The Wicomico County Council voted yesterday unanimously to hike the local income tax rate from 3.1 percent to 3.2 percent the maximum allowed by law.
But, the legislative body put its budget on hold for the next two weeks after the County Council was told that there would be a $14 million spending mandate from the state.
The Salisbury Daily Times reports the County’s top financial officer told the Council that this was double what they had anticipated from Annapolis for funding the Maintenance of Effort for the public schools.
County Administrative Officer Wayne Strausburg and Finance Director Andy Mackel said there was no way to make up the money during the upcoming fiscal year unless revenue comes from the reserve fund or a cut of $14 million is made in the budget.
