WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. - Worcester County officials are looking to taxpayers to help address an $8.5 million deficit in the county’s water and wastewater funds, with a majority of county commissioners proposing an across-the-board rate increase of $32 per quarter.
However, residents in Ocean Pines argue that the plan is unfair, stating that their community is responsible for only 5 percent of the deficit and should therefore pay a smaller increase—around $3 per quarter—rather than the proposed amount.
Worcester County Commissioner Chip Bertino has voiced opposition to the proposal, emphasizing that Ocean Pines residents are taking action to prevent what they see as an inequitable plan.
Residents in Ocean Pines argue that the plan is unfair, stating that their community is responsible for only 5% of the deficit and should therefore pay a smaller increase—around $3 per quarter—rather than the proposed amount.
“They are sending letters to the commissioners. They are ensuring that people within the community know the unfairness of this plan put forward,” Bertino said. “So the more engagement, the more information that is out there, the better off we will be as a community.”
Ocean Pines residents and other concerned citizens will have opportunities to voice their concerns. A town meeting in Ocean Pines is scheduled for April 23, and the public hearing for Worcester County’s budget will take place on May 6.