Worcester County $190-m Budget Approved; Tax Rates Unchanged

Image courtesy Worcester County Government

Worcester County Commissioners have approved the FY 2019 budget – and held taxes to the current tax rates.  This $190-million budget shows a decrease of 4.7% over the current budget and requested expenditures were cut by $21.5-million to balance the budget.  Tax rates will remain at 83.5 cents per $100 of assessed value for real property taxes and 1.75% for the County’s local income tax rate.  Worcester County Commissioners approved the budget with a 6 to 1 vote – Joe Mitrecic of Ocean City voted against it.

Commissioner Mitrecic cited two reasons to the Commission for voting against the FY 2019 budget.  One was the treatment that was given to non-profit requests for funding.  He says the commissioners picked and chose what to fund with no formula to follow.  Mitrecic says that process needs to change especially after the commissioners not only denied funding to many groups and then called their volunteers “feral cats.”  His other reason for his no vote was the lack of funding for Ocean City – including funding to help the cost of barriers at 10 street ends along the boardwalk to keep vehicles off the boards – and avoid any chance of instances like in London, Spain and New York City.