The Montgomery County government is facing a $71 million hole in its fiscal 2014 budget, which some county lawmakers blame on a new state education funding law.

Imposing strict penalties on counties that do not maintain their levels of per-student funding, the law effectively requires Montgomery County to give the county school system $30 million more in fiscal 2014 than in fiscal 2013, which begins July 1, and to keep funding for Montgomery College at the same level.