Public urges commissioners to fully fund schools as county presents FY2026 recommended budget

St. Mary's County finance staff presented the FY2026 recommended budget; dozens of residents, educators, union and nonprofit representatives urged the commissioners to fully fund the county's public schools and other community services before the budget is adopted in May.

Vanetta Van Cleave, the county chief financial officer, walked through key budget figures: projected county revenues increasing from $323,500,000 to $337,400,000 (a $13,900,000, or 4.3% increase), an $11,500,000 use of fund balance that staff proposed for certain items, recommended general fund expenditures of $348,900,000, enterprise funds budgeted separately, and a FY2026 capital plan totaling $75,400,000 supported by approximately $29,500,000 in federal and state funding. Van Cleave also explained a change from Annapolis: a pension expense that had been estimated at $3,100,000 was updated to $1,562,000 after Maryland General Assembly actions, freeing $2,738,000 for commissioners to consider at the next budget workshop. The county's policy minimum reserve is 15% of revenues and current reserves are about 20%.

Public comment focused heavily on education funding. Sarah Penrod, president of the Education Association of St. Mary's County, told commissioners: "We aren't just educators. We are community members, we are parents, and we are taxpayers." She said educators would "reestablish the boundaries" of unpaid labor if the board did not act to provide competitive compensation and preserve programs. Hannah Heisler, the student member of the Board of Education, said St. Mary's County provides among the lowest per-pupil funding in Maryland and that the Board of Education's request for an additional $5,400,000 covers what she described as "the bare minimum."

Representatives from law enforcement and victim services spoke in support of public-safety investments. Austin Schultz, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, and Sheriff Hall both voiced support for the recommended budget's emphasis on public safety. Kurt Wolfgang, executive director of the Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center, urged the commissioners to consider additional funding for the state's attorney's office to address workload and burnout.

Library leaders and patrons also urged support. Michael Blackwell, director of the St. Mary's County Library, described libraries as "a place where the community has pooled its resources so that all may share them for learning and self development," and asked commissioners to keep libraries in mind during final budget adjustments.

Multiple speakers pointed to last year's local income tax increase (from 3.0% to 3.2%) and told commissioners they expected those additional revenues to be used for schools. Several residents said flat funding the school system despite the income-tax increase would breach that expectation and risk teacher retention, programs and school consolidations. Speakers offered a range of numbers and suggestions for offsets: one commenter and several speakers said about $7,380,000 in additional funds (including state adjustments and unassigned fund balance) could be available to address a portion of the Board of Education's request while maintaining reserves.

No final vote was held at this public hearing. Staff said the public comment period will remain open through April 29, the commissioners will hold budget workshops on May 6 and May 13 to consider Maryland budget impacts and other changes, and the final budget and tax rate are scheduled for adoption on May 20, 2025.