ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY REVENUE
SOURCES
Some people believe that the county's
ability to provide certain services has declined due to the county's cap on
revenue from property taxes. Others think it hasn't affected services.
Do you think the revenue cap has hurt the ability of the county to provide
services to its citizens.
|
S96 |
F96 |
S97 |
F97 |
S98 |
F98 |
S99 |
F99 |
S00 |
F00 |
S01 |
F01 |
S02 |
F02 |
S03 |
F03 |
S04 |
F04 |
S05 |
|
NO |
45% |
51% |
57% |
46% |
55% |
52% |
54% |
50% |
54% |
52% |
52% |
57% |
59% |
52% |
51% |
43% |
45% |
56% |
58% |
|
YES |
35% |
32% |
29% |
37% |
29% |
27% |
27% |
30% |
24% |
25% |
29% |
25% |
21% |
32% |
32% |
45% |
38% |
29% |
29% |
|
UNSURE/NO ANSWER |
20% |
17% |
15% |
17% |
16% |
21% |
19% |
20% |
23% |
24% |
19% |
18% |
20% |
16% |
17% |
12% |
17% |
15% |
13% |
Spring 1997
Do you think the tax cap has forced County
government to be more efficient?
(1)
Yes – 47%
(2) No – 37% (0)
Don’t know, No answer – 16%
Spring 1997
I am going to read you a list of County
services. For each, please tell
me whether you would support
charging users of these services the following fees
over and above current taxes to obtain a higher level
of service.
|
Service
|
Pay a Fee %
|
Won’t pay Fee%
|
Don’t know%
|
|
Charge a $200 fee on each family who sends their
children to public schools N=450
|
26%
|
70%
|
4%
|
|
Charge a $25 fee for fire and ambulance responses
to your home N=450
|
62
|
36
|
2
|
|
Charge a $25 fee for police responses to your home
N=450
|
41
|
56
|
2
|
|
Charge an additional yearly $25 driver’s license
fee for road resurfacing
N=448
|
27
|
71
|
3
|
|
Charge $2 for each library book checked out
N=450
|
12
|
86
|
2
|
|
Charge a $5 technology fee at the Community College
N=448
|
46
|
45
|
9
|
Spring 97
I am going to ask you about several ways the County might raise its revenues.
Tell me whether you
generally agree or disagree with each of the ways mentioned
(in percent).
|
Way
|
Agree
|
Disagree
|
Don’t Know
|
|
The property
tax cap should be ended N=446
|
28%
|
59%
|
13%
|
|
The local
income tax should be increased N=448
|
11
|
86
|
4
|
|
A fee should be imposed on the specific users of
services
N=448
|
46
|
43
|
11
|
Spring 1997
Some people have said that the property tax is
unfair since it is not related to a household’s ability
to pay, but rather the
assessed value of property. County
income taxes (also known as the “piggyback tax”
are more directly related to
a household’s ability to pay. Please tell me which of the following
proposals
you agree with the most:
1.
I would prefer to keep the current
balance between property taxes and income taxes
exactly as
they are - 48%
2. I would
prefer to decrease property taxes and increase income taxes – 25%
3.
I would prefer to increase property
taxes and decrease income taxes – 15%
0.
Don’t Know – 13%
Spring 1997
There is currently a $100 million school
construction backlog in the County public school system.
Would you
strongly approve, somewhat approve or somewhat
disapprove or strongly disapprove of a proposal
that would increase
everyone’s property tax bill by $200 each year for the next four years to
eliminate
this backlog?
1. Strongly
approve 12%
2. Somewhat approve 25%
3. Somewhat disapprove 19%
4. Strongly disapprove 41%
9. don’t know 3%
Fall 1997
There is currently a $100 million
school construction backlog in the County public school system.
Please tell
me whether you approve or disapprove of
the following proposal:
Increase everyone’s property tax somewhat
to help pay for schools .
1. Approve
- 39%
2. Disapprove – 55%
9. Unsure, no answer - 6%
There is currently a $100 million school
construction backlog in the County public school system.
