Looks like 2019 could be a very good year in Montgomery County.

The Montgomery County Commissioners voted to approve the advertisement of the county’s proposed 2019 budget at their Nov. 15 meeting.

The proposed budget recommends no real estate tax millage increase, so the rate will hold steady at 3.849 — 3.459 for general operating and .390 in dedicated Montgomery County Community College funding — for the second consecutive year, writes Oscar Gamble in The Times Herald.

[uam_ad id=”54865″]

“Based on recent information provided by the board of assessment, the average single family home in Montgomery County with a market value of approximately $315,000 (real estate assessment of $170,000) will pay approximately $588 in real estate tax in 2019 based on this budget proposal,” said Montgomery County Chief Financial Officer Dean Dortone. An additional $66 would go to MCCC.

The balanced budget projects $420.2 million in revenue and $420.1 million in expenses with an $86.5 million, or 20.6 percent fund balance.

On the expenditure side, the budget includes contractual wage increases for detectives, correctional officers, and court-appointed and court-related personnel as well as noncontractual employee base wage increases in accordance with the implementation of a county compensation study conducted in 2017.

The county’s contribution to the employee retirement fund is projected to be $9 million by the end of 2018 and continue increasing in 2019 to approach the budgetary goal of 100 percent funding.

The county plans to borrow $50 million for capital projects included in the 2019-2023 capital improvement plan, adding $1.4 million in debt service in 2019.

To read the compete story click here.