The Carroll County Board of Supervisors may have found at least a little relief in what is expected to be a tight budget year thanks to a 2023 state law that limits counties’ and cities’ annual growth. House File 718 forces counties to reduce their anticipated revenues if total property assessments rise too quickly. In Carroll County’s case, urban and rural assessments grew by a combined 3.5 percent, but the law requires the county to cut that growth by two percent, tightening potential tax revenues. The county supervisors are still working through the budget process, but they did receive some good news during their Jan. 29 meeting. The county typically budgets around $60,000 in revenue from interest gains and county investments, but County Treasurer Lisa Wagner and County Auditor Kourtney Payer reported those revenues increased to around $200,000 in FY24. The supervisors note the unexpected funds will not make up for all of the changes forced by HF718, but it will give them some breathing room as they finalize the FY25 budget.
