Here we go again!!!
Marc Elrich, Will Jawando and the County Council voted to raise the local piggyback income tax rate for the 2025 tax year, effective January 1. This increase was made possible by our friends in Annapolis and their Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2025. This act raised the maximum local income tax rate that counties can charge. A pending state bill could give counties even more flexibility, allowing them to create a progressive structure, where higher earners pay a higher local rate up to 3.7% starting in 2026, which would be a 15% increase to the piggyback tax in Montgomery County.
I can hear the U-Haul trailers loading up now.
This latest tax hike announcement is followed by the annual report from the Montgomery County Inspector General highlighting over $18.1 million in questioned costs
If you are like me, you’re amazed that the County Executive and County Council continue to find new and creative ways to raise taxes. I suggest that before raising taxes, Montgomery County should look for ways to cut spending, starting with the OIG’s $18.1 million in questioned costs and including the $320 million given to anonymous vendors in 2024.
Marc Elrich and Will Jawando can’t continue to blame the Federal government cuts with glaring, questionable expenses of this magnitude. These are the same people that have had dominion over the moribund growth in our business community, the County tax structure, and County spending for the past 12 years.
We need new elected officials that are not afraid to look in the mirror, make hard choices and ask the tough questions as to where our tax dollars are going.
What are your thoughts on the OIG report, taxes, and spending in our County?
