On Monday, March 21, 2016, the Montgomery County Council's Education Committee met to discuss a number of budget items related to Montgomery County Public Schools. One of the topics discussed was the Board of Education decision to spend $11 million on plastic grass football fields while the needs of school buildings for repairs and maintenance remains high.
Apparently, the Montgomery County Council's Education Committee finally decided to notice that the Board of Education was once again directing Capital Budget money away from pressing health and safety needs of public school children, and was instead going to spend money on a no-bid luxury item unrelated to closing the achievement gap.
The Council's staff wrote the following statement with regard to the BOE's decision to divert $11 million to plastic grass.
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/Resources/Files/agenda/cm/2016/160321/20160321_ED2-3.pdf
During the Education Committee's meeting, Councilmember Marc Elrich made a motion that the $11 million no-bid perk funding should be deleted from the MCPS budget so that the funds can be used for more pressing Capital needs. The Education Committee voted 3-0 to support this motion. This matter will now go before the full Montgomery County Council.
and just like that, Montgomery County and MCPS revert to their need for marquee value. That which can be seen, bragged about on camera, and most importantly, makes money, funds of which dont end up in a classroom. MCPS is now the NCAA of primary education. All about making world class athletes. If they helped build world class attorneys, we wouldnt be in such a mess.
ReplyDeleteSo after years of these very same councilmembers telling concerned residents repeatedly that they have no authority over the MCPS budget, suddenly they do? Election time must be very near. Fooled me once, as they say.
ReplyDeleteWill this action spare us a property tax hike?
ReplyDeleteYou have got to be kidding me! Do you really think LiquorbondLeggett isn't going to raise our property taxes by >8%? He is. He and the council have borrowed up to the hilt, all they can. This county is run like the crony place it is. And now Leggett and the council need $2B for studies for the BRT, so they can keep rewarding their friends. That is where your hard-earned money is going, to friends of the politicians.
DeleteWhich begs the question: Does it really pay to own property?
DeleteObviously the voters are gluttons for punishment:
Deletehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/montgomery-proposes-property-tax-hike/2016/03/15/c45c9a9e-e9f2-11e5-bc08-3e03a5b41910_story.html
Are you protesting the looming tax hike?
Deletehttp://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/Web-2016/Public-Reaction-to-Proposed-Tax-Increase-Is-MutedSo-Far/