Group Seeks Annapolis Voter Signatures to Curb Property Tax Hikes, Reform Local Elections
Annapolitans for a Better Community (ABC), a local non-partisan advocacy group, has kicked off a petition drive to place two referendum questions on the City of Annapolis’ November 2025 ballot. The grassroots effort seeks to let voters decide on reducing the homestead property tax credit cap for homeowners and making city elections more inclusive by allowing non-affiliated registered voters an opportunity to vote in the City primary. Organizers emphasize that signing these petitions is not an endorsement of either measure’s merits but simply a step to put the issues before voters for a public decision. The campaign underscores ABC’s broader mission of promoting good governance and civic engagement in Annapolis.
ABC is a group of “nonpartisan, community-minded residents” focused on improving city governance and quality of life. The organization has been active in city fiscal issues – from scrutinizing budgets to proposing cost-saving measures – and advocates for transparent, effective management in the City of Annapolis. Many ABC members serve on city committees and commissions, staying informed to make policy recommendations, and the group welcomes concerned neighbors to join in its advocacy efforts. The current petition drive reflects ABC’s philosophy of citizen empowerment through referendums and accountable government.
One petition spearheaded by ABC would reduce Annapolis’s homestead property tax credit cap from 10% to 2%. This cap limits how much the assessed value of an owner-occupied home can rise for tax purposes each year. The proposed change – from the city’s current 10% annual assessment growth limit down to 2% – mirrors the cap already in place in surrounding Anne Arundel County. Under state law, local jurisdictions can set a cap lower than the default 10% to provide a bigger tax credit, and Anne Arundel County uses a 2% limit (as does the small adjacent town of Highland Beach). By contrast, Annapolis has continued using the maximum 10%, leading to significantly higher taxable assessments for city homeowners over time. ABC argues the difference has made the city increasingly unaffordable for many residents and put Annapolis at a “competitive disadvantage” for homeowners on fixed incomes.
If the voters approve the referendum, the City Council would then have to amend the City Code so that homestead tax assessments could only increase by up to 2% per year, effectively capping the annual growth of taxable home value at a much lower rate. The voter approval does not automatically change the City Code. The intent is to provide property tax relief by slowing the rise of tax bills for owner-occupants. “The ballot question proposes to limit the annual growth of property assessments on eligible properties in the City of Annapolis to 2%, rather than the current 10% limitation,” the petition summary explains. ABC leaders frame the measure as long-overdue alignment with county policy: “The vast majority of counties and municipalities in Maryland” already use a homestead cap below 10%, and Annapolis should “adopt the same 2% rate… to align the City with Anne Arundel County”.
https://www.eyeonannapolis.net/2025/06/group-seeks-annapolis-voter-signatures-to-curb-property-tax-hikes-reform-local-elections-5/