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Commissioner: St. Mary's County budget work session to proceed amid state budget uncertainty
Summary
A St. Mary's County commissioner said the county faces uncertainty tied to the state budget and that commissioners must give direction to the finance office so it can prepare the county budget. The commissioner framed the year's work as difficult but necessary and drew on private-sector experience in describing decision-making.
A St. Mary's County commissioner said the county's budget process is complicated this year by uncertainty in the state budget and that commissioners must provide material for the finance office to prepare local budget proposals.
"Now this year with the state budget, constantly in flux, we think we got something to only find out it's not. That's not helping any of us," the commissioner said, describing the challenge facing the county as it prepares its budget. The commissioner also said the board had already discussed a budget work session scheduled for the meeting.
The commissioner, speaking about his approach to difficult decisions, said he relies on experience: "what I call my gut," referencing his 38 years running a small business before retiring in 2017 and noting this is his eleventh year as a commissioner. He said tough decisions are necessary but that the goal is reaching choices officials feel comfortable with.
The commissioner said the board needs to "give something for our finance office to come up with the budget, and we're gonna do that today." The remarks did not specify budget figures, which departments or programs would see changes, or a final adoption timeline.
Next steps: commissioners to provide direction during the budget work session; finance staff will use that guidance to draft budget proposals. No formal budget vote or final allocations were recorded in the provided transcript segments.
