Calvert County adopts $420.5 million FY2027 budget, approves 2.7% COLA and 10 new positions

The Calvert County Board of Commissioners adopted the fiscal year 2027 operating and capital budgets on June 9, approving tax rates and fees and closing the public record by a 5-0 vote.

Chief Financial Officer Malena Brookshire presented the proposed adopted budget and noted the county held public hearings on March 24 and May 12 and considered written public comment in preparing the adopted plan. "The fiscal year 2027 budget before the board is balanced," Brookshire said, outlining the budgetcomponents: a general fund operating budget of approximately $420.5 million, an enterprise fund of $29.6 million, special revenue funds totaling $45.5 million, a grants fund of about $9.9million, and a capital projects fund of roughly $89.9 million.

The budget continues the county's stated priorities, Brookshire said, including public safety and education. Education funding totals about $169.7 million, roughly 40% of the general fund operating budget and about $6.7 million higher than FY2026. The package also adds 10 new positions (eight for public safety, one for the treasurer's office and one for parks and recreation), one salary step and a 2.7% cost-of-living adjustment for county staff. Brookshire told the board the tax-supported general fund increases roughly 5.7% compared with FY2026.

A budget explainer video played for the board and public, illustrating revenue sources and fund uses: about 54% of general fund revenue comes from property taxes and about 33% from income taxes, with the remainder from fees, state and federal funding and prior-year fund balance. The video and Brookshire's memo described allocations across county services and detailed capital priorities.

Commissioners praised staff work on the budget during the meeting. Commissioner Grasso called the process "business-like" and thanked staff for producing a useful roadmap; Commissioner Rance, a longtime local volunteer firefighter, emphasized the need to plan strategically given rising equipment costs and shifting emergency services needs. The board then moved, seconded and voted to close the record and enact the resolutions adopting the FY2027 operating and capital budgets and the associated tax rates and fees; the motion carried 5-0.

The board did not take additional substantive actions tied to the budget at the meeting. The county posted the full budget and supplemental materials on its website for public review.