Please tell
me whether you approve or disapprove of
the following proposal: Create
special taxing districts which would
allow communities within a school
feeder to impose a tax upon themselves to upgrade their local schools.-
1. Approve – 50%
2. Disapprove - 41%
9. Unsure, no answer – 9%
Spring 1998
There is currently a $100 million repair and
renovation backlog in County public schools.
Please tell me
whether you agree with the following
statements?
The County should apply surplus revenues to
fixing this problem, rather than offering any tax cuts:
(1) Agree
(83%)
(2) Disagree
(17%)
(9) Don’t know, no answer
·
The County should
raise taxes somewhat to fix this problem:
(1) Agree
(31%) (2) Disagree
(69%)
(9) Don’t know, no answer
·
The County should not
give this problem any special priority:
(1)
Agree
(19%) (2) Disagree
(81%)
(9) Don’t know, no answer
Fall 1998
Do you think
the tax cap should apply, as it currently does, to both commercial and
residential
property, or
just residential?
(1) Both commercial and residential – 57%
(2) Only residential – 25%
(3) Other –3% (9)
NA 15%
Spring 1999
The committee that investigated this backlog concluded that
there were over 400 million dollars in repairs and renovations needed.
The committee and others have made several suggestions
about how these improvements might be funded. When I read you each suggestion,
please tell me whether you approve or disapprove of it.
|
|
Approve %
|
Disapprove %
|
No answer/
Unsure%
|
|
Increase
property taxes
|
20
|
75
|
5
|
|
Increase local
income taxes
|
23
|
71
|
6
|
|
Charge
homeowners a fee for four years dedicated only to paying for repairs and
renovation
|
23
|
69
|
8
|
|
Borrow money
through County bonds
|
58
|
32
|
10
|
|
Increase taxes
on car rentals, dedicating funds to school repairs
|
47
|
45
|
9
|
|
Have the state
create a lottery devoted only to paying for school construction and
repair
|
62
|
33
|
5
|
|
Take the money
out of the existing school budget, and reduce salaries and other
expenses
|
13
|
83
|
4
|
|
Take the money
out of other parts of the County budget like law enforcement or road
repair
|
15
|
79
|
6
|
Fall 99
If the County needed additional funds to maintain services, would you support any of the following
(in percent)?
|
Approach
|
Support
|
Oppose
|
Unsure/NA
|
|
Increasing taxes
|
33%
|
56%
|
12%
|
|
Lowering the level of services
|
15
|
72
|
12
|
|
Broadening the
tax base by increasing commercial development
|
48
|
39
|
13
|
Spring 2000
In
1992, voters passed an amendment to the County charter
limiting the increase in revenue from
property tax to 4.5 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower.
Did you know about this
County revenue cap?
(1)
Yes
37%
(2)
No
58%
(0) Don’t Know,
No Answer
4%
Fall 2000
In 1992, voters passed an amendment to the County charter
limiting the increase in revenue from property
tax to 4.5 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower.
Did you know about this County revenue cap?
(1)
Yes
44%
(2)
No
50%
(0) Don’t Know,
No Answer
6%
Fall 2000
A citizens group
recently tried to place a measure on the November ballot which would have
allowed County
government
to raise revenue from property taxes 4.5% or the rate of
inflation whichever is greater.
If this
group
had succeeded in placing this measure on the ballot, would you probably have
voted for or against it?
(1)
For
19%
(2) Against
65%
(0) Don’t Know,
No Answer
15%
Spring 2001
I am going to ask you to compare tax
rates for the property tax and the local income tax in Anne Arundel
county to other counties
in our region such as Baltimore or Howard Counties.
|
|
Higher %
|
Lower %
|
Same%
|
Unsure%
|
|
First, do
you think the property tax is higher, lower or about the same?
|
26
|
23
|
26
|
25
|
|
How about
the local income tax, is it higher, lower or about the same?
|
17
|
7
|
48
|
28
|
|
What would
you say about the overall cost of living in Anne Arundel county, is
it higher, lower or about the same?
|
36
|
16
|
37
|
12
|
Fall 2001
The County Executive and Council
decided not to raise the property tax rate despite the fact that an increase
in rates was permitted by the revenue cap.
