Busch, O'Malley Call For Budget Compromise

Budget bill must be passed by midnight or General Assembly will extend its session.

Leggett Talks About the Fiscal 2012 Operating Budget

The county executive met with reporters after the County Council's preliminary vote on Thursday.

County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) met with reporters on Thursday to discuss the $4.4 billion county operating budget for fiscal 2012. The County Council held a preliminary vote on the budget on Thursday. A final vote is scheduled for May 26.

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Maryland House Approves Budget

Spending bill moves to the Senate; Chambers differ on alcohol tax.

Capital News Service ANNAPOLIS—The House of Delegates on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a $14.6 billion operating budget that reforms pensions, restores a chunk of education cuts and raises several fees to generate tens of millions in new revenue. The House spending plan closes the state's estimated $1.6 billion budget shortfall for fiscal 2012 without raising taxes but would require Marylanders to pony up twice as much to title a car, purchase a vanity plate and transfer property tax records. The House voted 97 to 42 to send the budget to the Senate, which is expected to start debate on the bill next week. The vote split largely along party lines, with Del. Wendell Beitzel, R-Garrett, casting the sole vote from the minority party in favor…

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Leggett Calls for Job Cuts, Flat Funding of Schools

Restructuring government and benefits costs is part of a county budget that reflects "a new normal," the executive said.

Montgomery County must “use these tough times to define a new normal,” County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) said Tuesday as he outlined an operating budget proposal that seeks to close a $300 million gap by slashing 216 county jobs, tapping county employees to bear more of the cost of their benefits and rejecting the school system's request for more county aid. Under the $4.35 billion plan for fiscal 2012, which begins July 1, county taxpayers would likely see a slight increase in property taxes, which are held at the county charter limit—the rate of inflation plus the value of new construction. The budget must be approved by the County Council by June 1. The proposal does not include employee furloughs and avoids the elimination of another …

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Residents Call for More Library Help, Less School Funding

Forum attendees rail against the amount of funds allocated to the school system, which makes up more than half of the county budget.

Funding for schools and lack of funding for the libraries dominated the conversation in Germantown at last night’s forum on the county's upcoming operating budget, which takes effect July 1. A previously safeguarded element of the budget, residents voiced their concern for the amount of funding for public schools, which represents more than half of the $4.27 billion fiscal 2011 operating budget. One resident, a retired Ride-On bus driver, said it was unfair that schools didn’t seem to take as many cuts, or furloughs, as county employees. County Executive Isiah Leggett agreed that schools should have implemented greater reductions, but that he has no control over how they handle their funding. However, Leggett (D) defended the percentage …

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Weast Looks to County for $82 Million More For Schools

Budget plan includes no new programs or pay raises, tries to keep up with enrollment

Saying that education must remain a priority in tough economic times, county schools Superintendent Jerry D. Weast on Wednesday recommended a $2.16 billion operating budget for fiscal 2012 that includes no new programs, initiatives or cost-of-living increases for employees but still represents a 2.8 percent increase to the current year's budget. "This budget is worth every penny that this community would put in it," Weast said during a press conference at the Universities of Shady Grove. The proposed $59.6 million increase includes $17.2 million to cover an enrollment increase of 3,340 students across the system's 200 schools. Weast, who presented the recommendations to the community at Richard Montgomery High in Rockville on Wednesday …

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Budget Woes Continue for the Next Year

The Office of Management and Budget present economic indicators and the county's fiscal plan.

Montgomery County will see a $140 million gap between expected revenue and expenditures, the county's Office of Management and Budget said Tuesday. Several factors could influence the final budget but the gap assumes no changes in contracts with vendors or employee unions, or new programs. About 80 percent of the current operating budget now pays for benefits for county employees. Councilman Philip M. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) said this number is, "clearly one that needs to be addressed." In addition, the Office of Management and Budget said the county could see an additional debt of $30 million, by 2012, from the fund necessary to maintain the county's capital budget.  County revenues are projected to grow by 1.4 percent in 2011 and 2.9 percent…

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Budget Cuts Mean Fewer Officers in Schools

With a significant decrease in budget, police forces have less to work with.

According to Montgomery County Police Capt. Luther Reynolds, staffing is the biggest concern for Germantown police. The most notable difference has been the decrease of Educational Facility Officers (EFOs) in Montgomery County Schools. While last school year, one police officer was assigned to patrol every Montgomery County high school, this year one School Resource Officer (SRO) is assigned to cover Seneca Valley, Northwest, Clarkesburg, Poolesville and Damascus high schools.  "People don't realize they sacrifice on safety," Officer Steven Smugeresky said. "That takes the immediate response out of play." Smugeresky was the EFO for Seneca Valley High School last year. He now serves in the Germantown commercial business district. Smugeresky…

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