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Rockville’s Mayor and Council Adopt $136.2 Million Budget

Property Tax Rate Remains Constant for the 10th Consecutive Year

Rockville residents will pay the same property tax rate as they have for the last ten fiscal years, after the Mayor and Council on May 14 approved the Fiscal Year 2019 budget.

Rockville’s FY 2019 operating budget equals $136.2 million. Budget highlights include funding for:

  • Two new full-time police officers, and an additional tree maintenance worker.
  • Improvements recommended in the Senior Needs Assessment Action Plan and the Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan.
  • Software to help track the city’s Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit housing program.
  • A Department of Recreation and Parks strategic plan.
  • Replacing flooring at the Twinbrook Community Recreation Center.
  • A study of strategies to make Rockville an arts destination.
  • Exploring potential uses and development of the Rockshire Village Center property.

The budget also includes a 1 percent cost-of-living adjustment and an average 3.5 percent step increase for all regular employees; wage increases for temporary employees, to a rate that is comparable with those of neighboring jurisdictions; increases in overtime, mostly attributed to police; and increases for the cost of city-provided health care benefits.

The FY19 budget represents a 4.6 percent, or $5.9 million, increase over the Fiscal Year 2018 budget. The general fund, which supports the largest portion of the operating budget, equals $82.4 million, a 3.4 percent increase. The 2019 fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30, 2019.

Property tax rates will remain $0.292 for real property and $0.805 for personal property. Both rates are per $100 of assessed value. The FY19 budget continues the city’s supplement to the State of Maryland’s Homeowner’s Tax Credit, which provides real property tax credits to low- to moderate-income homeowners for taxes due on their principal residence.

The adopted budget includes increases to average residential bills for water, sewer and stormwater management that reflect added costs of providing these services. There is no increase in the rate for residential recycling and refuse services. Based on the adopted FY19 rates, the average annual residential bill for city utilities for a sample family of four will increase by $70.78, or 4.3 percent.

The Capital Improvements Program, the city’s five-year plan for funding new construction and infrastructure maintenance, equals $67.7 million for FY19 and supports several major newly funded projects, including:

  • Dogwood Park renovations.
  • Isreal Park shelter replacement.
  • Pedestrian bridge repairs at the Rockville Metro Station.
  • Water treatment plant safety improvements.
  • Improvements to the city’s maintenance and emergency operations facility.
  • Electronic plan and review software for residents and businesses submitting site, building, utility and other plans.
  • A partnership with Montgomery County to provide a home in Rockville for the KID Museum.

The Mayor and Council held three work sessions and two public hearings after the city manager’s proposed budget was presented, and solicited budget ideas from the public through the city’s website.

To learn more about the city’s FY19 budget, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/budget or call the Finance Department at 240-314-8400.

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Rockville Reports is the official publication of the City of Rockville, published at City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850-2364.