On Tuesday, April 29, Jacob Dyer, Acting Director of the Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services, presented the county’s proposed fiscal 2026 budget of $594,293,300 an increase of 5.9 percent over last year.
The General Fund budget was developed in alignment with Commissioners’ strategic priorities, incorporates departmental needs, and is shaped by community input from surveys and town halls.
“As is the case in every budget year, there are a multitude of requests and a finite number of resources,” stated Acting County Administrator Deborah Hall. “At this moment in time, when the federal and state governments are making major cuts, it would be unwise to ignore these signals. Instead, we developed a proposal that carefully considers what and how much is truly essential to add to our own budget.”
For the 12th consecutive year, the proposed budget maintains the current property and income tax rate. While the county’s revenues are growing, new expenses had to be incorporated to balance the budget this year.
To support these new expenses, the proposed budget does include a fee increase in recordation taxes.
The $2 per $500 increase will not impact a large portion of residents. This tax is only applied to real estate transactions when a purchase of sale of property is made and when a property is recorded.
The additional revenues will be used to support Charles County Public Schools, including the impact for them to operate the new Thornton Elementary School, and to support affordable housing initiatives.
General Fund budget highlights include:
- $11,241,400 increase for Charles County Public Schools, which exceeds maintenance of effort by nearly $8.9 million. This year’s record investment supports the new elementary school, health care costs, increased bus contracts, extended learning opportunities for students, as well as salary increases for their employees.
- $8,388,747 increase for the Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), with a total allocation of $138,974,247.The budget supports compensation for their employees, replacement capital equipment, a new Digital Evidence Custodian full-time position, and the conversion of 8 part time/ full time reduced hour positions to full time.
- $6,185,012 increase for County Government operations. The total allocation is $106,258,812. Funding includes: 10 new EMT positions in the Waldorf Area, 2 new ambulances, increases for road maintenance, security cameras at various parks, reopening McDonough pool and skimmer resealing at Thomas Stone pool, annual maintenance costs, equipment needs, salary increases, and various software costs for the IT division which also supports other County Departments. The total County Government funding remains below 18% of the overall budget.
- Debt service is increasing by $419,300 to support the County’s Capital Improvement Program.
- New funding of $3.4 million to support mandated State government cost shifts for teacher pension, CSM retirement, State Department of Assessment of Taxations.
- Additional $3.3 million for other government functions, including the State’s Attorney’s Office, Health Department, Circuit Court, Election Board, and other local government agencies.
The proposed fiscal year 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Governmental budget is $523,861,000. It provides for county infrastructure including schools, county buildings, roads, and parks.
A detailed summary of the CIP budget is located here which includes, in part:
- Completion of the new Thornton Elementary School.
- Funding for the next middle school.
- Safety modifications to indoor aquatic center pools at St. Charles and Lackey High Schools.
- Building repairs at the Fine Arts Center at the College of Southern Maryland- LaPlata Campus.
- Construction funding for the Sports and Wellness Center.
- Planning funding for a new Charles County Circuit Court Building and a new La Plata EMS and Hazmat station.
- Funding for a relocatable trailer at the La Plata Armory for the Department of Emergency Services.
- Continues funding for the development of the new Waldorf Park
- Funding for the White Plains Park Sewer Pump Station Improvements and for the White Plains Park Water System Connection projects.
- Additional funding to support Western Parkway, Substation Road Improvements, and Route 301 Southbound and Traffic Signal CIP.
The budget also provides capital project funding over the next five years for water and sewer facilities, environmental, and stormwater management which totals $30,285,000.
A public hearing to receive comments on the proposed fiscal 2025 budget is scheduled on Wed, May 7, at 6 p.m. in the Charles County Government building, 200 Baltimore St, La Plata. Commissioners will discuss additions and changes at a budget work session on May 13, and the Fiscal 2025 Budget is scheduled for final adoption on May 20. More information is available at www.CharlesCountyMD.gov.
