Carroll County board hears FY27 property tax levy proposal; countywide levy down, rural services up

Courtney (Courtney, county staff) told the Board the proposed fiscal‑year 2027 levy requests would total $6,153,039 countywide, down from $6,523,175 last year, while the rural services request would be $3,635,193, up from $3,081,035. She said the notice mailed to residents omitted some debt service and supplemental details, so "it's not a true picture," and reported the estimated rates: urban 3.89887 and rural 7.64589.

The presenter emphasized that "countywide, everybody's gonna see a reduction in their taxes," while the rural rate would rise slightly. Board members took questions and clarified the figures for residents who had contacted the office after receiving the notice.

During public comment, a resident identified by other speakers as Mark praised the board for applying local option sales tax revenue to supplemental items and called the direct levy cut "direct property tax relief for your taxpayers." Multiple other commenters thanked supervisors and department staff for limiting the overall levy request.

After hearing public remarks and staff explanation, the Chair closed the public hearing. The board later set the formal public hearing on the full Carroll County FY27 budget for April 13 at 9:00 a.m. on a motion and voice vote.

Why it matters: the proposal reduces the countywide levy request compared with last year, which the board and several residents framed as tangible relief; however, the rural services levy is higher than last year and will increase costs for rural taxpayers. The board did not adopt final levy rates at this meeting and will consider budget and levy actions at the scheduled budget hearing.

Next steps: the Board will hold the advertised FY27 budget hearing on April 13 at 9:00 a.m., where additional detail and any formal levy actions are expected.