Alternative education programs and maintenance needs at Anne Arundel Community College could get some help in next year?s county budget if the Anne Arundel County Council has its way.
“I think it?s important we take care of some of those programs,” said Council Member Ron Dillon.
County Executive Janet Owens did not include any money in her executive budget for alternative programs such as twilight schools and evening high schools, systems designed to reach out to students who cannot complete class time during the day. And needed funding for deferred maintenance and new construction projects at the community college also failed to make the cut.
County Auditor Theresa Sutherland presented the council Monday with $21.2 million in proposed cuts to Owens? $1.3 billion budget. In addition to correcting mathematical errors and duplications, Sutherland?s suggested cuts touched everything from increased requests for contractual services to funding for stalled construction projects.
Council members may choose to accept some or all of the auditor?s recommendations and use the money instead for other projects or for savings.
Council Chairman Ed Reilly said county residents were unlikely to see a further cut to the tax rate in the final budget. Instead, council members said any additional funds left over would probably be put into savings to pay for anticipated increases in health care and retirement costs, estimated to be about $150 million.
“Anything additional that we don?t need for priority projects will likely go toward the retirement costs,” said Council Member Pam Beidle.
The executive budget included $30 million to fund a 6 percent salary increase for Anne Arundel County teachers next year, and about $200,000 for a math/science magnet school near Fort George Meade.
