Calvert County commissioners present FY26 budget with $17.8 million in cuts; public comment period extended to June 9

Commissioner Gerald Hans, president of the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners, opened the May 6 public hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget and said the commissioners are not proposing tax increases to balance the plan. “There are no tax increases or, other pass along cost to our citizens that we're gonna impose tonight to balance this budget,” Hans said.

The commissioners presented a reconciled budget after staff and the county finance office identified new state pass-through costs and made department-level reductions. Bruce Miller, Calvert County finance director, said the staff-recommended budget initially showed a $15.4 million revenue deficit; after $2.2 million in state pass-through expenditures were shifted to the county, the shortfall grew to $17.8 million. To close that gap the county implemented approximately $17.6 million in department operating cuts and reduced PAYGO capital funding by $6.8 million.

Why it matters: the proposed FY26 budget sets county operating priorities and the first year of the six-year capital improvement plan. The board said it aimed to avoid short-term reliance on fund balance while protecting essential services.

Key numbers and adjustments - Deficit identified after staff-recommended budget and state pass-throughs: $17,800,000 (Bruce Miller). - Department operating cuts: about $17,600,000. - PAYGO reduction to capital improvement plan financing: $6,800,000. - Projected attrition savings: $2,700,000. - Board of Education (BOE) operating reduction from the staff-recommended budget: $840,000 (state maintenance of effort adjustment).

Finance and budget staff said some increases remained in the recommended budget because of mandated or contractual costs. The FY26 plan includes a step and a cost-of-living adjustment for county employees, a county administrator contingency increase of $400,000, the addition of nine‑one‑one staff costing about $500,000 (offset by revenue), enhancements to career EMS staffing totaling about $1,100,000, a state-mandated health department increase of roughly $2,000,000, SDAT-related pass-throughs of $371,000 and $1,800,000 for teachers’ retirement obligations. The budget also includes a $1,500,000 replenishment for other post-employment benefits (OPEB).

Capital plan and major funds Finance staff presented the FY26 capital budget as the first year of a six-year plan with $62.1 million in project appropriations. Funding sources identified included approximately $6.9 million in PAYGO transfers, $23.1 million in debt financing, $1.0 million in excise taxes, $0.75 million in enterprise connection charges, and roughly $30.2 million in external state and federal grants or loans. Education was the largest category at about $31.6 million; staff noted an anticipated $21.3 million in grant funding for the Northern Middle School construction project.

Staff emphasized the general fund remains the primary operating fund (about 84% of operating funds) and that property and income taxes generate the majority of general fund revenue (roughly $350 million of $385 million total revenues). The two largest expenditure categories in the general fund remain the Sheriff's Office and the Board of Education, together accounting for more than half of general fund spending.

Next steps and public process Commissioner Hans and county staff said the budget as presented is not final. The board will accept public comment through 4:30 p.m. on June 9; the FY26 budget vote is scheduled for the board's June meeting. At the close of the hearing, the board voted to keep the public comment record open through close of business on Monday, June 9, 2025. The motion to leave the record open received a second and was approved by voice vote.

Votes and formal actions - Motion to reconvene as the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners: moved and seconded and approved by voice vote at the start of the hearing (motion passed). (See provenance below.) - Motion to leave the public comment record open through close of business on Monday, 06/09/2025: moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. (See actions[] for details and provenance.)

Officials and staff who presented included Beth Richmond, senior adviser for the Department of Finance and Budget; Mark Willis, county administrator; and Bruce Miller, finance director. Daniel Russell presented the capital improvement plan. Dr. (first name not specified) Townsville, superintendent of Calvert County Public Schools, presented the BOE request and explained the district’s reliance on county and state funding and on prior-year savings and ESSER funds to meet FY26 needs.

Ending County officials stressed the FY26 recommendation was structured to be sustainable into FY27 and that more adjustments could follow before final adoption. The board invited additional written comments from residents before the June 9 deadline.