School Start Petition Will Pass 10,000 Signature Goal, Comptroller Maintains

OCEAN CITY – The “Let Summer Be Summer” petition is nearing the finish line, and is “on pace” to exceed its goal prior to the launch of the 2015 General Assembly session.

“Let Summer Be Summer” is an effort to mandate a post-Labor Day start for public school systems across the state, and on Monday the State of Maryland Comptroller’s Office confirmed with The Dispatch, “The Let Summer Be Summer petition drive has exceeded 10,000 signatures.”

However, on Tuesday, the office retracted the statement, stating, “we are on pace to exceed 10,000 signatures”, as the office is still in the process of entering data.

“The Let Summer Be Summer initiative has attracted strong, deep support from every corner of our state,” Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot said on Monday. “We will well exceed our goal of 10,000 signatures, sending a clear message to our new governor and the General Assembly that this is easy, meaningful reform. This common sense effort will help to bolster the tourism-based economy that has to contend with the loss of seasonal help at the most inopportune time. It will be a tremendous boost to the tourism industry and small businesses that support it in places like Ocean City. But most importantly, it will give Maryland families and teachers another week to enjoy summer.”

More