Do you agree or disagree with this decision?
Agree
73%
(2) Disagree
17%
(0)
Don’t
Know, No Answer
10%Fall 2003
What approach do you favor or
oppose in dealing with the state/county budget?
|
Approach
|
Favor %
|
Oppose %
|
Unsure |
|
An increase in state income
taxes
|
26
|
72
|
3 |
|
An
increase in the state gasoline tax
|
29
|
69
|
2 |
|
An
increase in the general sales tax
|
46
|
53
|
2 |
|
Governor
Ehrlich’s veto of a package closing corporate loopholes
|
47
|
32
|
20 |
|
Increasing
the County’s local income tax rate
|
24
|
72
|
5 |
|
Creating
specific taxes to fund County public safety such as fire & police
|
53
|
43
|
5 |
|
Re-examining
the property tax revenue cap formula in AA County
|
54
|
38
|
8 |
|
Increasing
impact fees on new housing development in AA County
|
65
|
30
|
5 |
|
Paying
a toll to use less crowded freeway lanes
|
47
|
50
|
4 |
|
The
elimination of many vacant state and County jobs
|
67
|
27
|
6 |
|
Layoffs
of state and County employees
|
26
|
69
|
6 |
Spring 2004
Do you favor keeping or ending the revenue
cap at this time?
(1) Keeping 48 %
(2) Ending 32%
(0) Don’t Know,
No answer
20%
The county executive has proposed increasing the income tax rate, which has not
been raised since 1968,
saying
that more revenue is needed to maintain essential services
like schools and police.
Which of the following best captures your thoughts about this?
(1)
I support the tax increase because important services could diminish in quality.
17 %
(2) While important services might diminish in quality, I
can’t afford or don’t want to pay more taxes.
17 %
(3) I oppose the tax increase because I’m not sure the
county will use the money to the best advantage
of Anne Arundel County and me.
63 %
(0) Don’t know/ No answer.
3%
Fall 2005
If the County ends the year with a surplus,
which of the following would you prefer to see happen?
(1) The County spends it on high priority areas
28%
(2) The County keeps it for a ‘rainy day’ when it might
be needed, such as an emergency 19%
(3) The County sends it back to taxpayers as a tax
refund
15%
(4) The County uses it to lower taxes next year
30%
(5) Other answer
5%
(0) No answer, unsure
2%
Spring 2007
The
county will be facing several budget challenges over the next few year
including
funding public schools, roads, changes in accounting rules, and
increasing
salaries to help recruit qualified government employees.
Which
of
the following best reflects your views about how the county should deal
with
these challenges:
(1)
The county should pay for these expenses without raising any taxes or
fees,
even if it has to cut back on other public services.
31%
(2)
The county should pay for these expenses by a combination of cost
reductions and tax increases.
55%
(3) Some other volunteered answer 8%
(0)
Don’t know, no answer
7%
Spring 2007
Generally,
do you trust the county to find the right balance between paying
for
these expenses and keeping taxes as low as possible?
(1) Yes
42% (2) No
52% (0) No
answer 6%
Spring
2008
The
following few questions are about Anne Arundel County…
|
|
Apply
to all
%
|
Apply
just to some
%
|
Apply
to none %
|
Unsure
|
|
The
County Council has considered a small storm-water management fee to help
repair waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.
If passed, should the fee apply to all property owners, just those
who want to pay, or none?
|
54
%
|
23
%
|
18%
|
6
%
|
Spring
2008
You
may have read that the county may not have enough money to pay for raises that
were
promised
in contract negotiations with teachers and other union employees.
