(5/2023) The single most important responsibility I have as your County Executive is to prepare the county’s budget. I am proud to have submitted a budget that puts people first and moves Frederick County forward. After hearing from over 1,500 people from across the county, I shaped a plan that invests in our greatest asset – our people.

This proposal is fiscally responsible. It ensures healthy reserve funds, meets our long-term pension obligations, and makes tactical investments to protect our coveted AAA bond ratings, which save taxpayer dollars as we invest in essential services and capital projects. Most importantly, it lays a foundation for all of our residents to thrive.

One of the initiatives I’m most proud of in the budget is reducing the income tax burden for the most vulnerable in our community to the lowest rate allowed by law. Frederick will be the first county in Maryland to set the rate this low. The property tax rate remains unchanged. The budget invests in:

Our Students

Making a record investment in Frederick County Public Schools. – The $405 million allocation is $35 million more than required, but less than what was requested by the Board of Education.

Constructing new school projects to address enrollment growth and aging facilities.

Our Workforce

Conducting a disparity study of Frederick County Government contracting – Results will help to shape the County’s first Minority Business Enterprise program. Small businesses will be aided by new Ombudsman and Small Business Navigator positions.

Our Growing Community

Focusing on housing needs – To help current residents stay in their homes and new residents afford to live here, the budget increases the Housing Initiative Fund, includes a housing needs assessment, and elevates the Housing Department to a Housing Division.

Connecting people through bikeways and trails – The budget makes a record investment of more than $4.5 million in Frederick County’s bikeways and trails system.

Investing in senior centers –A new and improved Brunswick Senior Center, a brand-new facility in east county, and renovations to the Frederick Senior Center are included early in the six-year Capital Improvement Program.

Building resilience and responding to climate change – The budget prioritizes the critical work needed to address climate change. It begins implementation of the County’s Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan and the Climate and Energy Action Plan.

Our Public Servants

Attracting and maintaining the best employees – A 5% cost-of-living adjustment for non-union employees helps Frederick County Government to be an attractive employer. The budget also honors the contracts with public safety unions.

Recognizing 911 emergency communications specialists – To support these front-line emergency responders, the proposed budget provides additional staff and supports the operations of a new state-of-the-art Next Gen 911 Center, funded through an increase to the 911 fee on cell phone bills. The budget also reflects key changes in classifications, shift differentials, and salaries for these workers.

I want to try to clear up some confusion about the tax proposal. Here is what we expect the impact to be on Frederick County taxpayers, based on 2021 tax filings:

• Most people will see no change in their tax rate. This is true for over 42,000 households that file joint returns and more than 27,600 "single status" tax filers.
• The tax rate will drop for more than 9,000 joint and 25,500 single taxpayers. People who make $25,000 a year or less will see their rate decrease from 2.75% to 2.25%.
• Only the top earners –joint filers who earn over $200,000 a year (approximately 9,750), and "single status" filers who net over $100,000 (about 5,000)– will see their rate increase to 3.20%. This brings Frederick County in line with many other jurisdictions in the state. Two-thirds of all Marylanders are taxed at this rate.

Taxpayers who file "single status" returns include people who are single, married filing separate returns, and dependents. "Joint status" filers includes married couples who file returns jointly, heads of households, and qualified widows.

It’s important to point out that changes still could be made to the proposed budget. County Council members will hold workshops on the budget May 3-5. The Council has until the end of the month to adopt a final budget.

One important program funded through this budget is Frederick County’s longstanding Community Partnership Grants. We see big community impacts from an investment of a relatively small amount of money, leveraging the incredible experience, expertise, and relationships our nonprofits have built in our community. This year, 39 local nonprofit organizations will receive grants totaling $1.3 million. Grants will provide food to children; emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence; respite service for caretakers; home repairs for seniors with low income; job skills and education for youth without stable housing; and 2-1-1 crisis services for residents facing addiction, among many other services.

These nonprofits include familiar community partners: Mission of Mercy, The Seton Center, The Arc, Frederick Health Hospice, YMCA’s afterschool program, Way Station, to name just a few.

We are blessed to live in a community with so many amazing organizations devoted to helping people reach their full potential. They are making life better and making it possible for everyone in our community to thrive.