April 16th, 2025 by WCBC Radio

Counties statewide continue to take steps toward balancing FY26 budgets, but some issues they face are not of their own making. Within the budget approved by the Maryland Legislature, spending for some areas has now been pushed down to the counties, causing new budget concerns. For Allegany County, one such cost is over $700,000 in teacher pensions.  House Minority Leader Jason Buckel said these new mandates leave little for counties to do but raise taxes…

   

“Shifting things that the state agreed to pay for in prior years onto the counties. Teacher retirement pensions – they’re like well, they’re county employees. But here’s the deal – the state pretty much tells you how many you have to have.  The state mandates particularly through the Blueprint, almost everything the counties have to do in education. They determine probably 85-90% of their costs.”