MontCo lawmakers criticize schools for using surplus on pay

The Washington Examiner ^ | May 16, 2012 | Rachel Baye

[Academiadotorg]

Members of the Montgomery County Council on Wednesday criticized the county school board's decision to spend a budget surplus on employee compensation rather than shrinking classroom size.

"The decision last year to use the surplus in their health insurance account to avoid ... an increase in the employee share of health insurance premiums ... that's a choice that I would highlight as an example where they could have reduced class size but instead they chose to keep their employee benefits better than other employees'," said Councilman George Leventhal, D-at large.

Montgomery County Public Schools expects to have $32.3 million in unspent funds at the end of the current fiscal year, about $12 million of which is being carried over from fiscal 2011, County Council documents show. After $17 million of the surplus is used in the fiscal 2013 budget, the school system anticipates a $15.3 million surplus.

[BitWielder1]

How dare they have a surplus?
That's poor planning.
They must always show a shortage so they can ask for more money. /s

[AbnSarge]

“”[A classroom of] 22 gets a different outcome than 30, 35 or 40,” said Councilman Marc Elrich, D-at large and a former teacher.”

My daughter goes to school in Montgomery County, and is in a 30-student class, with pretty much every ethnicity represented. They get outstanding results with consistently high scores. The difference - parental involvement in a Catholic school.

[Drill Thrawl]

that's a choice that I would highlight as an example where they could have reduced class size but instead they chose to keep their employee benefits better than other employees'," said Councilman George Leventhal, D-at large.

So Mr scumbag politician, how will you pay for these "smaller classrom sizes" next year when there is no surplus? This is the problem that is causing many school district a LOT of pain right now. The schools got money Obama bucks and were told it was a one time thing (much like a surplus). So these asshats in the schools decided to "reduce classroom size" and hired people. Now these schools can't pay these new hires and must layoff people or more typically, raise taxes.

This politician is typical of the incompetent lying scum that are running\ruining our country. They must be removed from office, with prejudice.

[catman67]

Montgomery County in particular, and Maryland in general, is a lost cause. The end result of corrupt, one party (Democrat) politics! Their one-size-fits-all solution to EVERYTHING is to raise taxes!