Salisbury News is working on an article that will probably be published some time tomorrow but the long and short of it is this.
A new bill partially sponsored by Norm Conway, HB-1412 is an emergency bill about to be heard TOMORROW at 1:00 PM in Annapolis. It goes as follows...
If Wicomico County does not meet maintenance of effort, this bill/legislation will force/instruct the comptroller to immediately hold ALL county income tax and send it directly to the Board of Education!!!!!
I'll repeat, Norm Conway is a sponsor of this bill and in my honest opinion proves the Board of Education doesn't have to be fiscally responsible for ANYTHING.
I told you earlier today, this is just unbelievable and once again the Daily Times only told you a small portion of what was REALLY going on. The beef of this bill is on page 15 from the link above.
Much more to come on this as I will personally make the trip to Annapolis tomorrow, that's how important this bill is. It must be stopped in its tracks immediately.
Considering the Daily Times has a staff that is supposed to be on top of extremely important issues such as this one and they continue to fail to report the TRUTH while people are paying for their publication just makes me sick. Anything for the Board of Education, right Greg Bassett! Don't INFORM your readers about the TRUTH. Just let things go through the process and tell every one AFTER the fact.
Additionally a comment just came in and said; Here is a link to the article from the Sun on the proposed legislation. They want to take the income piggyback tax the state collects for the counties and give it directly to the local Board of Education. Instead of giving to the county, they give it directly to the BOE. This will be done in counties like Wicomico that have failed to meet the Maintenance of Effort. In fact Wicomico is one of the counties singled out in the article. This will be done to fund schools in counties that have revenue caps. The eye-opening part is where they say the General Assembly has the power to overturn a local referendum. I can't believe this isn't your top story of the day, with all the revenue cap supporters on this site.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-maintain-effort-20120228,0,5562569.story
UPDATE: We have just been informed that there's a very good chance this is a done deal, all without public input. Both committees will be meeting simultaneously tomorrow, therefore its not even worth making the trip to Annapolis. GO HERE for details.
New Posts to fall below.
28 comments:
I can't even read articles on their site anymore. I just went there, and they have totally changed up their format. I can see some fluff, but current local news and opinion is blocked.
So, I guess there's no more reason to go there anymore.
Do you think the general assembly can come help fix the rest of the mess going on at the BOE? Maybe they can overturn the contract renewal of Dr. F.
Conway continues to demonstrate complete disregard and disrespect for the will of the majority of citizens of Wicomico County and their ELECTED County Council.
He manifests the same behavior of most liberals by always attempting to override or circumvent the will of the majority of citizens as expressed at the ballot box. It is absolutelyj appalling to say the least and he should be literally thrown out of office along with those of his ilk.
Right from the Sun article, "To force counties to pay their share of the cost of operating K-12 schools, top legislators in Annapolis want the state to seize local tax dollars and deliver them directly to school systems."
"Two Eastern Shore counties have been a particular focus of lawmakers' concerns. In Wicomico, the county government has slashed education funding by about 27 percent in the past two years."
That's not the only news item that was screwed up today...WBOC featured a girl who said she's a nurse and she's NOT!
The bill was filed and first read on Monday 02-27-12. Then - the Bill was scheduled yesterday 02-28-12 for a hearing tomorrow at 1:00.
What is so pathedic is that some of our elected officials - Norm Conway - doesn't want the public to have any input on this bill as they are ramrodding it through both chambers - Ways & Means and House Appropriations at the same time.
Daily Times has 86'd access to their News and opinion pages, among others, so there's really no need to comment on anything they have to say, since they obviously have nothing to say. They don't even offer an access route. That's weird!
Oh, well, so much for our local news. I Wonder if 16 and 47 will follow suit and withhold their news too.
Its time for Norm to get a new job.
get rid of conway. he's a snake and is strictly for the government schools. no regard for anyone else in his district. he must go.
"To force counties to pay their share of the cost of operating K-12 schools, top legislators in Annapolis want the state to seize local tax dollars and deliver them directly to school systems."
Meanwhile, THEY don't meet their STATE responsibilities to carry the state pension fund, shoving that off onto the locals.
The O'Malley - Conway - Ireton machine is real good about taking away the powers of others. Conway has his pension from our local board of education from his years as a principal and guess where Ireton is employed? O'Malley's busy with the national campaign trail making a name for himself. Ireton has the Daily Times promoting himself every chance he gets as he tries to grind the council into the ground.
The little people of Wicomico County and Salisbury in the meantime are getting the shaft.
Joe, if it weren't for you, none of us little people would know any of this.
Currently in the State of MD the only people who are punished when the counties cut MOE (Maintenance of Effort) is the children in the system. There is no penalty to the county if they continue to cut MOE funds when they have the ability to fund and fail to do so. Counties will not be penalized is they fail to submit a request to waive MOE by the April date. There is no way for children in our schools to win. The counties can do what they want without any recourse of its citizens to stop the cuts or to seek a financial punishment of the local authorities in funding ( or lack of) for education.
I am concerned that our local county commissioners are not good judges of quality education in our school.
HB1412 is co-sponsored by 9 Delegates including Conway who is also the chair of Appropriations.
