Charles County, MD

06/12/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/12/2025 08:17

Commissioners Adopt Fiscal Year 2026 Budget

Commissioners Adopt Fiscal Year 2026 Budget

Post Date:06/12/2025 10:00 AM

News Release # 2025-062

Thursday, June 12, 2025

On Tuesday, May 20, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted a balanced General Fund budget of $595,081,500, an increase of 6.0 percent over last year. The approved budget does not increase the current property or income tax rate and aligns with the Commissioners' strategic priorities.

"Despite facing one of the most challenging fiscal years in recent memory-brought on by shifting responsibilities and rising costs passed down from federal and state levels-Charles County remained steadfast in our commitment to the community," Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II, Esq. said. "The FY2026 budget reflects our resolve to invest in what matters most: we are opening a new elementary school, expanding emergency services, implementing weekly recycling pickup, and sustaining core services across government. These investments ensure we continue moving forward together, responsibly and equitably."

Budget Highlights

The General Fund budget funds the ongoing costs of government and includes:

  • $11.24 million increase for Charles County Public Schools, which exceeds maintenance of effort by nearly $8.9 million. It includes funding to support the operating costs associated with the new Thornton Elementary School, salary increase for their staff, and funding to support their extended learning opportunities program.
  • $850,000 increase for the College of Southern Maryland (CSM), with a total allocation of $12.17 million. It includes additional funding to support their mediation center and funding to support the maintenance of effort requirement.
  • The total education allocation, which also includes funding for the Charles County Public Library, is $263.97 million, or 44.4 percent, of the General Fund budget.
  • $8.39 million increase for the Charles County Sheriff's Office, with a total allocation of $138.97 million, or 23.3 percent of the General Fund budget. It includes funding to convert eight part-time/full-time reduced-hour positions to full-time, a new digital records custodian position, and funding to provide holiday pay to their employees who are working on Christmas and Thanksgiving.
  • $6.18 million increase for County Government operations. The total allocation is $106.26 million, or 17.8 percent, of the General Fund budget. Funding includes 10 new EMT positions for emergency services in the Waldorf area and two new ambulances. It also funds security cameras at various parks, funding to begin implementing the new Rental Registry Program, and a new Human Resources Apprenticeship Program. Employee compensation includes salary increases for eligible employees.
  • A total allocation of $23 million, or 3.9 percent, for other government functions, including the State's Attorney's Office, Health Department, Circuit Court, Election Board, and other local government agencies.
  • Debt service totals $33 million for FY26, or 5.6 percent, of the total budget.

Other items of note included in the adopted budget are the change from bi-weekly to weekly recycling collection starting in FY2026, funding from the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund to support the Charles County Charitable Trust and aging programs in Waldorf, and funds the mandated State of Maryland cost shifts for teacher pension, CSM retirement costs, and increase cost share to support the State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT).

The fiscal year 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget is $1.02 billion. It provides for county infrastructure, including schools, county buildings, roads, parks, water and sewer facilities, and stormwater management. A detailed summary of the CIP budget is located here.

The real property tax rate is maintained at $1.141 for County Government and $0.064 for Fire and Rescue per $100 of assessed value. The income tax rate of 3.03 percent remains unchanged.

Following a work session on June 10, Commissioners passed Proposed Bill 2025-04: Revisions to Recordation Tax. The bill increases the recordation tax by $2 per $500, making the new rate $7 per $500, for home sales or recorded titles. The recordation tax does not impact county-wide property or income taxes. The increase was approved to raise additional funds to support the County's fiscal year 2026 funding towards Charles County Public Schools and provides a funding source for affordable housing initiatives without impacting renters or non-transacting homeowners. The adopted fiscal 2026 budget details are available online.

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