Budget Departments in Maryland

Maryland runs its public finances through one strong state budget agency and a set of county offices that each follow their own charter or code. Anyone looking for a budget office in Maryland should first ask which level of government controls the money in question. A state agency grant, a county school appropriation and a local property tax rate all start in different places. This page explains how those offices fit together, where the ones in our listings sit, and how to get a useful answer when you call.

One State Agency, 23 Counties and Baltimore City: Who Controls Which Budget

At the state level, the Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM) prepares the Governor's budget. It reviews what each state agency requests, advises the Governor on priorities, and oversees spending after the General Assembly acts. Our database lists a Maryland State Budget Department office at Suite 1101, 300 W Preston St in Baltimore, reachable at 410-796-5259. Start there for questions about state agency funding or published state budget documents.

Our database files that entry under Baltimore County, but Baltimore City is legally independent of the county. Maryland has 23 counties plus Baltimore City, and each runs its own budget process. County budget offices do not report to DBM. They answer to a county executive, a county council or a board of county commissioners.

The state sets the broad framework. Fiscal years run from July 1 to June 30, and the State Department of Assessments and Taxation values property in every county. Local officials then set property tax rates, fund their school systems and adopt local fees. Incorporated municipalities such as Frederick, Hagerstown, Rockville and Bel Air also adopt their own budgets, separate from the county's. A question about a city service may therefore belong with city hall rather than the county office.

How the Maryland State Budget Moves From Agency Request to July 1

State agencies submit funding requests to DBM during the fall. Analysts review each request, and the Governor decides what goes into the proposed budget, known as the Governor's allowance. The Governor presents it to the General Assembly in January, early in the 90-day legislative session. A legislative Spending Affordability Committee also advises on how fast state spending should be allowed to grow.

Maryland's constitution gives the Governor unusual budget power. Legislators may cut items in the executive budget, but they generally cannot raise the Governor's proposed amounts. They shape spending in other ways, including the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act, which changes state law to match the budget. The Department of Legislative Services supplies nonpartisan fiscal analysis to the committees.

The House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee hold hearings on each agency's budget. Those hearings are open to the public, and you can submit written testimony. The legislature normally passes the budget bill before the session ends in April. The new fiscal year then begins on July 1.

Capital spending follows a separate track. The Governor also proposes a five-year Capital Improvement Program for construction and major projects. The Board of Public Works, made up of the Governor, Comptroller and Treasurer, approves many state contracts and capital actions during the year. If you want to follow one program, the budget books on DBM's website show past, current and proposed funding line by line.

Metro and Rural Maryland: Why County Budget Offices Work Differently

Baltimore-Washington corridor counties

The largest counties employ budget analysts year-round. Baltimore County's Budget Department sits at 400 Washington Avenue in Towson, and Montgomery County's listed office is at 305 Metropolitan Grove Road in Gaithersburg. Prince George's County's office is in Upper Marlboro, the county seat. Anne Arundel County's is at 44 Calvert Street in Annapolis, which is also the state capital.

These are charter counties, where an elected county executive proposes the budget and the county council reviews and adopts it, generally in spring so the new budget is ready by July 1. You can find more on our pages for Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County.

Central and western Maryland

Frederick County and Harford County also operate under charters with a county executive and council. Washington County, with Hagerstown as its seat, is governed by a board of county commissioners. In commissioner-run and smaller counties, budget work is often shared among a finance office, a county administrator and the elected board.

That is why a call to a listed office sometimes ends in a transfer to finance or administration. It is normal. Smaller staffs mean one person may cover budget, accounting and purchasing, so ask who handles your question and when that person is in.

Rural counties also tend to depend more on state aid and have a smaller local tax base. A decision made in Annapolis in March can therefore change what a rural county board can fund in June. Baltimore City follows its own path. Its budget is prepared by the city's budget bureau, and its Board of Estimates approves many spending decisions, so city questions do not go through Baltimore County.

Maryland Budget Offices in Our Listings and What Each Can Tell You

These are the named offices currently in our database. Confirm hours by phone before you visit, since most keep weekday business hours and close on public holidays.

• Maryland State Budget Department, Ste 1101, 300 W Preston St, Baltimore: 410-796-5259. State-level budget questions.
• Anne Arundel County Budget Department, 44 Calvert Street, Annapolis: 410-222-1222.
• Baltimore County Budget Department, 400 Washington Avenue, Towson: 410-887-2466.
• Frederick County Budget Department, 12 E Church St, Frederick: 301-694-1753.
• Montgomery County Budget Department, 305 Metropolitan Grove Road, Gaithersburg: 240-773-6411.
• Washington County Budget Department, 100 West Washington Street, Hagerstown: 240-313-2300.
• Prince George County Budget Department, 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Dr, Upper Marlboro: 301-952-3218.

We also have listings in Bel Air, in Harford County, and in Rockville, in Montgomery County. Open those county pages to see the full set for each area.

What a Maryland Budget Office Can and Cannot Do for You

Budget offices prepare, analyze and explain spending plans. They do not usually accept tax payments, issue permits or process benefit applications. For a property tax bill, contact your county's finance or treasury office. For an assessment question, contact the State Department of Assessments and Taxation.

Good questions for a budget office include how much a department received this year, when the proposed budget will be released, and when the public hearing is scheduled. Bring the program or department name, the fiscal year and, if you are quoting a figure, the page of the budget document where you found it.

School funding is a common source of confusion. A local school board proposes its own budget, and the county then decides how much local money to provide, subject to a state maintenance-of-effort rule that sets a minimum per-pupil level. Questions about school spending often involve both the school system's finance office and county budget staff.

For records not already posted online, you can file a request under the Maryland Public Information Act. Put it in writing, describe the documents clearly and ask for electronic copies to keep costs down.

The state budget department in Maryland is responsible for coordinating the governor's executive budget proposal, managing the state's fiscal year appropriations process, monitoring agency spending, and reporting on the state's financial condition to the legislature and the public.

Budget Departments locations are available in 9 cities across Maryland. They are spread across 7 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Annapolis, Hagerstown, Rockville, where larger municipal governments maintain dedicated budget offices to manage complex multi-department expenditure plans and capital improvement programs.

Residents of Maryland interested in participating in the budget process can attend public budget hearings, review draft budget documents posted online, and submit written comments to their local government budget office during the public comment period before budget adoption.

Nonprofit organizations, contractors, and grant recipients working with Maryland government programs should contact the relevant budget department for information about current fiscal year appropriations, spending freeze notifications, and any mid-year budget adjustments that may affect funding levels for ongoing programs or contracts.

Browse Budget Departments by county across Maryland to find the nearest location.

A Year in Maryland Budget Season: When Each Office Is Busiest

Timing decides how useful a call will be. Budget staff are busy at predictable points, and knowing the calendar saves you a wasted trip.

January brings the Governor's proposed state budget and the start of legislative hearings in Annapolis. Those hearings run through the winter, and the General Assembly wraps up in April. Counties move on a similar clock. County executives in charter counties release proposed budgets in the spring, and public hearings usually follow before the council votes. In commissioner counties such as Washington County, the board holds its own hearings before adopting a budget for the July 1 start.

Summer is quieter. New budgets take effect, and offices turn to closing out the old fiscal year. Fall is when departments draft requests for the next year, which makes it a good time to ask about capital projects or raise a concern before the numbers are set.

If you want to influence a budget, spring is the moment. If you want to understand one, late summer is better, because staff have more time to answer questions. Before any visit, call ahead, confirm the office takes walk-ins, and ask whether the document you want is already posted online.

Frequently Asked Questions About Maryland Budget Offices