Chestertown Mayor David Foster continues to fight for a fairer tax balance between the town and county and he’d like your support at the County Commissioners meeting at 3pm on Tuesday, February 11 at the County Commissioners Building, 400 High Street.
For Years, Foster has appealed to the county to consider a re-evaluation of the tax relationship between the county and municipality. Kent County remains one of only three counties in Maryland where residents and businesses are taxed twice for public services, including street maintenance. Unlike most counties in the state, Kent has not implemented a tax set-off to address duplicative taxation, leaving municipalities like Chestertown burdened with both county and municipal taxes for the same services.
Kent County has the highest property taxes on Delmarva and the highest municipal property taxes in the region. However, he expressed frustration with local officials’ lack of action on the issue.
To date, 18 out of Maryland’s 23 counties provide some form of tax relief to municipalities. Kent County, Wicomico and Worcester counties are the only three counties who do not. Kent County already imposes the highest property taxes anywhere on Delmarva and the highest property taxes on town in Maryland.
At A February 6th special public meeting Foster discussed a tax study conducted for the Town by the National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education at the University of Maryland. The study found that the county is overtaxing Chestertown by 10-15 percent.
Complicating the county’s financial landscape, however, is the implementation of The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, also known as the Kirwan Plan, a multi-billion-dollar initiative aimed at improving public education. The program is expected to cost Kent County an additional $1.3 million, adding pressure to an already strained budget.
Foster points to Centreville in Queen Anne’s County as a model for Kent to follow. Queen Anne’s successfully negotiated a 15% reduction in county taxes through a tax differential set-off, offering relief to municipal taxpayers.
The Mayor urges Kent County officials to consider similar measures to ensure fair taxation for its residents.
The Spy recently talked with the Mayor about the upcoming meeting and the need for the community’s support.
This video is approximately seven minutes in length.
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