The Fiscal Year 2026 Budget
Bond rating agencies tell us that our county’s financial outlook is strong. We resisted the temptation to use federal recovery funds on recurring expenses, so we have no structural deficit. We have budgeted conservatively, so will end the year with a healthy fund balance.
But costs have risen, and economists warn that deportation of essential workers, tariffs on imported goods, and major cuts to the federal workforce could create economic disruptions that would negatively impact county revenues. My priority is to maintain the programs and services that have served us well, protect our most vulnerable residents, and continue the progress we are making in education.
Anne Arundel County Executive
FY26 Budget Town Halls
Join County Executive Pittman and your Councilmember to share your priorities for the next county budget.
Understanding the Budget
The budget is prepared over the course of several months and involves the Budget Office, the County Executive, county departments, other internal stakeholders, and the citizens of Anne Arundel County.
Listed below are the steps in the process and the relative timeframes when these activities occur.
Budget GuidanceDecember 1 - Mid DecemberThe Budget Office prepares preliminary revenue outlook and determines the availability of the resources, works with the Chief Administrative Officer and County Executive to determine Budget Guidance for the upcoming budget and sends Budget Instructions to the departments. |
Department PreparationMid December - Late JanuaryEach county department works to prepare a budget request they will present to the County Executive and his team that includes all departmental operating costs for the upcoming fiscal year. |
Budget Town HallsMid January - Early FebruaryThe County Executive hosts seven budget town halls, one with each Councilmember in their district. This is an opportunity for residents to share their funding requests with the County Executive and the County Council. |
Budget Officer ReviewsLate February - Early MarchThe Budget Officer and Analysts work to review departmental budgets and make recommendations regarding departmental operating costs for the upcoming fiscal year. |
Planning Advisory Board MeetingsMid February - Late FebruaryThe PAB works to recommend capital projects, along with their estimated costs, to be implemented by the County in the upcoming fiscal year in the balance of the program through five years of the Capital Budget (CIP). |
County Executive Budget ReviewEarly March - Early AprilThe Budget Office and County Departments present departmental budgets to the County Executive and his team that includes departmental operating costs for the upcoming fiscal year. |
Bond Issuance & SaleMarch 1 - Early AprilThe County Charter authorizes the County Council to approve the issuance of general obligation bonds and to set limits on bonds issued through ordinance. The County will work with Financial Advisor and issue bonds based on the financing needs of the previously approved Capital Improvement Programs and the most recent effective bond ordinance. |
County Executive Final Budget DecisionsEarly AprilThe County Executive and his team review all funding requests and revenue projections and craft a complete budget proposal. |
County Executive Budget AddressApril 30The County Executive presents his proposed budget to the County Council, and the legislative review process begins. |
Fiscal Year 2025 Revenue Sources
The county has several revenue sources with the vast majority of funding coming from it's citizen's property and income taxes.
Fiscal Year 2025 Expenditures
- Nearly 50% of the County's budget funds our public schools
- Over 20% funds police, fire and other public safety
- Debt service (interest payments on bonds, excluding Board of Education and Community College debt service) is among the next highest expenditures, at nearly 3%
Total Revenues: $2,312.44 Million
Total Expenses: $2,312.44 Million
More Details: FY25 County Budget | Board of Education Budget Page
Listed below is a table containing the property tax and income tax rates for each Maryland county. Click on the column headings in the table to sort by rate/ranking to see how Anne Arundel compares. The bar charts depict a visual representation of the data.
Property Tax Rate Comparison (Maryland Counties)
Income Tax Rate Comparison (Maryland Counties)
Anne Arundel County provides a multitude of services for its citizens in addition to maintaining equipment, buildings, and infrastructure. These have real costs that need to be considered in the budget process and adjusted as the needs of the county change.
Listed below are the average costs for a sampling of county services (these costs are estimates and include fringe benefits such as healthcare).
Workforce
| Position | Average Cost ($) |
|---|---|
Construction Inspector | 112,000 |
Public Works Engineer | 150,000 |
Fire Fighter | 97,000 |
Police Officer | 106,000 |
Program Manager | 147,000 |
Psychologists/Social Worker | 122,700 |
School Counselor | 116,800 |
Teacher | 82,800 |
Zoning Inspector | 103,000 |
Infrastructure, Operations, & Equipment
| Item | Average Cost ($) |
|---|---|
Ambulance | 424,000 |
Fire Ladder Truck | 1,900,000 |
Fire Engine | 750,000 |
Polling Place | 24,500 |
Senior Center Operations | 630,000 |
School Health Room Staffing Cost | 115,000 |
New High School | 170,000,000 |
New Middle School | 100,000,000 |
New Elementary School | 50,000,000 |
Small rate changes can have a significant impact in the county budget
Income Tax:
Raising our income tax rate by 0.1% (2.94 to 3.04) would increase revenue by: $11,884,000 in FY25*
Lowering our income tax rate by 0.1% (2.94 to 2.84) would decrease revenue by: $11,884,000 in FY25*
* Annualized impact is $27,638,000
Property Tax:
Raising the property tax rate* by 1% would increase revenue by: $8,300,000
Lowering the property tax rate* by 1% would decrease revenue by: $8,300,000
* The Property Tax represents the amount a homeowner is taxed per $100 of assessed value of their home
View the history of the Property Tax Rate in Anne Arundel County since 1990. Click on the column headings in the table to sort.
Explore the Current Budget
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Current BudgetView the FY25 Capital and Operating Budget and explore how the county's revenue is allocated.
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Budget InvestmentsExplore some of the investments included in the approved FY25 budget.
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Budget Data and Development Explorer (BuDDE)View the details of the FY25 Budget using the BuDDE interactive tool.
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Capital Improvement ProjectsView information about projects happening around the county that are funded by the budget