St. Mary's County adopts $348.6 million FY2026 budget; keeps tax rates flat, reduces energy tax to zero

St. Mary's County commissioners on May 20 approved the county's FY2026 operating and capital budgets, a set of fee and charge updates, and a revenue ordinance that sets tax rates and other revenues for the coming year.

The action, presented by Benetta Van Cleve, chief financial officer, adopted a $348,563,112 general-fund budget and tied appropriations that also include about $28.5 million in enterprise and special revenue funds and roughly $75.4 million for capital improvements. The board also approved a revenue ordinance that leaves most property tax rates unchanged, reduces the county energy and fuel tax from 0.3125% to 0.0% (a projected revenue reduction cited in the presentation of about $325,000), and raises two rescue tax rates to 0.03 for Leonardtown and Hollywood.

The commissioners also approved a slate of updated fees and charges. Staff highlighted a formulaic 2% increase in the annual environmental and…