County eyes property tax increase to plug budget gap

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Carroll residents could face their first property tax increase in 10 years to compensate for anticipated cuts in state money.

“The only way we have to raise money is through property taxes,” said Commissioner Julia Gouge, who added she did not want to raise taxes so drastically that senior citizens would be forced out.

But she would not say whether property taxes would increase in the upcoming fiscal year. Property taxes are at $1.048 per $100 of assessed value. For example, a resident who owns a $300,000 property would pay $3,144.

Commissioner Michael Zimmer said he would not raise taxes — unless he were forced to.

“I don’t think there’s ever a good time to raise taxes, but I think this is about as worse a time as we can get,” he said.

The General Assembly recently increased several taxes — including the sales and income taxes — that are expected to produce $1.4 billion in revenue to eat away the $1.7 billion state deficit; a state budget will be debated in the upcoming session.

However, the higher taxes are better than the prospect of Gov. Martin O’Malley’s “doomsday budget,” Gouge said.

Carroll could have lost nearly $17 million in aid, affecting libraries, police, Medicaid and foster care, among other areas, according to the proposed budget reductions.

But Carroll lawmakers may have no choice but to raise property taxes as other factors drive out residents, said Kevin McIntyre, an associate economics professor at McDaniel College in Westminster.

“Of the local tax base in Carroll County, property taxes seem like a good place to start,” he said, referring to the lack of a commercial tax base.

The county’s population had increased from 151,000 in 2000 to 170,000 in 2006, according to the U.S. Census. But the water level at reservoirs near Westminster have fallen 8 feet, resulting in less water to serve the population. Westminster still is under mandatory water restrictions as winter approaches.

By the numbers

Property taxes in Carroll are at $1.048 per $100 of assessed value.

msilvestri@baltimoreexaminer.com

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