Carroll County delegation approves $42.07 million budget; uses $5 million from fund balance to lower 2025 tax burden

Carroll County Delegation members approved a $42,066,282 county spending plan for 2025 and voted to draw $5 million from the county's unassigned fund balance to reduce the amount to be raised by property taxes.

The move to use $5 million from fund balance was moved by Representative Smith and seconded on the floor; the delegation approved the transfer during a roll-call series of votes late in the session. Delegation members debated the county's reported fund-balance totals during the meeting after auditors and staff gave differing presentations about whether certain ARPA funds were included in the unassigned balance. Delegation members and county staff said they would follow up with the auditor to reconcile presentation differences before the next reporting cycle.

Why it matters: The fund-balance draw reduces the county's 2025 tax requirement and helps hold down property tax increases this year. Delegation members and staff also emphasized the…