Leonardtown, MD — It had “something for everyone” according to St. Mary’s County Commissioner Todd Morgan [R; 4th District]. Morgan was referring to the Fiscal Year 2016 budget passed unanimously March 12 by the commissioner board on which everyone else but him is new to the budget job.

Morgan last week was the only vote against giving a small property tax rate cut to bring the rate in line with the Constant Yield. According to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jeannett Cudmore the tax cut will mean about $5 a year for owners of a $100,000 home.

During the discussion leading up to the vote, Commissioner Mike Hewitt [R – 2nd District] defended the modest cut. He said for someone with a $300,000 assessment that would be enough to pay for a tank of gas. “That’s peoples’ money,” he said, adding, “We can afford it.”

Morgan noted the uncertainty of the county’s number one employer, the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Morgan had earlier opposed upping the anticipated income tax revenue increase from three percent four percent.

But, in response to a question from Hewitt, Cudmore said that income tax revenue was indeed trending higher and another report from the state was anticipated next week.

Some of the highlights of the $227.3 million budget are:
• One step for county employees in addition to a reclassification
• Two steps for sworn sheriff’s officers
• Enough money for two steps for school employees
• Board of Education funding increase of $4.1 million from county, or $5.8 when state funding is added
• Sheriff gets a $1.49 million increase
• College of Southern Maryland gets $262,339 more than original budget proposal
• County level funds non-profit agencies

The budget also reduces the undesignated fund balance from $22 million to $11 million, with $9 million of that to pay cash (called pay-go) for part of the $37.3 million capital budget for the next fiscal year. The budget assumes a bond issue of $11.1 million. But Hewitt pointed out that the county hasn’t issued bonds since 2007, yet has budgeted debt service to cover it every year.

Hewitt seemed to be inclined to lower the amount being put into pay-go and perhaps use those monies for needed new textbooks in the schools. He said he was impressed by School Superintendent Scott Smith statement that many textbooks are from the previous century. Cudmore said a one-time grant for textbooks wouldn’t count against the maintenance-of-effort state formula for future years.

Cudmore was put into the lurch after Elaine Kramer, the county chief financial officer, passed away just before the budget hearing April 14. Cudmore was named acting CFO after Kramer’s death and was just last week named to the permanent position.

Commissioner President Randy Guy [R] praised her for stepping forward under such trying circumstances.

Later this month the commissioners still have to approve the school board final budget and the Metropolitan Commission’s capital budget.

All of the budgets become effective on July 1.

Contact Dick Myers at dick.myers@thebaynet.com