Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Elkton introduces $20.87 million FY2027 budget, keeps property tax rate steady
Summary
The Mayor and Commissioners introduced Ordinance 2-2026, a $20,865,783 FY2027 budget that holds the property tax rate at 63.56 cents per $100 assessed value and adds targeted spending for public safety and community programs; the ordinance was approved for introduction unanimously.
The Mayor and Commissioners of the Town of Elkton on May 6 introduced Ordinance 2-2026, the proposed FY2027 budget totaling $20,865,783, and approved its introduction by unanimous vote.
D. Tyler Home, the town’s director of finance, presented the budget as a 1.1% increase in general fund revenues and expenditures over FY2026. The proposal keeps the property tax rate at 63.56 cents per $100 assessed value and the business personal property tax at $1.21 per $100. Home said water and sewer rates remain unchanged while a rate study is in progress. Commissioner Earl M. Piner moved to introduce the ordinance; Commissioner Robert M. Massimiano seconded the motion, which passed with all members present voting in favor.
The budget includes several notable items: a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for administrative staff; $52,000 for managed IT services; a new annual grass-cutting contract at $280,000; a $17,700 contract for utility bill fulfillment; $573,170 projected from surplus property sales; an Elkton Alliance allocation increase of $25,000; doubling of scholarships from $1,000 to $2,000; and creation of a Central Reserve Fund for contingencies. The plan also adds one finance staff position and allocates funding for police technology upgrades, including a drone first-responder program and license-plate readers. The proposed budget eliminates the sewer loan to the general fund and reflects a reported 7.2% increase in real property tax revenue driven by 6.2% tax base growth.
Mayor Robert J. Alt emphasized that the FY2027 proposal is the first in roughly 12–13 years that does not rely on American Rescue Plan Act funds or general fund reserves, calling it a balanced budget that begins to rebuild the town’s rainy day fund. The budget also shows a large planned increase in contribution to Singerly Fire Company: $283,236, a 194% increase listed in the documents presented.
The ordinance was introduced for consideration; the meeting record shows introduction and unanimous approval to move it forward but does not record a final adoption vote. Further readings or final adoption steps were not recorded at the May 6 session.
