The county councils in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties will spend the coming week slicing millions of dollars from their already bare-bones budgets, but little will be coming from the schools.
Back to the chopping block
Economic troubles plaguing Montgomery and Prince George’s counties:
Montgomery County
Denied waiver request from the State Department of Education: $80 million
County’s proposed allocation to the school system: $1.5 billion
Estimated budget shortfall for fiscal 2010: more than $600 million
Unemployment (March 2009): 5 percent
Home sales: down 18 percent in 2008
Prince George’s County
Denied waiver request from the State Department of Education: $24 million
County’s proposed allocation to the school system: $505 million
Expected revenue shortfall for fiscal 2010: $48 million
Expected general fund fiscal gap for fiscal 2010: $113 million
Unemployment (March 2009): 7 percent
Housing median price for 2008: $300,000 (2009: $220,000)
Economic troubles plaguing Montgomery and Prince George’s counties:
Montgomery County
Denied waiver request from the State Department of Education: $80 million
County’s proposed allocation to the school system: $1.5 billion
Estimated budget shortfall for fiscal 2010: more than $600 million
Unemployment (March 2009): 5 percent
Home sales: down 18 percent in 2008
Prince George’s County
Denied waiver request from the State Department of Education: $24 million
County’s proposed allocation to the school system: $505 million
Expected revenue shortfall for fiscal 2010: $48 million
Expected general fund fiscal gap for fiscal 2010: $113 million
Unemployment (March 2009): 7 percent
Housing median price for 2008: $300,000 (2009: $220,000)
A surprise decision by the Maryland State Department of Education denied the counties’ requests to skimp slightly on their required school funding due to the recession. The denial leaves Montgomery with about $80 million to cut from other agencies, and Prince George’s with about $24 million.
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