The Montgomery County school board approved a $2.1 billion budget on Tuesday that none of them seemed actually to like.
The budget is about $97 million less than the current year’s plan, and includes layoffs of about two dozen staff members, and cuts to major initiatives such as middle school reform.
Only one of the eight members – Laura Berthiaume (District 2) – voted to oppose the budget on the grounds that the board served merely as a rubber stamp to the executive decisions of Superintendent Jerry Weast and the financial authority of the County Council.
“Are we merely window dressing?” Berthiaume asked. “Once we vote for and pass this budget, it will be our budget. But not because the board did anything.”