Below is the passage at the beginning of the fiscal note about the bill "This emergency bill requires county governing bodies to apply to the State Board of
Education for waivers from the State’s public school maintenance of effort (MOE)
requirement if the county is unable to fund the full MOE amount. If a county does not
receive a waiver from the State board, it must fund the full MOE amount or the State will
intercept the county’s local income tax revenues in the amount by which the county is below MOE and forward the funds to the local school board. Factors that the State board
must consider in reviewing waiver requests are specified, and counties that receive waivers and are making above-average education effort will be able to request “rebasing
waivers” that allow limited decreases to their annual MOE amounts if they can demonstrate an ongoing problem with meeting MOE. Counties are given the authority to exceed local and State tax limitations to fund education, and counties with below-average effort will have to increase their MOE appropriations beginning in fiscal 2015."- State Legislative Services.
As I read this, this bill is an attempt to hold counties accountable and to follow the rules of MOE as designed. Right now they can do nothing, and citizens therefore will not know their lack of movement, WIL cut educational funding in our counties.
Yes, I am a teacher and would like to see Worcester County maintain its number 1 rating in the state and nation. With out such funding you will see the class sizes in all counties rise to uncomfortable level even for conservatives. With increased class size comes increased numbers of problem children with your child for each class they take. Is this what you want?
Please support education because... EDUCATION MATTERS.
Thank you
Wwhat is Conway's email address we need to flood his office with emails ASAP
Given that he was a long-time employee of the BOE, wouldn't this be considered a conflict of interest? Maybe it wouldn't because he is no longer employed by the BOE, but it sounds a little unethical.
That conway guy used to beet little children at Pinehurst with a giant wooden paddle very hard. He would get all excited and happy doing it, spiting, grinning and grunting the entire time. I don't think he cares about kids at all just his own power and position. Oh and if you keep sending these people your money, they'll keep wasting it and use it to get more of your money. Move to delaware with the rest of the smart marylanders.
duh! conway works for the BOE, double dipper conflict of interests? the only interests he has is feathering his own financial nest at the expense of everyone else. He is a perfect example of what's wrong with the shore and the good ole boys network down here! time for this dinosaur to go!
Norm Conway's last salary as reported by the Wicomico County Board of Education was $78,000.
Then - his Maryland General Assembly salary was $45,000 plus expense account.
Then - his wife's salary at the Board of Education was I believe in the $70k range - but I'm not certain.
So between he and his wife they are scarfing up a total of almost $200,000 per annum of taxpayers money.
What is it with this FAT CAT - why doesn't he recuse himself as this represents a CONFLICT OF INTEREST!
The problem is that counties impose a revenue cap and then cry poverty when it comes to funding education. The money could be there for schools if there wasn't a self-imposed revenue cap. This is like refusing to work and earn money and then crying about how poor you are. Look it up, Wicomico already has more state funding per pupil and much local funding than many other counties. The state is tired of footing the bill when Wicomico refuses to fund their kids education. Kinda like a family member saying no more handouts, get a job. It really doesn't make sense to take state funding away from schools whose local government refuses to fund the schools, thus making the schools funding even lower. Just like the NCLB law that takes money away from under performing schools, when those schools need all the resources they can get. It is morally unacceptable to keep slashing school funding as Wicomico has done, when the means to fund them is there.
When the House and Senate both have similar versions of a bill, then it is a good bet that this is going to pass. Of O'Malley will be more than glad to sign it into law.
Thats one person that should reculse hisself do to conflick of interest.His prior envolvement with the education dept. and his wife being a teacher. This guy really sucks anymore.
Norm----You need to go!!! Leave!! Be Gone!!!
You are not working for the people of the County-----it looks like the Board is your top priority!
Your absence can't be soon enough!!
It seems with the democrats,anything goes.No rules to abide by,laws,constitution.Just doing what they want.
Conflict of Interest means nothing in Wicomico. Look at Michelle and John. We are learning from the best!
Jeez, all this time I thought voting would help. Wait!! There's HOPE! I just heard a candidate on TV say that he was going to "change things in Washington" -- no joke -- he really said that. And he looked like he really MEANT it! I am CERTAIN that THIS is the guy. Yeah, yeah, I know. We've all heard that before and look where we are....but THIS time, I swear -- THIS time, he is the guy who will do it, by God. I know I BELIEVE him....All the ones I voted for before (and, by the way, all the ones YOU voted for, too, lol) have done such a bang-up job! Keep up the good work, buds.
6:25, excellent post! For those who are bringing Jan Conway into this whole thing, why? She had a long career with the BOE as teacher and principal. What salary she earned should have nothing to do with any of this. She just happens to be married to Norm. There are many, many other educator couples, since teachers tend to marry other teachers. (I did).
I dont think it is the fact that she married Norm. It is that there are created positions for "high ranking" citizens that tend to be created. What good is the principal/teacher mentors doing? Isnt this the job of the administration? We are paying so much money to have so many central office staff that could be mentoring. They arent doing much else. Oh yeah, they are. They are spending hard earned tax payers dollars to spend weeks in others countries and counties in training. They are spending tax payers, hard earned dollars, on covering up crap each and every day. They are spending tax payers, hard earned dollars on ???? Education is important. SO get rid of some of the central office staff that is not needed. Many are hired and paid their generous salaries because of the husband, wife or in some cases board members family. This is getting more ridiculous by the day. Do we need more money in education? We do. But it has to spend to benefit the children and right now, there is not much that benefits the children.
IMHO this legislation is the report card of Rick Pollitt. A+ failure
It's unbelievable -- to send a written comment to the Committee, 80 copies are required!
To 1:28
I couldn't agree more. Even the person making the copies couldn't believe it.
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