521 million surplus — a short-term win that masks deep volatility and looming deficits with significant consequences for both State and county budgets. Maryland closed fiscal 2025 with general fund revenues $521 million above estimates, according to the Department of Legislative Services (DLS) presentation this week to the House Appropriations Committee. However, the details reveal both the volatility of Maryland's revenue base and the risks that lie ahead for State and…

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September 24, 2025
Read more about the article MDOT Drafts $21.5B Transportation Plan — But Local Road Funding Still Falls Off a Cliff
County Budgets / County News / Feature / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Transportation and Public Works
MDOT Drafts $21.5B Transportation Plan — But Local Road Funding Still Falls Off a Cliff

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) has released its Draft Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP) for fiscal years 2026–2031, a $21.5 billion capital plan that outlines investments in highways, transit, aviation, and ports. While the draft adds nearly $300 million compared to last year’s program, the headline for counties is far more sobering: Highway User Revenues are on track to plunge off a cliff, wiping out nearly $110 million in local road funding practically overnight. Local…

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September 3, 2025
Read more about the article Policy Deep Dive: Mail-In Voting — Headlines vs. Reality
Elections / Feature / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / Policy Deep Dive
Policy Deep Dive: Mail-In Voting — Headlines vs. Reality

This article is part of MACo’s Policy Deep Dive series, where expert policy analysts unpack complex policy questions with precise, county-focused analysis. Read all of MACo’s Policy Deep Dives. The Short Version A president cannot ban mail-in voting by executive order. States run elections. Congress could attempt to regulate federal races, but significant changes would face constitutional limits and political challenges. Maryland law still guarantees no-excuse mail-in voting, drop boxes, early voting, and in-person voting…

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August 26, 2025
Read more about the article Live From Summer #MACoCon With Comptroller Brooke Lierman
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Feature / Finance and Procurement / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations / Summer Conference
Live From Summer #MACoCon With Comptroller Brooke Lierman

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, we bring you a special treat from the 2025 MACo Summer Conference, and it might involve MACo Executive Director Michael Sanderson taking a turn with the Crab Feast band! But the feature comes to us from a great 2025 #MACoCon 1-on-1 session is Comptroller Brooke Lierman.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in…

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August 22, 2025
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