A New $60 Fee Per Homeowner & Even Then Charities Suffer…

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CFO Elaine Kramer &
Deputy Jeanette Cudmore

“I am tired,” Chief Financial Officer Elaine Kramer told The Bay Net Tuesday from her office after St. Mary’s Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a nearly $184 million county annual budget.

The budget’s lion shares include $76 million in county appropriations for the Board of Education, and $26.7 million for the Sheriff’s Office.  The budget now goes before a public hearing at the Leonardtown High School on April 24th.

To increase revenue and avoid a budget deficit, each household in the county will now pay a new $60 annual fee. “The New Enterprise Fund for FY 2008, which is the solid waste and recycling fund, reflects a new Environmental Fee of $60/improved residential property,” Kramer’s report reads.

Browsing through loads of papers, Kramer told The Bay Net that she and her staff had been working to balance the fiscal 2008 budget until last Monday at 3.30 pm.  Kramer confirmed the words of Commissioner Dan Raley (D. Great Mills) regarding the new fee, “None is exempt.”

Under Board President Jack Russell (D. St. George Island), Tuesday’s meeting was the only part of this year’s budget proceedings that St. Mary’s nearly 100,000 residents could watch on public access television Channel 95.  In previous years, other than the preliminary budget discussions, all other work sessions were telecast on the public access channel. 

 

FY 2008 Budget Proceedings

“It’s not our money, it’s their money,” Raley candidly admitted, while pointing out the upcoming budget hearing would be pretty significant. “It’s not a perfect budget,” the board heard Raley say.

The new budget contained salary increases for all county employees, including the commissioners.  The commissioners’ salary budget increased 10.43 percent from last year—jumping from $312,834 in fiscal 2007 to $345,466, or a total salary raise of $32,632.  In fiscal 2006, the commissioners’ salary cost $269,386. Much of the fiscal 2008 salary raise for the commissioners was neutralized by a cut of $18,250 in operating supplies. 

Commissioner Larry Jarboe (R. Golden Beach) told The Bay Net the raise in commissioner salaries was recommended in a state study four years ago.