From a financial perspective, this was a good year for Frederick County. The county saw an overall 7.7% increase in collected revenue, in spite of the pandemic. Frederick County collected an additional $52 million beyond what it took in for FY 21. Frederick County benefits from having a broad, diverse economy which helps that we aren’t too reliant upon any one sector for revenue.

Most of the revenue increase comes from an increase in the property tax. In fact, $18 million of the $52 million is property tax alone -- about a 5% year over year increase. Frederick County has an outstanding quality of life, and it is very attractive to others in the region. Part of this desirability leads to demand for housing which results in both growth and property values increasing.

Home values in particular have spiked over the past six months. The 5% increase in revenues from property taxes will likely look small in the coming years because homes are assessed for their value every three years. Most of the recent increase will not start to show up on an individual’s property tax bill in the form of escrow withdrawals until next year. Over the next few years with property values so volatile, one thing homeowners can and should do is to appeal the assessments that are coming their way to see if they can lower their tax liability. There is no cost or penalty for doing so through the Department of Assessments and Taxation.

Because home prices are soaring, unless the County Council lowers the property tax rate, families will end up paying more every month in their property taxes. In some cases, home prices have surged 25% in the past year. I know in my neighborhood, home prices have increased more over the past year than in the previous 12 years combined. This could be a good thing (if you are planning to sell), but the downside consequence is that there will now be a bigger bite coming out of my family’s budget every month that goes toward property taxes.

Over the past two years, I have fought to lower the property tax rate so that homeowners are shocked by increases in their property tax bills. I have proposed tax rates that would keep homeowner’s tax bills the same or even lower them for families. Lowering the tax rate would makeup only roughly $6 million of the $52 million increase in spending in this budget. I urge my fellow Council members to move forward with a tax rate reduction so that families are not shocked by their property tax bills in the coming years.

The other major contributor to the increase in revenues is a 12% increase in the income tax collection, which is somewhat surprising in the pandemic but it is a good sign that Frederick County as a whole is doing well. In the prior three years it had remained relatively constant.

Overall, the budget in Frederick County increases by 7.7% this year which represents the biggest percentage increase in recent memory. I will be working to find ways to reduce the increase in the county’s budget over this month, so that we can live better within our fiscal means and not require more money from taxpayers.

On a final, unrelated note, I was disappointed by the Board of Education’s recent reversal of sending elementary education students to school 4 days a week. Most other jurisdictions and most private schools are back more than 2 days a week. By limiting our students to 2 days a week of in person instruction, we are setting our kids behind. We should not let minor logistical hurdles impact something so important as education, especially for the youngest.