Which of the following
should
the County do?
|
Options
|
Percent |
|
Raise fees or taxes to pay
for the promised raises
|
23
|
|
Try to pay the promised
raises by cutting other services or programs
|
47
|
|
Postpone the promised raises
|
20
|
|
Don’t know, no answer
|
10
|
Spring 2009
The following
questions ask whether you support or oppose various ideas. Do you support
or oppose…
|
|
Support % |
Oppose % |
Unsure% |
No
answer % |
|
Permitting county
residents to put wind turbines on house roofs to provide electricity?
|
65 |
22 |
12 |
1 |
|
Requiring the
installation of water sprinklers in new residential construction and
when residents make large additions? |
47 |
45 |
7 |
1 |
|
Furloughing county
employees to help balance the county’s budget |
43 |
44 |
10 |
2 |
|
Eliminating the death
penalty |
36 |
54 |
9 |
1 |
|
Adding a $30 fee to
property taxes to pay for stream and waterway restoration |
39 |
56 |
4 |
1 |
|
Increasing the tax on
alcoholic products |
54 |
39 |
6 |
2 |
|
Making it illegal to
text message on a cell phone while driving. |
83 |
15 |
2 |
0 |
Spring 2010
The county faces up to a $90 million deficit for the 2011 fiscal
year. Which of the following do
you think
would
be the best in dealing with this deficit: Cutting government services, raising
taxes, or some of both?
|
Approach
|
Choice
|
|
 Cut
government services
(if chosen ask 5.1a and 5.1b)
|
27%
|
|
Which
would you cut?
Insufficient
responses
|
|
Which should
definitely NOT be cut?
Insufficient responses
|
|
Raise taxes
(if chosen ask 5.2a and 5.2b)
|
8%
|
|
Which would you
raise?
Insufficient responses
|
|
Which
should definitely NOT be raised?
Insufficient responses
|
|
Some of both
|
55%
|
|
 Some
other approach (write in)
Insufficient responses
|
6%
|
|
Don't know
|
5%
|
Spring 2011
Next I will read some
proposals being discussed by Maryland or county government.
When I read the
item tell me whether
you support or oppose it.
Remember that some
of the proposals are part of an
effort to balance government
budgets during these difficult economic times.
|
Proposals
|
Support
|
Oppose
|
Unsure/NA
|
|
State Proposals
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
Increasing university tuition to maintain the quality
of higher education
|
32
|
66
|
2
|
|
Increasing
the alcohol tax
|
68
|
29
|
3
|
|
Imposing an additional fine of up to $1500 on
drivers caught drunk driving
|
86
|
13
|
1
|
|
Taking away drivers’ licenses from those who refuse
to pay taxes
|
64
|
32
|
3
|
|
Increasing the gasoline tax to bolster the
transportation trust fund
|
17
|
80
|
3
|
|
Reducing
the pension and retiree health benefits of state workers
|
28
|
65
|
7
|
|
Promising
state workers no furlough days, and providing them with a $750 bonus
|
25
|
59
|
16
|
|
Allowing
the children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition for college
|
33
|
63
|
4
|
|
ncreasing the use of cameras to ticket those running
red lights
|
59
|
41
|
1
|
|
Making
preparations to implement President Obama’s health care reform law
|
43
|
50
|
8
|
|
Permitting the use of off-shore wind power near Ocean
City
|
80
|
10
|
10
|
|
Making
same sex marriages legal in Maryland
|
47
|
46
|
7
|
|
Permitting
the purchase of marijuana for medical purposes
|
65
|
29
|
7
|
|
County Proposals
|
|
|
|
|
Increasing the county income tax to the maximum
allowed by law to avoid cuts in essential services
|
25
|
68
|
7
|
|
Limiting the use of binding arbitration when the
county negotiates with public safety unions
|
35
|
42
|
23
|
Spring 2012
State and
county government will be considering some bills and budget
items during the upcoming
months..
When I read a proposal to you, indicate whether you support or oppose it.
|
|
Support %
|
Oppose%
|
Unsure%
|
No answer%
|
|
Legalizing
same-sex marriage
|
46
|
47
|
5
|
2
|
|
Doubling
the so-called “flush tax” from $30 to $60 to help improve wastewater
treatment
|
32
|
56
|
10
|
3
|
|
Increasing state funding by $15 million
for
building affordable rental housing in Maryland
|
37
|
51
|
10
|
2
|
|
The next two proposals would require the county to take funds
from other agencies or raise taxes to cover the costs.
