Commissioners ask staff to study one-time rebate to homestead tax-credit homeowners after heated debate

At the Aug. 4 Worcester County Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Bertino moved that staff present a plan at the first September meeting for a one-time rebate check to homestead-tax-credit property owners using funds in the county's budget stabilization fund. "If you can come back with a plan at the 1st meeting in September, with how that can be done and, to ensure that it can be done, that's the motion," Bertino said.

The motion prompted a forceful response from Commissioner Matresik, who opposed redistributing the fund to homeowners and urged using it for infrastructure and county-wide needs. Matresik said, "You have incredibly small minded people that lost the election, were voted out by the people," and warned that rebating the money would force future tax increases and could be legally challenged. Commissioner Fiore and Matresik argued the fund is needed for county projects and said much of the balance was generated by nonresident revenues from Ocean City.

Chair (speaker S1) defended the proposal as a return of county-held funds to local homeowners, saying, "This is county money. This is in the county coffers. This has nothing to do with Ocean City." Commissioner Abbott suggested considering alternatives such as debt buy-down or OPEB contributions and noted the final surplus figures will be available after the FY26 audit in the fall.

The board did not adopt a final rebate mechanism; instead it voted to have staff research legal mechanisms and present options at the Sept. 1 meeting. The motion carried and commissioners recorded the outcome on the record.

Why it matters: The decision directs staff to analyze whether and how the county can lawfully and administratively return a portion of the stabilization fund to homeowners, a move that could affect county capital planning and future tax policy.