(Breaking news) Lively group tells commissioners to reduce tax rate

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

It was a small but boisterous crowd that showed up to speak Tuesday night for the St. Mary's County commissioners' public hearing on the 2010 recommended budget.

Several demanded the commissioners lower the tax rate to account for higher assessments, and some brought in signs after a small rally held in front of Chopticon High School featuring Commissioner Larry Jarboe (R) and Del. Anthony O'Donnell (R-Calvert, St. Mary's).

The $200 million recommended county budget keeps the property tax rate at 85.7 cents per $100 of assessment. The constant yield rate calculates the tax rate needed to bring in the same amount of revenue as the year before. That rate would be 79.8 cents per $100 of assessment, but would result in a loss of $6 million in revenues. Property taxes are scheduled to bring in $93 million.

Jarboe has been advocating lowering the tax rate. No one recommended specifically where the $6 million in cuts would come from.

The average savings per St. Mary's property owner would be $156, the county finance office calculated.

Cindy Jones of Valley Lee said, "Government is inherently not very efficient," and said of the $6 million in reductions, "there are plenty of places where fat can be trimmed."

Glenn Weder of Hollywood also suggested using the constant yield or a compromise rate. He stunned the crowd when he said he was looking forward to seeing the commissioners, except for Jarboe, in the obituary pages of The Enterprise.

"Let's stay polite, please," said County Administrator John Savich, who moderated the public hearing.

"I thought that statement was pretty harsh," said Raymond Norris of Hollywood, though he did say he was pleased Commissioners Thomas A. Mattingly Sr. (D) and Daniel H. Raley (D) were leaving office (after three consecutive terms) in 2010 because they haven't been good to taxpayers. "Our property taxes have gone wild," he said.

Several representatives of the Education Association of St. Mary's also called for increased support for public education.

Some of the signs in the audience read, "Stop the spending," and "Hit the road Jack."

jbabcock@somdnews.com