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Amended state budget restores disparity grants, boosts George Edwards Fund and includes energy-relief measures
Summary
Perry Public Affairs told Frostburg leaders the amended Maryland budget restores $27 million for local disparity grants (Allegany County ~ $6 million), provides about $8 million to the George Edwards Fund and includes energy-relief measures—$100 million in program funding and estimated $150 per household in annual savings starting FY27.
Rich Rinehart, of Perry Public Affairs, summarized key features of the General Assembly’s amended operating and capital budgets for Frostburg and Allegany County.
He said the budget restores $27 million for disparity grants to local governments and that Allegany County is expected to receive about $6 million. "There is literally $27 million going back into the disparity grants for local governments. And of that $27 million, Allegany County is looking to receive about $6 million of that money," Rinehart said.
Rinehart also said the Western Maryland Economic Future Investment Fund (the George Edwards Fund) is expected to receive about $8 million in the coming year after earlier proposals left it at zero.
On energy, Rinehart said leadership included $100 million to provide relief to electric customers and leadership projects policymakers expect roughly $150 in savings per household over the next year, beginning in FY27. He said the Office of Home Energy Programs would receive about $280 million for low-income assistance and the Maryland Energy Administration may be authorized to spend roughly $73 million to help purchase heat pumps for low- and moderate-income households.
Rinehart cautioned that some measures remain subject to Senate amendments and conference negotiations: he identified House Bill 1532 (the leadership energy omnibus, titled the Energy Relief Act in its amended form) as a large, complex package that the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee was scheduled to consider and which could change before final passage. He also said the governor’s Starter and Solar Homes Act (House Bill 239 and its Senate crossfile) did not survive crossover and would not move forward this session.
Rinehart said he will compile a fuller end-of-session report listing bills his office tracked and recommended actions for the council to consider during the interim.
The session did not record formal votes on these items; this article reflects the fiscal and policy descriptions Rinehart provided to the Mayor and Council.
