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Garrett County commissioners adopt $116.8 million FY26 budget, lower property tax rate
Summary
The Board of Garrett County Commissioners approved Resolution 2025-6 on June 2, adopting the fiscal year 2026 operating and capital budget of $116,834,733 and setting a countywide real property tax rate of $1.02 per $100 of assessed value.
The Board of Garrett County Commissioners on June 2 adopted the fiscal year 2026 operating and capital budget and set county tax rates, approving Resolution 2025-6 and lowering the countywide real property tax rate to $1.02 per $100 of assessed value (excluding the municipality of Mountain Lake Park, set at $0.9633 per $100).
The budget the board approved totals $116,834,733 for fiscal year 2026, and the board set the public utilities tax rate at $2.55 per $100 of assessed value. The resolution lists ad valorem rates for local sanitary districts, including Bloomington Sanitary District (13¢), Chestnut Ridge Sewer Sanitary District (16¢), Deep Creek Lake Water Sanitary District (10¢), Deep Creek Lake Sewer Sanitary District (5¢), Deer Park Water Sanitary District (15¢), Deer Park Sewer Sanitary District (10¢), Friendsville Sanitary District (5¢), Jennings Sewer Sanitary District (5¢), Keizer's Ridge Water Sanitary District (6¢), Meadow Mountain Sewer Sanitary District (4¢), Mountain Lake Park Laughlin Water Sanitary District (4¢), and Mountain Lake Park Laughlin Sewer Sanitary District (3¢). Board materials note several of those district rates decreased by 1¢ compared with the prior year.
The board chair opened the item by noting the county had held a public preliminary budget hearing on May 20 and that no formal public comments had been received before the meeting. A county staff member, Mr. Weeks, confirmed no comments had been submitted to the office. After brief discussion, a motion to adopt the budget and the ad valorem rates was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote; the board did not record a roll-call tally in the meeting transcript.
County officials and commissioners cited several revenue factors that produced the lower tax rate. Scott, identified in the meeting as the Garrett County Department of Financial Services director, said assessments were higher than anticipated and that certain revenue streams remained stronger than expected after the COVID-19 period. "We were within, I'd say, at least 10% of the projections that we had the prior year to what it actually ended up being this year," Scott said, describing the difficulty of projecting school-related expenses and state funding changes known in the meeting as the "blueprint." Officials said accommodations (lodging) tax receipts stayed higher than projected and income tax revenue had been somewhat stronger than forecast, increasing county receipts relative to earlier estimates.
Several members of the board and staff warned about potential state-level changes that could affect the county's future finances. The presiding official (name not specified) said the county expects a special legislative session at the state level and warned it could require changes counties must absorb. "I don't have a crystal ball, but I can't imagine much of it will be good," the presiding official said, urging caution in long-term planning.
The board chair publicly thanked the finance department and department heads for producing a balanced budget. The meeting record shows the adoption was final at the June 2 meeting; the board noted it must adopt the budget by June 30, 2025.
Following the vote, commissioners announced the board will hold summer meetings around the county to increase accessibility, with the next meeting scheduled for June 16 in Grantsville at 5:30 p.m.
