The fiscal year for each county, municipality, or special taxing district begins on July 1 of a calendar year and ends on June 30 of the next calendar year. Each county, municipality, and special taxing district shall use the fiscal year for: appropriating money; authorizing expenditures; and balancing books and accounts.

In preparing and revising its annual budget, a political subdivision may use the accrual method to report revenues.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Financial officer” means the treasurer or other financial officer of a political subdivision. “Political subdivision” includes: a county; a municipality; a special taxing district; and a public corporation of the State. If a political subdivision is authorized to incur debt to be redeemed from a fee, charge, or the proceeds of a tax, its financial officer shall submit a comprehensive report on the financial condition of the political subdivision as of the end of that fiscal year to the State Treasurer and, subject to § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the Department of Legislative Services in accordance with the timeframes required under § 16–305 of this title for submission of annual financial reports of counties, municipalities, and special taxing districts. A report under this section shall be on the form that the Department of Legislative Services provides and shall include the affidavit of the financial officer and all of the following information that applies to the political subdivision: the assessed valuation of taxable and tangible property in the political subdivision; the total indebtedness of the political subdivision, including the following categories of the total indebtedness: bond indebtedness that is redeemable from the proceeds of general and ad valorem taxes; temporary or floating indebtedness; obligations that are incurred in anticipation of tax collection; current bills payable; contingent liability that results from the guaranty of an obligation of another political subdivision; and self–liquidating bond indebtedness, including: the amount of indebtedness for each project; and the source of the revenue for its liquidation; for each sinking fund for retirement of obligations: each obligation for which the fund is established; the amount of the fund; and the manner in which money in the fund is invested; for the fiscal year for which the report is made: the amount of property tax imposed; the amount of property tax collected; the amount of any special assessment imposed; and the amount of any special assessment collected; for each of the 3 fiscal years immediately preceding the fiscal year for which the report is made: the amount of property tax imposed; and the amount of uncollected property tax; the population of the political subdivision as reported in the most recent federal census; any official or unofficial population estimate for the fiscal year for which the report is made; unless the political subdivision is a county or municipality that is a member of a State retirement or pension system, a copy of the most recent actuarial report on the pension system of the political subdivision; for all categories of indebtedness: variable interest rate debt instruments; interest rate exchange agreements or swaps; and other derivatives, including futures and options; and any other information about the financial affairs of the political subdivision that the Department of Legislative Services finds necessary to show accurately the financial condition of the political subdivision. On request of the State Treasurer, a financial officer shall submit an updated report on the indebtedness of the political subdivision as required in this section. A financial officer may not fail to: submit a report under this section; or resubmit a report that meets the requirements of this section within 15 days after receiving notice that the Department of Legislative Services finds a report inadequate. If a financial officer violates this section, the political subdivision employing the financial officer is liable to the State for a penalty of $10 for each day that the report is overdue.

On or before April 30 of each year, the Department of Legislative Services shall report on the status of any pension system of each county, municipality, and special taxing district for the previous fiscal year. The report shall be based on information: submitted by the county, municipality, or special taxing district under § 16–103 of this subtitle; or provided by the State Retirement Agency.

The governing body of each county shall publish annually, in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the county, a summary statement of the expenses of the county. The summary statement shall state that an itemized statement of county expenses is available for public inspection in the office of the governing body of the county during business hours. A clerk who fails to perform the requirements of subsection (a) of this section shall forfeit $100. If the charter of a charter county or Baltimore City requires the publication of financial information in a manner that differs from the requirements of this section, the provisions of the charter control.

The budget and fiscal policies and purchasing laws of a county govern: the county board of elections; the State’s Attorney’s office in the county; the sheriff’s office in the county; the county board of alcoholic beverages license commissioners; and except for the office of a clerk of court, the circuit court of the county.

In this section, “reserve account” means a continuing, nonlapsing account or fund in which money is retained to support appropriations that have become unfunded. By ordinance or local law, after notice and hearing, a county may establish one or more reserve accounts. An ordinance or a local law that establishes a reserve account shall provide for: requirements for the accumulation of a fixed amount of money, a percentage of designated revenues, or both; the circumstances under which the account may be used; and the use of any earnings on the account.

