The bill would take part of the county’s recordation tax revenue to pay for free fares on TransIT.
(L-R) County Councilwoman Renee Knapp; County Executive Jessica Fitzwater; City Councilmember Kelly Russell; and County Council Vice President Kavonte Duckett.
Frederick, Md (KM) A plan to keep TransIT Services of Frederick County fare free was unveiled on Tuesday afternoon during a news conference held by County Executive Jessica Fitzwater. She says the county has been using money from the federal CARES Act passed by Congress in March, 2020, as part of a COVID relief package.
She says offering bus service fare free has led to a boost in ridership as more people are using the bus to get to work, go to medical appointments, and to go shopping. “For the second year in a row, fiscal year 2025 saw record-breaking ridership at 928,650 riders. That’s a 20 percent increase in ridership in just one year,” says Fitzwater.
But the CARES Act is set to expired in June, 2026.
Council Vice President Kavonte Duckett has proposed legislation to use some of the county’s revenue from the recordation tax on property sales to help fund free rides on TransIT. “Reallocating a portion of Frederick County’s recordation tax to create a dedicated TransIT service fund is a smart, forward-looking investment in our county’s mobility, economy and equity,” he says.
Another sponsor of this bill is Councilwoman Renee Knapp. “Fare free TransIt supports transportation equity in the largest county in the state. It takes cars off local roads which reduces our carbon emissions; and it also provides a life line to growing senior population and residents with disabilities,” she said.
Both say this legislation, if it passes, will not increase taxes or require additional expenses.
The County Council is expected to hold a workshop on this legislation on January 13th. It’s scheduled to be formally introduced with a first reading on February 3rd. A public hearing is expected to take place on February 24th. A final vote on the bill is scheduled by the Council on March 17th.
Also on hand Tuesday’s news conference was Frederick City Council member Kelly Russell, who said the recordation tax has been paid in the city over the years on property transactions with very little coming back. “Yet, those city transactions generate a substantial share of this revenue, the direct benefits returned to the city residents have not really matched their contribution,” she said. “So for several years I’ve advocated for fairer ways to reinvest these dollars into the communities that generate them. But no consensus had formed until now.”
By Kevin McManus