Dennis King says his son can?t buy a drink in his school cafeteria.
By the time he snakes his way through the line at Rodgers Forge Elementary ? Baltimore County?s most overcrowded school ? lunch is over.
“It?s ridiculous,” King said.
King, of Towson, was one of two dozen county residents to testify during a public hearing Tuesday night on County Executive Jim Smith?s proposed 2009 budget, most complaining of overcrowded schools.
Smith reserved about $18 million for additions to elementary schools in Towson ? to be used at the discretion of the county school board ? but many residents are demanding a new school.
Smith, a Democrat, was frequently criticized during the hearing and at a rally held prior by the county?s association of teachers, which is protesting his decision not to include cost-of-living adjustments for educators this year. At the rally the teachers distributed fliers of fictitious “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader, declaring Smith an “evil emperor.”
“These labor organization members are not only disappointed and disgusted, but we are now motivated and organized to be very educated voters in 2010,” teacher Barbara Taylor said.
Other parents begged council members, who can delete from the executive?s budget but not add to it, to replace funding for a virtual school attended by about 125 county students. Parents said school administrators recruited the formerly homeschooled children for Connections Academy, only to cut funding for the program a year later.
Members of the county?s police union urged the council to fund a $4 million longevity increase for veteran officers, which the union won in binding arbitration but the council does not have to approve. If council members approve the increase, they would have to identify equivalent cuts to avoid exceeding an annual cap in spending increases.
Other residents encouraged members to reduce the county?s property tax rate to alleviate increasing property assessments. If left at the current rate of $1.10 per $100, the county will yield 6.4 percent more in property taxes than this year, Mark Olanoff said.
“Please don?t try to tell the public their taxes aren?t going up,” Olanoff said. “The reality is, you?re raising revenue. You make more money.”
Smith has proposed continuing the county?s 4 percent cap on assessment increases.
The council will host a series of public discussions on proposed budgets for each county agency and is expected to adopt a final budget May 22.
