The Senate Budget and Tax Committee on Thursday sent a $35 billion budget to the full Senate that includes income tax increases for almost everyone and $600 million in ongoing spending cuts. This fiscal 2013 spending plan includes a shift of teacher pension costs to county school boards, along with new requirements for county governments to fund public schools, allowing them to even disregard local property tax caps to do so.
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Teachers should be willing to give up a little of their pensions in order for county taxpayers to better afford what will likely result in higher Property Taxes. Further, the Counties should be part of renegotiations of the new teacher pension payout rates. The Counties clearly cannot budget for expenses that the State simply tosses over the wall. Another possibility would be for the Counties to have teachers contribute to a County fund as well as the State.
ReplyDeleteCounty execs in all Md. counties need to unite and interview with every reporter,write to every blog,hold public meetings and get the word out that if the state does this we will have no recourse than to close schools and layoff teachers to meet the demands of our state leader.Let the public know that this man is solely responsible for the demise of our states education system. Trust me,when the possibility of a national spotlight comes,he'll change his tune quickly.
ReplyDeleteFor all of SBYnews vivid readers - this is very bad news for Wicomico County.
ReplyDeleteMaryland legislative official's wrath is directed squarely on the shoulders of Maryland's middle class and particularly the poor.
Lifting of the county's revenue caps will result in property taxes skyrocketing that no one will be able to afford to live here any longer.
This is very bad news!
What-a-shame for Maryland taxpayers.
ReplyDeleteWe have been screwed again.
If O'Malley and his democrat cohorts hadn't pissed away all our money for the last 10 years there would be plenty in the pension fund.
ReplyDeleteThat's the trickle down effect. Feds cut budget, pass expenses to state. State can't meet obligations, pass to counties. Poor rural counties end up ruined.
ReplyDelete