Thank you Mr. Madaleno

Thank you Mr. Madelano, for graciously withdrawing MC 10-11 (Montgomery County - Transportation of Students - Repeal of Prohibition Fee).

This proposal has been summarized on this blog.

The proposed legislation was poorly drafted, poorly researched, and likely contrary to the Maryland Constitutional guarantee of a free public education. What was the intent? Don't educators want students to attend school and one way to ensure that kids get to school is to offer free transportation. So - was Mr. Madaleno proposing to charge bus fees for all, some, or only those programs that he didn't support? A stealth tax increase to raise capital for the school system in a tight budget year?

We don't know, because as written, the proposal left much of the language open to interpretation.

Yes, MoCo, like many other jurisdictions across the nation, is in troubling financial times. But legislators have other options - lets try some real fiscal oversight of the Montgomery County Board of Education. Another quick fix would be to preserve public school resources for public school kids, and not give away land and other financial resources to private interests. If a legislative solution is the answer to finding more revenue, then propose well researched and sound legislation - not just a top of the head "lets throw it out there and see what happens" proposal.

Montgomery County residents expect more from their legislators. Obviously, some one took Mr. Madaleno out to the woodshed. Thanks to that courageous person who has saved countless Montgomery County residents from having to advocate against a silly piece of legislation. Lets hope that the head of the Montgomery County delegation learns a lesson from this legislative folly.