Taxes and Revenues Archives

Conduit Street Podcast: From Maryland to Missouri, County Issues Align

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson is joined by Steve Hobbs, Executive Director of the Missouri Association of Counties, for a conversation on the issues shaping county government across state lines. 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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June 26, 2026

News You Can Use / Taxes and Revenues

Comptroller to Launch New Tax Portal for Individual Taxpayers

The Comptroller of Maryland will launch Maryland Tax Connect for individual taxpayers on September 1, replacing several legacy tax systems and marking the State’s first major tax administration modernization effort in more than three decades. Maryland Tax Connect already serves business taxpayers. Beginning September 1, individual taxpayers will also use the portal to file returns, make payments, review account information, access notices, check balances, and manage payment plans through a single online system. According to…

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June 16, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development / Public Safety and Corrections / School Construction and Capital Budgets / Taxes and Revenues

Worcester County Budget Maintains Tax Rates, Boosts School, and Public Safety Funding

Worcester County has approved its Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget, maintaining both its property tax and local income tax rates while increasing investments in education, public safety, employee compensation, and county reserves. The approved $300.2 million spending plan keeps the County's property tax rate at 81.5 cents per $100 of assessed value and maintains its local income tax rate at 2.25%, which County officials note remains among the lowest in Maryland. County leaders described the…

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June 4, 2026

County News / Feature / Policy Deep Dive / Taxes and Revenues / Transportation and Public Works

Deep Dive: Why Maryland’s Gas Tax Changes Every Year

Maryland drivers will pay slightly more in State gas taxes beginning July 1, but the annual adjustment reflects a much more considerable challenge facing Maryland’s transportation system. The Office of the Maryland Comptroller announced this week that the State gasoline tax will increase from 46.0 cents per gallon to 46.6 cents per gallon. The change amounts to six-tenths of one cent per gallon, or about six cents on a 10-gallon fill-up. While the increase itself…

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June 3, 2026

County Budgets / County Government and Structure / County News / Elections / Energy / Environment / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues

May in Maryland: What’s News, What’s Noise?

We're back with another special edition of the Conduit Street Podcast, with the MACo team taking up several issues from this month's headlines, and trying to sort out which are the real stories (news) and which are more smoke than fire (noise). 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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May 29, 2026

Housing and Community Development / Taxes and Revenues

Baltimore City Launches Property Tax Payment Plan Program

Baltimore City is introducing a new option for homeowners with past-due property taxes, allowing eligible residents to enroll in monthly payment plans rather than facing an all-or-nothing deadline. The program, now open for enrollment through May 12, offers a structured path for residents to catch up on delinquent taxes and avoid tax sale. From the press release: "Overdue property tax bills should never be the reason that any Baltimorean - especially a legacy resident -…

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April 30, 2026

Cannabis / Health and Human Services / Planning and Zoning / Taxes and Revenues

DOJ Moves to Loosen Cannabis Restrictions, Signals Shift Toward Rescheduling

The US Department of Justice announced a significant shift in federal cannabis policy, moving to loosen restrictions on certain cannabis products while advancing a broader effort to reclassify the drug under federal law. The action does not legalize cannabis nationwide. But it marks one of the most consequential federal moves in decades. It could reshape how the industry operates, particularly in states like Maryland that already allow medical and adult-use sales. As previously covered on…

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April 24, 2026

County News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues

State Keeps Property Tax Rate Flat for Fiscal 2027

The Board of Public Works (BPW) voted this week to maintain the State property tax rate for fiscal 2027, keeping rates unchanged at 11.2 cents per $100 of assessed value for real property and 28.0 cents per $100 for public utility property. The three-member board approved the rates unanimously, following a recommendation from the Commission on State Debt. The State property tax supports debt service on general obligation bonds, which fund capital investments such as…

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April 23, 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…

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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…

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April 17, 2026