City of Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor proposed a $289.6 million budget this week.
Residents won’t see their property taxes go up next year as O’Connor promised to keep rates level. He attributes Frederick’s positions as the fastest growing city in the state as the reason why they can avoid raising taxes.
The budget includes a general fund of $180.8 million. $30 million will go to support public works such as maintaining streets and other essential services. Partnered with this, O’Connor pointed Frederick’s efforts to go digital to streamline city processes and increase transparency
$54.5 million is afforded to public safety and to training at the new police headquarters. A staffing study will be performed to make sure the headquarters has the right number of officers to serve the public. O’Connor said this fund also addresses the need for new equipment such as body cameras for officers as well as replacement vehicles.
A final $12.5 million will go to parks and recreation to support the city’s more-than 70 public parks and pools. This includes plans to open Frederick’s first licensed child care center in a city facility, as part of the planned west side regional park community center.
The mayor announced a first ever $150,000 capital priorities fund (CPF) to help the newly elected city council target issues in their home districts. In 2025, the City of Frederick’s council created five new districts. Five of the seven member council represent those districts, with the remaining two elected at-large.
O’Connor acknowledged residents sometimes question where the city’s money actually goes. The mayor assured Frederick is mindful of its spending and hopes the new districts will help assuage those concerns. “One of the things about the district process that offers us so much opportunity is the chance for our residents to really have someone that they know is their person,” O’Connor said. “It makes us on the administrative side mindful…that we need to make sure we’re delivering services across five districts in the city, in neighborhoods everywhere.”
To further address concerns over transparency, O’Connor highlighted efforts through the budget to take the city into the digital age. Frederick has adopted the OpenGov platform as they work to make permitting and record keeping an online process.
This, O’Connor said, will allow residents to keep an eye on the same kind of data the council and city have at their disposal. “All of that is about efficiency, accountability and service delivery,” O’Connor said. “If we can do those things effectively, then I think we’re best serving our residents here in the city of Frederick.”
O’Connor hopes the new systems will allow the city council to more closely focus on the things that matter most to them. “We want to get to the point where it’s really easy for you -and the presentations that the departments give you- to see those year over year numbers of the key areas that we…use to measure our successes as a city.”
While no new technology is immediately accepted, O’Connor admitted, he clarified the new programs are seeing wide scale acceptance within city departments. Next year will act as a transition, the mayor said, with 2028 being the goal for full digitization.
The Mayor will have the opportunity to amend his budget by May 15, at which point, the city council will have the sole power to make modifications. Any changes the city council makes must keep the budget balanced.
Residents will get to speak on the budget at a public meeting on May 21 in city hall.
