Comparing County Tax Rates

While making my way around other state blogs, I came across this informative tax table from the Maryland Department of Taxation and Assessments.

There's an awful lot of discussion about Anne Arundel being a "tax cap, tax averse" County. In fact, the County Executive seems to rattle it off at this point like it's second nature. So, just how "taxed" is Anne Arundel County relative to other jurisdictions in the State?

Let's begin with size. With an estimated population of 509,300 in 2006, Anne Arundel County is the fifth largest of 24 County size jurisdictions in Maryland (smaller than only Montgomery, Prince George's, and Baltimore Counties, and Baltimore City).

At $.87/$100 of assessed value, our real property tax rate is 8th lowest in the State. Our personal income tax rate, the so-called "piggyback" tax, is 2.56%, the 3rd lowest in the State. Only Worcester and Talbot Counties, with less than 1/10 the population have lower rates in Maryland.

We may well be "tax averse", after all, I can't say I've ever met anyone who relished paying taxes, but for anyone to assert that we are "overtaxed", particularly compared to other jurisdictions in the State, is not accurate¹.

To my knowledge, we still have an enormous school maintenance backlog (it was $1.5 billion 18 months ago), perhaps it's time to consider bumping up the piggyback tax to fix our schools before we have any more embarrassing situations like the one that occurred with Severna Park High School in 2006.

¹ I will say, however, that taxes in Baltimore City are out of hand. What do you get for a property tax rate ($2.268/$100 assessed) that is more than double the next highest in the State and a personal income tax rate (3.05%) that is 7th highest? Atrocious schools, failing infrastructure, and two murders every three days. Something needs to change in Maryland's biggest city.