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Committee reviews FY2026 budget measures: tax rate, sewer charges and operating and capital ordinances
Summary
Committee reviewed a package of FY2026 budget ordinances including a new residential real-property tax rate, sewer service charge adjustments and the operating and capital budgets; several items will move to full council for final action.
The Administrative Finance Committee reviewed several ordinances on June 10 related to the fiscal year 2026 operating and capital budgets, tax rates and sewer charges.
A substitute to the annual revenue ordinance (Ordinance 25-048) was presented; Councilman Smiley summarized proposed property tax rates following reassessment: a residential real-property tax rate of 15.75 cents per $100 of assessed value and a non-residential rate of 23.8 cents. Smiley described the rate as the “roll-back” tax rate in the substitute.
Ordinance 25-049 (sewer service charges for FY2026) keeps most sewer rates unchanged; the committee discussed a change in the equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) charge for the normal residential meter from $25 to $50 for a specified meter size change (four-inch to five-inch equivalent). Smiley said the EDU increase is limited to maintenance funds and reduces future bond dependence for sewer maintenance.
The committee also reviewed the capital budget ordinance and an ordinance authorizing issuance of general obligation bonds (related materials are part of the larger capital package discussed elsewhere in the meeting). Council members noted joint recommendations from land use and the planning board as required by county code.
Ordinance 25-053, a proposal to appropriate $3 million from the Tax Stabilization Reserve for a one-time fire service contingency, remained tabled; council members said they were working on amendment language to permit individual, per-company appropriations and planned to circulate the amended language in advance of the next meeting.
The transcript records committee review and discussion but does not include final committee votes on most ordinance items; the matters were presented for committee consideration and will proceed to the full County Council for final action.
