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Frederick, Md (KM) Frederick County  is ready for fiscal year 2026. The Council on Tuesday adopted a general fund budget totaling $1.02 billion.

Councilman Steve McKay says this is the first budget he’s voted for since he was first elected in 2018. “I want to see modest budget growth from the county. And this is the first time I’m actually seeing that,” he said.

The vote for the budget was 6-1 with Councilman Mason Carter voting “no.” He said he wanted to see the property tax rate lowered, noting that assessments are going up for many residents… He said too many Frederick County residents are what are describes as ALICE households; Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. Carter said they don’t make enough money to pay their expenses, and hard choices have to be made. “I want everyone understand how hard it is to have these conversations with constituents, especially when they present you with a dilemma of whether or not to pay their property tax bill, or pay for their medicine,” he said.

Carter said he proposed a reduction in the property tax rate of one-and-a-half cents per $100 of assessed value, and put together budget cuts of $6 million to pay it. But it was voted down.

Council Vice President Kavonte Duckett said the Council helped out citizens in 2023 by making adjustments to the income tax  rate,  where lower income residents would pay less, and those with higher income would pay more. “We did put money back into our residents’ pockets when we passed the income tax variation,” he said. “I think that was a step in the right direction.”

There are reasons assessments are going up, according to Councilwoman M.C. Keegan-Ayer. “Everyone loves Frederick County. That’s why everyone wants to live here. That’s why we don’t have an issue selling our homes. That’s why homes are expensive here.   People love Frederick County. They want to live here. But that takes money,”: she said.

“This budget will help seniors,”: says Councilman Jerry Donald. commenting on the budget. “I think we have done a lot for the school system in the 11 years that we’ve been doing these budgets. Our parks programs are expanding. and they’re doing a lot of good for people. We use some of this money to conserve our farms and buy development rights so we have these farms in perpetuity.”

Council President Brad Young said the County needs to increase its tax base. “We need to expand our commercial and industrial tax base and be able to provide additional services without having to continually go back to our residents for an increase in property taxes, or taking the revenue from the tax assessment increases,” he said.

In other action, the Council. voted to keep the property tax rate at $1.11 per $100 of assessed value. The vote was 6-1 with Councilman Carter opposed.

Fiscal year 2026 begins on July 1st.

Fitch, Moody’s, and Standard & Poor’s each reaffirmed Frederick County at the highest possible rating based on the County’s exceptional financial management and culture of long-term planning.

“This achievement is a testament to Frederick County’s unwavering commitment to fiscal responsibility and sound management of tax dollars,” said County Executive Fitzwater. “We can be proud that our AAA ratings allow us to invest in schools and other critical infrastructure for our community.”

Frederick County remains one of the few jurisdictions nationwide to earn AAA bond ratings from all three rating agencies. Similar to how a consumer’s high credit score allows them to borrow money for loans or mortgages at lower interest rates, bond ratings allow Frederick County to pay lower interest rates on the construction of schools, roads, libraries, parks, and more.

Earlier this month, Fitzwater and key Frederick County Government leaders met with credit analysts from all three rating agencies in New York City to review the County’s financial reserve policies and fiscal management procedures to address critical needs such as cybersecurity and climate change.

In their reports, the rating agencies highlighted Frederick County’s “exceptional financial management” and noted that “robust reserves” provide for financial flexibility. Analysts also commented that the County benefits from a diverse local economy with ongoing development, particularly in the areas of biotech and life sciences. According to the agencies’ reports, the County’s healthy finances are expected to remain stable on a forward-looking basis.

Executive Fitzwater expressed her appreciation to County employees for their hard work in ensuring taxpayer dollars are managed responsibly. “It’s the commitment and expertise of our employees that drive our success – they are our greatest asset,” she said.

FREDERICK, Md - County Executive Jessica Fitzwater and the Frederick County Sustainability Commission have announced the recipients of this year’s Sustainability Awards. These awards honor individuals, organizations, and businesses that demonstrate innovative approaches to sustainability—whether through conserving resources, enhancing biodiversity, or fostering environmental awareness and inclusivity within their communities.

Each year, nominations are submitted by the public and awardees are selected by the members of the Sustainability Commission. The Commission’s work promotes the natural environment’s critical relevance in making Frederick County a healthy, abundant, affordable, and inspiring place to live and work. To that end, this award highlights the leadership, innovation, and successes of local sustainability champions, with the aim of inspiring others to contribute toward a more resilient and sustainable future for all.

The 2024 Awardees are:

• Everlee Acres Farm (Category: Commercial Enterprise with 50 or Fewer Employees)
• The Common Market Co-op (Category: Commercial Enterprise with More Than 50 Employees)
• Lonza Bioscience, Walkersville location (Category: Industrial Enterprise)
• Mountainside Education and Enrichment (Category: Nonprofit Organization)
• Michelle Carpenter (Category: Individual)
• Evan Hull (Category: Individual)
• Brian Brotherton (Category: Individual)
• Gina Lin (Category: Student)
• Catoctin High School Conservation Club (Category: Student)

The awards were presented by Faith Klareich, Chair of the Sustainability Commission, and Amy Rembold, Vice Chair. Klareich commented, “One of the highlights of serving on the Sustainability Commission is selecting these award winners.  The extent to which individuals go to be sustainable in their employment, their school, or their own home, business or farm is truly impressive and a model for others. Our goal is to recognize these leaders and to energize those who are thinking about going green to just do it!”

The celebratory gathering to honor the awardees was attended by County Executive Fitzwater, the County’s Chief Administrative Officer, John Peterson, and Shannon Moore, Director of the Division of Energy and Environment, as well as County staff and community members. To learn more about the award winners, please visit the Division of Energy and Environment’s (DEE) website at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/GreenAward. To participate in or be notified of DEE’s green events and programs, follow their work on Facebook and Instagram @SustainableFCMD.