Shifting pension fund contributions for teachers
from the state to the counties
|
22
|
63
|
12
|
3
|
|
Strictly
enforcing the requirement that local schools be funded at no less than
last year’s levels
|
65
|
28
|
6
|
1
|
Spring 2013
The following items are proposals
that the county and state are considering or may consider in
the future. When I read a proposal to you, indicate whether you support or
oppose it.
|
|
Support%
|
Oppose%
|
Unsure%
|
No answer%
|
|
Repealing the death penalty and replacing it with life without the
possibility of parole
|
39
|
52
|
7
|
2
|
|
Having those seeking to purchase a handgun pay a $100 fee at the
time of purchase
|
45
|
49
|
4
|
2
|
|
Having handgun purchasers
be fingerprinted at the time of purchase
|
78
|
19
|
3
|
0
|
|
Having handgun purchasers be required to complete a safety course
prior to purchase
|
82
|
16
|
2
|
0
|
|
Expansion of wind energy financed by a $1.50 fee on residential
BGE customers
|
43
|
53
|
4
|
0
|
|
An annual fee of $85 to help pay for storm water management and
Bay clean-up
|
36
|
61
|
2
|
1
|
|
Provide curbside composting
pickup
|
66
|
27
|
5
|
2
|
|
A county proposal to have charter schools tap into the same
construction funding for building facilities currently used by
regular public schools
|
39
|
51
|
9
|
1
|
|
Allow counties to increase the sales tax on gasoline sales to
improve roads.
|
21
|
77
|
3
|
0
|
Fall 2014
Do you support or oppose
the following policies that might be considered by state or county
government…
|
|
Support
|
Oppose
|
Unsure/NA
|
|
Removing speed cameras and losing $300,000 in county income
|
44
|
47
|
9
|
|
Increasing the salary of the
next county executive from $130,000 to $142,000
|
19
|
74
|
7
|
|
. Doubling the number of high schools over the next 20 years,
but making them much smaller than current high schools
|
54
|
32
|
14
|
|
Increasing the county’s income tax rate to help create a high
school in Crofton
|
28
|
62
|
10
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
0
|
|
The County's storm water fee, which pays for repairs of storm
pipes and waterways to decrease pollution, will generate $17 million
next year and $22 million the following year. Do you feel this fee –
currently costing $85 a year for a single family home - is too low, too
high, or just right?
|
1.Too low
5%
|
2.About right
46%
|
3.Too high
38%
|
0.NA
11%
|
|
Which option to you prefer – cutting property taxes by 3
percent, or adding more county services related to education or public
safety
|
1.Cut taxes
52%
|
2.Add services
41%
|
3.Unsure
4%
|
0.NA
3%
|
Spring 2015
Do you support or
oppose the following policies that might be considered by
state or county government…
|
|
Support%
|
Oppose%
|
Unsure/NA%
|
|
Eliminate state taxes on police,
fire and military retirement income
|
49
|
39
|
12
|
|
Repeal
the automatic adjustment in gasoline taxes linked to inflation and make
the General Assembly have to vote each time it wants to raise gasoline
taxes
|
76
|
18
|
7
|
|
Increase
tax breaks for those who contribute to private or religious schools
|
36
|
54
|
10
|
|
Force
farmers to closely monitor and if necessary reduce their use of chicken
manure and reduce phosphorous pollution into the Chesapeake Bay
|
74
|
17
|
10
|
|
Reduce
the anticipated funding to the public schools in order to balance
Maryland’s budget
|
21
|
71
|
8
|
|
Reduce state workers’ salaries to
help balance Maryland’s budget
|
19
|
72
|
9
|
|
Close
local public libraries or reduce hours to save money
|
18
|
79
|
3
|