The Wicomico County Council has adopted the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, totaling $216 million dollars. The Council’s adopted budget maintains a balanced approach to meeting community needs while upholding fiscal responsibility. Amendments made by the Council include the addition of $1.5 million to the City of Salisbury Fire Department to fund services previously provided to County residents, and $123,125 to the State’s Attorney’s Office to support a 5% salary increase for staff, consistent with increases approved for other County departments. The Council also removed the proposed Chief EMS position, with its responsibilities assigned to the Assistant Director of Administration, and capped salary increases at 9% for Directors and Deputy Directors.
The budget reflects an approximate 5.3% increase in General Fund revenue over the prior year, supported by continued growth in the County’s assessable real property base. The Council has a long-standing tradition of ensuring that county taxpayers receive the full benefit of the property tax relief originally established through the County’s Revenue Cap. In keeping with this commitment, the Council preserved the full integrity of the Revenue Cap by reducing the real property tax rate by $0.0369—from $0.8468 to $0.8099 per $100 of assessed value. The Council also voted to reduce the personal property tax rate to $2.0247 per $100. These actions reaffirm the Council’s ongoing efforts to protect taxpayers and responsibly manage public funds.
In support of education, the FY26 budget fully funds the Board of Education’s request, which includes the Maintenance of Effort requirement and provides additional local funding as an investment in education, bringing their total budget to $55.8 million. The County continues to invest in its workforce by including a 5% increase for most employees, divided between a 3% costof-living adjustment in July and a 2% step increase in January.
The Council thanks the public for its engagement during the May 6, 2025, budget hearing and remains committed to ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds. The adopted budget positions the County to meet current service demands while planning for long-term sustainability.
Contact: Wicomico County Council Administrator (410-546-4696)