In this section, “governmental charge” means a tax, a fee, or any other charge that a county or municipality collects. A governing body of a county or municipality may allow a governmental charge to be paid by credit or debit card. The governing body of a county or municipality shall determine: the governmental charges that may be paid by credit or debit card; and the types of credit or debit cards that will be accepted. The governing body of a county or municipality may add a service charge to a governmental charge paid by a credit or debit card. The amount of the service charge: may not exceed the fee charged to the county or municipality for use of the credit or debit card; and shall be determined at the time the governmental charge is paid. A county or municipality that allows governmental charges to be paid by credit or debit card shall provide notice with each property tax bill or other invoice for which payment by credit or debit card is authorized: that a credit or debit card may be used to pay the governmental charge; the types of credit and debit cards that may be used; and whether a service charge will be added to the governmental charge if a credit or debit card is used.

This section applies only to commission counties. The county commissioners of a county shall: impose taxes on property within the county subject to taxation; and provide for the collection of the taxes. The imposition of taxes required under this section may be made by the county commissioners of a county wholly or partly by estimate. The county commissioners of a county shall use property tax revenue to: support the courts; compensate jurors and county or State witnesses; pay outpensions established by the county commissioners or by the trustees of the poor; pay the funeral expenses of the poor; and pay and discharge all claims on or against the county that have been expressly or impliedly authorized by law.

This section applies to all counties except Baltimore City. The governing body of a county may impose a tax to provide funding to support the work of the soil conservation districts organized in its county under Title 8 of the Agriculture Article. The governing body of a county may make agreements for the use of money appropriated for a soil conservation district as the governing body considers advisable or necessary.

This section applies to all counties except Baltimore City. The governing body of a county may receive, hold, and control in trust all money or other property that is given to the county in trust for the purpose of education. By resolution or otherwise, the governing body of a county may provide for the administration of the trust in the manner prescribed by the trust instrument. If the governing body of a county is neglectful in administering the trust, the State’s Attorney of the county shall institute proceedings in the circuit court to compel the proper administration of the trust.

Each fiscal year, each county shall pay to each municipality in the county an amount of money equal to the amount received by the municipality for fiscal year 1967 to fiscal year 1968 under former Art. 81, § 30(d) of the Annotated Code, relating to apportionment of shares of taxes on banks and finance corporations.

In Allegany County, an entity that provides water or sewer services to the public on a nonprofit basis shall have a lien against the property to which the service was supplied if the charges for the services are not paid. A lien under this section is subject to the requirements for a mechanic’s lien on real property, including the requirement to record the lien among the appropriate land records.

In this section, “common ownership community” means: a condominium organized under Title 11 of the Real Property Article; a homeowners association organized under Title 11B of the Real Property Article; or a cooperative housing corporation organized under Title 5, Subtitle 6B of the Corporations and Associations Article. By ordinance, Prince George’s County may impose a fee to provide administrative hearing services for the resolution of disputes involving a common ownership community located in the county. Prince George’s County may specify in the ordinance: which remedies must be exhausted before administrative hearing services may be utilized; and the process involved in the administrative hearing services.

In Washington County, a county license or permit may not be issued or renewed until the County Treasurer and any municipality in which the applicant does business certify that there are no delinquent personal property taxes due from the applicant. By majority vote, the County Commissioners of Washington County may waive the requirement under this section.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Check” has the meaning stated in § 8–101 of the Criminal Law Article. “Insufficient funds” means insufficient funds as described in § 8–102 of the Criminal Law Article. The provisions of §§ 9–105 and 9–106 of this article apply to an act, an ordinance, or a resolution adopted under this section. The County Commissioners of Washington County may impose a fee for each check that is presented in payment of any obligation to the county and is dishonored due to insufficient funds. The county commissioners shall determine the amount of the fee imposed under this section.