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St. Mary's County commissioners warn of tight budget as state, federal cuts loom
Summary
A St. Mary's County commissioner told colleagues the county could lose about $2 million in state-funded programs and faces the possibility of reduced federal grants, prompting warnings to county directors and school officials to prioritize requests.
An unnamed St. Mary's County commissioner told fellow commissioners during a meeting that the county faces a challenging budget year because the state is preparing to return roughly $2 million in funding the county has relied on and federal grants may be reduced.
The commissioner said the county's new chief financial officer will face a difficult budget process and urged county department directors and the school system to be cautious in their funding requests. "I will warn all the directors and school system, everything, to be very cautious what you asked for because you may not get it," the commissioner said.
The remarks included an estimate that the county has identified "about over 2,000,000" that the state normally funds but will no longer provide; the speaker said reports this week suggest that amount could grow. The commissioner also noted that the Maryland General Assembly has extended its session to May 7 in an effort to resolve state-level budget issues.
Beyond state funding, the speaker expressed concern about potential federal-level reductions and their effect on county operations and grants. "We depend a lot on federal grants as well. So that could, very much be cut also," the commissioner said, adding concern about rhetoric toward federal employees and mentions of possible Department of Defense cuts.
The commissioner emphasized county priorities that must be maintained amid any reductions: emergency services, schools and transportation infrastructure. "Emergency services have to be maintained. We do want good schools and transportation and roads is very important," the commissioner said.
No formal motions or votes on budget actions were recorded in the provided transcript excerpt. The remarks were presented as a warning and situational update; the commissioner said the commission will monitor state and federal developments that could affect the county budget.
