Finance and Procurement Archives

Finance and Procurement / School Construction and Capital Budgets

State Sells $800M in Bonds for Schools and Infrastructure

Just days after receiving AAA ratings from Fitch, S&P, and KBRA, Maryland completed an $800 million general obligation bond sale, securing favorable borrowing rates for future capital projects. The Board of Public Works approved the sale on Wednesday as part of the State and Local Facilities Loan of 2026. The bonds will help finance school construction, higher ed facilities, environmental projects, public safety improvements, and other infrastructure investments across Maryland. The sale attracted seven bids…

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June 4, 2026

Finance and Procurement / State Budget and Fiscal Issues

State Retains AAA Rating as S&P Lowers Outlook to Negative

Maryland’s latest credit reviews preserved the State’s top-tier rating but also raised new concerns about long-term fiscal pressures and future budget sustainability. Maryland retained its top-tier credit standing this week as Fitch Ratings affirmed the State’s AAA issuer and general obligation bond ratings and assigned a AAA rating to $800 million in new GO bonds. At the same time, S&P Global Ratings also assigned a AAA rating to Maryland’s new 2026 GO bonds and affirmed…

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May 26, 2026

Business Affairs / County News / Finance and Procurement / News You Can Use

MD Authorizes Cash Transaction Rounding Amid Penny Shortage

Maryland businesses can now round specified cash transactions to the nearest five cents following legislation responding to the growing national penny shortage. The change follows the US Treasury’s November 2025 decision to stop producing new pennies for circulation, creating increasing difficulty for businesses trying to provide exact change during cash transactions. While pennies remain legal tender and continue circulating through the Federal Reserve system, the shortage prompted lawmakers to authorize limited rounding flexibility for merchants…

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May 14, 2026

County News / Finance and Procurement / Housing and Community Development

Pro-Housing Measure Broadens County Options for Public Improvement Bonds

As housing affordability and development costs remain top concerns across Maryland, state lawmakers have advanced a measure to give counties greater flexibility in how they support new development. During the 2026 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly passed HB 1216 – Insurance – Certificates of Guarantee for County Bond Requirements – All Counties, a MACo-supported bill that expands an existing tool for satisfying local bonding requirements. Under current law, only a limited number of counties…

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April 22, 2026

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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…

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April 17, 2026

Finance and Procurement / MACo Testimony

2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Procurement

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on procurement policy in the 2026 General Assembly. Public procurement is a critical function of county government that drives infrastructure delivery, management of public funds, and ensures fair and competitive contracting processes. Through its procurement advocacy, MACo works to preserve local flexibility in procurement practices while supporting policies that promote transparency, efficiency, and strong partnerships with the private sector. In Maryland's 448th legislative session, procurement policy…

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April 16, 2026

Finance and Procurement / MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues

2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Taxes and Revenues

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on tax policy in the 2026 General Assembly. The General Assembly routinely considers changes to tax structures to spur economic growth, encourage certain activities, or attract and retain residents. Some proposals focus only on State taxes, while others extend to local revenues and directly affect county budgets. MACo supports local decision-making. Counties, led by elected officials accountable to their communities, make informed choices on local…

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April 16, 2026

Finance and Procurement / MACo Testimony

2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Finance

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on finance policy in the 2026 General Assembly. In the 2026 session, fiscal policy took center stage as the General Assembly faced slowing revenues, rising costs, and competing priorities across government. Budget constraints drove debates over tax policy, aid formulas, and funding commitments, with a sharper focus on how the State and local governments share costs and responsibilities. Maryland’s 448th legislative session opened with significant…

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April 15, 2026

County News / Economic Development / Finance and Procurement

Frederick Examines Equity in County Contracting

Frederick County is taking a closer look at procurement, specifically, how its contracting system works, and who it works for. County officials have released the County’s first-ever Procurement Disparity Study, an analysis of whether barriers exist to businesses' access to public contracting opportunities. The study marks a step toward evaluating fairness, access, and participation in county procurement, an issue many local governments are looking into. Conducted based on procurement data gathered for five years, the…

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April 2, 2026

Finance and Procurement / General Assembly News / MACo Testimony

MACo: Stop Making Counties Pay for State Decisions

On March 20, MACo testified before the House Judiciary Committee in support of HB 1605 – Compensation for Individuals Erroneously Convicted - County Cost-Sharing - Repeal. This bill corrects a flawed policy enacted as a small component of the 2025 Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act that requires counties to fund wrongful-incarceration compensation decisions made entirely through State processes. Under current law, the State determines eligibility, calculates awards, and sets all terms through administrative and judicial…

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March 26, 2026