Commissioner raises volunteer EMS support and budget concerns amid Maryland budget shortfall

An unnamed St. Mary's County commissioner used the public comment period to urge the county to consider property tax credits or direct stipends for volunteer emergency medical services and volunteer fire personnel, citing heavy call volumes and potential state budget cuts.

The commissioner said volunteer departments are handling more than 850 calls a year and described recent attendance at installation ceremonies for the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department and the Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department. “These departments are running 850 plus calls a year for us,” the commissioner said, and added that the county must find equitable ways to encourage new recruits, especially younger volunteers starting families.

The remarks linked local concerns to broader state budget pressures. The speaker said the Maryland General Assembly faces a structural deficit of roughly $2,700,000,000 and that elements of the Blueprint for Maryland — which the commissioner described as a roughly $1,000,000,000 initiative — may be paused or scaled back, putting expected revenue streams to the county board of education at risk.

The commissioner framed proposed support for volunteers as an equity issue. He said long-serving volunteers should be acknowledged through existing mechanisms (he referenced a “low SAP,” describing support for people with 20 years or more of service) but argued younger recruits need incentives too. The commissioner suggested either a property tax credit or a direct stipend that would be fair and help with recruitment.

No formal motion, vote or funding proposal for tax credits or stipends was presented during the public comment; the speaker offered the suggestion for the board and county administrator to consider. The commissioner did not provide a proposed dollar amount, a legislative vehicle, or a timeline for implementation.