Calvert County presents balanced FY26 budget while avoiding a tax increase, officials say

County Administrator Mark Willis told commissioners and the public at a work session that staff had closed a multi‑million dollar gap and would present a balanced fiscal year 2026 budget for public review. "We provided to you a staff recommended budget," Willis said, noting the work session was informational and that the budget would be formally heard at a public hearing on May 6 and adopted at the June 10 board meeting if approved. He said staff built the plan using 0‑based budgeting practices and asked commissioners for guidance on final tweaks.

Finance Director Bruce Miller outlined the numbers behind the balancing effort and described cuts and adjustments that brought the budget into balance. "The fiscal year '26 proposed budget at the at the moment is $385,000,000," Miller said, and he itemized major components: property taxes about $229,000,000 and income tax roughly $121,000,000 as the two largest general fund revenue sources. Miller also identified a $163,000,000 maintenance‑of‑effort contribution to the Board of Education and a capital program projected at approximately $62,000,000 supported by grants and debt. Miller said staff addressed an earlier estimated $15.4 million revenue shortfall through operating cuts, PAYGO reductions and updated state pass‑throughs.

The presentation included enterprise fund overviews (water, sewer and solid waste) and special revenues; staff said the proposed budget includes cost‑of‑living adjustments, employee steps and other compensation items where possible. Willis and staff repeatedly emphasized that no adoption was occurring at the work session and that the public could review printed copies at county libraries and online before the May public hearing. "Any questions or guidance that you may have is really what we're seeking so that we can tweak things as we go forward," Willis said.