Read more about the article Pew: Maryland Faces $1.2B Road Maintenance Funding Gap
County Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Transportation and Public Works
Pew: Maryland Faces $1.2B Road Maintenance Funding Gap

Maryland’s planned roadway maintenance spending falls well short of identified needs, according to a new national analysis that underscores the continuing struggle to keep the transportation system in good repair. The Pew Charitable Trusts analyzed states’ long-term roadway maintenance needs and found that Maryland identified approximately $5.9 billion in needs against $4.7 billion in planned spending, leaving a projected $1.17 billion gap. Maryland’s shortfall equals 25% of its planned expenditures, according to Pew. Maryland is…

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August 31, 2026
Read more about the article Maryland Retains AAA Bond Ratings, S&P Keeps Negative Outlook
Finance and Procurement / News You Can Use / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Maryland Retains AAA Bond Ratings, S&P Keeps Negative Outlook

Maryland retained AAA ratings from all three of its current rating agencies on a new $600 million bond sale, but S&P Global Ratings kept its Negative Outlook as the State faces mounting budget and federal pressures. Fitch Ratings and KBRA each assigned AAA ratings to Maryland’s $600 million State and Local Facilities Loan of 2026, Second Series bonds and maintained Stable Outlooks. S&P Global Ratings also assigned a AAA rating to the bonds but maintained…

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August 26, 2026
Read more about the article Explainer: Two Budget Cycles Shifted $165M in Pension Costs to Counties
County Budgets / Pensions & Public Funds / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Explainer: Two Budget Cycles Shifted $165M in Pension Costs to Counties

Across two consecutive budget cycles, the State has added nearly $165 million in annual costs to county budgets through new pension obligations and the elimination of retirement grants. The total includes $137 million in new annual retirement costs shifted to counties and a $27.7 million loss in annual supplemental retirement grants. The State created those grants as part of the 2012 teacher pension cost shift. How the 2012 Pension Shift Worked Before 2012, the State funded employer…

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August 19, 2026
Read more about the article Maryland in 50 Years and Beyond: Planning for the Long View
State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Summer Conference
Maryland in 50 Years and Beyond: Planning for the Long View

Planning for the next budget cycle is a necessity, but planning for the next generation may be even more important. During the 2026 MACo Summer Conference session, “Maryland in 50 Years and Beyond,” Delegate Lorig Charkoudian moderated a discussion on the long-term decisions that will shape Maryland’s future and the role state and county leaders play in preparing communities for decades to come. The conversation examined how local and state leaders can balance today’s challenges…

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August 19, 2026
Read more about the article Local Revenue Task Force Sets Second Meeting for August 31
County Budgets / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Local Revenue Task Force Sets Second Meeting for August 31

The Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures will meet again on August 31 as members continue examining Maryland’s local revenue structure and the fiscal pressures facing local governments. The Task Force will meet virtually on Monday, August 31, at 10:30 am. Members will receive an agenda and additional information ahead of the meeting, and the General Assembly website will stream the meeting live. As previously reported on Conduit Street, the Task Force…

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August 18, 2026
Read more about the article Digital Ad Tax Ruling Adds to Blueprint Funding Pressure
Source: Maryland Department of Legislative Services
Education / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
Digital Ad Tax Ruling Adds to Blueprint Funding Pressure

A Maryland Tax Court decision striking down Maryland’s digital advertising tax could create another significant challenge for funding the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. The tax has generated hundreds of millions of dollars for the education plan, which already faces growing costs and long-term funding pressures. On August 14, the Maryland Tax Court ruled that Maryland’s digital advertising tax violates federal law. The court ordered refunds of taxes paid, plus applicable interest, in separate challenges brought by…

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August 17, 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
Read more about the article Aging Population Poses Long-Term Budget Challenges for States
County News / Health and Human Services / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Aging Population Poses Long-Term Budget Challenges for States

States are preparing for a future where more residents are older, healthcare costs are higher, and demand for public services continues to grow. As the US population continues to age, states are facing growing fiscal pressures that will require long-term planning and cross-agency coordination. A new report from The Pew Charitable Trusts highlights how demographic shifts are expected to affect state revenues, increase healthcare costs, and drive demand for a wide range of public services…

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July 14, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room: The State’s Role in Solving Maryland’s Housing Crisis
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
Read more about the article The Briefing Room: Why Housing Costs More Than Ever
County Budgets / Economic Development / Housing and Community Development / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
The Briefing Room: Why Housing Costs More Than Ever

Housing projects do not rise or fall only on land, design, or political will. They also rise or fall with the cost of capital, aka the capital stack. 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 7, 2026
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