During the first day of hearings on Gov. Martin O?Malley?s plan to fix a projected budget shortfall, Maryland schools advocates urged lawmakers to reject cutbacks on promised education funding.
After initially proposing a freeze on education funding under the Thornton reform act, O?Malley is now offering to guarantee each state jurisdiction at least a 1 percent increase in school aid next year. Educators also encouraged legislators in a joint hearing to fully fund the Thornton provision that allows school aid to increase with inflation.
“Hold the schools and the schoolhouse harmless,” said Baltimore City School Board chairman Brian Morris. “Public education should really, really be non-negotiable. It should be hands-off.”
The move would save the state about $190 million next year. O?Malley?s budget secretary, Eloise Foster, told lawmakers the cuts were unavoidable to balance the budget.
The governor?s chief legislative officer, Joseph Bryce, acknowledged the plan would curtail some funding guaranteed under current law.
The Thornton plan, enacted in 2002, has not been funded for the past four budget cycles.
“Anything less than the full funding of Thornton undermines each jurisdiction?s ability to meet the state?s stringent accountability standards,” said Laura Steinberg, an assistant to the Montgomery County Board of Education.
The Thornton provision has been blamed for much of the state?s $1.5 billion deficit, combined with an income tax reduction.
Lawmakers also heard testimony on O?Malley?s proposal to eliminate a 50 percent tax exemption for property owned by utility companies and an accompanying grant program to offset local government losses. The plan could save the state $30 million starting next year and generate $50 million in local tax revenues.
But the proposal could also generate new costs to electric companies, which would likely be passed on to consumers already facing record high utility rates, some lawmakers said.
