Commissioners approve FY2021 CIP, keep property tax rate and send plan to planning commission

The St. Mary's County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 25 approved the county's FY2021 Capital Improvements Program, kept the county's property tax rate at 0.8478 and directed staff to take the CIP to the Planning Commission for review.

The CIP approval follows staff's presentation that showed the FY2021 request rising to $87.5 million from an approved base of $83.5 million after project changes and consolidations directed in prior work sessions. Chief Financial Officer Jeanette Kenmore said the plan identifies funding sources and includes a $33 million request for general obligation bond authority submitted to Annapolis.

Kenmore told commissioners the FY2021 funding mix includes bond authority, an estimated $6.9 million in transfer tax, $8.7 million in pay-go funding that had been discussed in December, roughly $26.6 million in state and federal funding, and $1.6 million in other sources. She also said operating impacts for FY2021 were reduced from earlier estimates and are now…