Any news on the public school budget for MoCo?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
“Hundreds of school supporting services employees – para-educators, teachers assistants, and media assistants – have already seen their hours reduced by 25% to 33%” said Merle Cuttitta, president of SEIU Local 500, the union representing school support workers. “Leggett is taking money out of these workers’ pockets in order to build up ‘reserve funds’ to please Wall Street bankers.”

I hate when unions say things like this. The County's bond rating is critical. It was put on the chopping block last year (put on one or two watch lists, which means probable downgrade the next year) and if it gets downgraded, the County immediately has to pay much higher interest rates on bonds it has issued. If it does that, the debt service ratio increases dramatically, leaving even less money in the operating budget. To ignore reserve fund balances is penny wise and pound foolish.

[Anonymous]

35 kids in a math class at College Gardens ES. Parents were orginally told that there would be an aide but that never happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought that in mid-March there would be some important discussions about the proposal. does anyone know anything?

The MCPS budget is going UP in total funding! Great news! Budget will increase. No need for any cuts this year.

But cuts will be made anyway to make parents mad. Goal is for parents to send lots email to Council and demand a budget increase which will then be used to raise taxes.

More taxes means more money to play with. No reason to cut all the perks that government officials have and will keep.

Leggett can continue to keep his best friends on staff with $190,000 salaries. Thank you parents for supporting this!

[Anonymous]

http://www.gazette.net/stories/03162011/montnew184850_32536.php

I just find it hard to believe that the school can't cut anything else. Let's start with the MCPS tv or outdoor ed. There are things that can be cut without hurting the main point of school, education.

[Anonymous]

I do not think the first priority of a teachers' union is children. Kids need a union too. So, parents, let's make it clear that increasing class size is not acceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd much rather see furloughs and benefits changes than cutting positions. The rest of County government has taken that hit the past few years. Why can't teachers?

the teachers have taken a hit. They gave up negotiated raise to avoid layoffs f class room teachers last year. They will be paying more for their benefits next yea, which works out to about a 11% decrease in take home pay, and those teachers who are ten plus years from retirement are forced to pay money into a pension system with little chance of getting back an amount equal to what they could have if allowed to invest that money on their own. And while this is goinG on, their class sizes are increasing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd much rather see furloughs and benefits changes than cutting positions. The rest of County government has taken that hit the past few years. Why can't teachers?

the teachers have taken a hit. They gave up negotiated raise to avoid layoffs f class room teachers last year. They will be paying more for their benefits next yea, which works out to about a 11% decrease in take home pay, and those teachers who are ten plus years from retirement are forced to pay money into a pension system with little chance of getting back an amount equal to what they could have if allowed to invest that money on their own. And while this is goinG on, their class sizes are increasing.

They haven't taken anywhere near the same hit as all other County employees, though. That's the point. If the pain could be spread evenly, it would be MUCH less for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd much rather see furloughs and benefits changes than cutting positions. The rest of County government has taken that hit the past few years. Why can't teachers?

the teachers have taken a hit. They gave up negotiated raise to avoid layoffs f class room teachers last year. They will be paying more for their benefits next yea, which works out to about a 11% decrease in take home pay, and those teachers who are ten plus years from retirement are forced to pay money into a pension system with little chance of getting back an amount equal to what they could have if allowed to invest that money on their own. And while this is goinG on, their class sizes are increasing.

I do not buy that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd much rather see furloughs and benefits changes than cutting positions. The rest of County government has taken that hit the past few years. Why can't teachers?

the teachers have taken a hit. They gave up negotiated raise to avoid layoffs f class room teachers last year. They will be paying more for their benefits next yea, which works out to about a 11% decrease in take home pay, and those teachers who are ten plus years from retirement are forced to pay money into a pension system with little chance of getting back an amount equal to what they could have if allowed to invest that money on their own. And while this is goinG on, their class sizes are increasing.

They haven't taken anywhere near the same hit as all other County employees, though. That's the point. If the pain could be spread evenly, it would be MUCH less for everyone.

Just curious, are you a county employee?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd much rather see furloughs and benefits changes than cutting positions. The rest of County government has taken that hit the past few years. Why can't teachers?

the teachers have taken a hit. They gave up negotiated raise to avoid layoffs f class room teachers last year. They will be paying more for their benefits next yea, which works out to about a 11% decrease in take home pay, and those teachers who are ten plus years from retirement are forced to pay money into a pension system with little chance of getting back an amount equal to what they could have if allowed to invest that money on their own. And while this is goinG on, their class sizes are increasing.

They haven't taken anywhere near the same hit as all other County employees, though. That's the point. If the pain could be spread evenly, it would be MUCH less for everyone.

What county employees are you referring to? County police officers and firefighters? Are you even required to have a college degree to hold these positions? (At the county level) Montgomery County Public School teachers are required to earn masters degrees and their salaries should reflect their educational requirements.

[Anonymous]

MCPS TV
Parent Academy
Travel and entertainment budget for administrators to conferences, etc.
Even (gasp!) sports programs

ALL of these and more should be cut before they increase class sizes.

How is it that there's no mention of cutting football but they feel free to put 35 kids in an elementary school math class with no aide?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd much rather see furloughs and benefits changes than cutting positions. The rest of County government has taken that hit the past few years. Why can't teachers?

I agree. I think a four day school week would work well, don't you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
“Hundreds of school supporting services employees – para-educators, teachers assistants, and media assistants – have already seen their hours reduced by 25% to 33%” said Merle Cuttitta, president of SEIU Local 500, the union representing school support workers. “Leggett is taking money out of these workers’ pockets in order to build up ‘reserve funds’ to please Wall Street bankers.”

I hate when unions say things like this. The County's bond rating is critical. It was put on the chopping block last year (put on one or two watch lists, which means probable downgrade the next year) and if it gets downgraded, the County immediately has to pay much higher interest rates on bonds it has issued. If it does that, the debt service ratio increases dramatically, leaving even less money in the operating budget. To ignore reserve fund balances is penny wise and pound foolish.

Well if this is so damn important why aren't they teaching these things in school? Financial literacy should be the number one REQUIRED subject in high school. If they don't understand how these things work, and I sure as hell don't, we are definitely on the downward spiral as a country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd much rather see furloughs and benefits changes than cutting positions. The rest of County government has taken that hit the past few years. Why can't teachers?

the teachers have taken a hit. They gave up negotiated raise to avoid layoffs f class room teachers last year. They will be paying more for their benefits next yea, which works out to about a 11% decrease in take home pay, and those teachers who are ten plus years from retirement are forced to pay money into a pension system with little chance of getting back an amount equal to what they could have if allowed to invest that money on their own. And while this is goinG on, their class sizes are increasing.

They haven't taken anywhere near the same hit as all other County employees, though. That's the point. If the pain could be spread evenly, it would be MUCH less for everyone.

What county employees are you referring to? County police officers and firefighters? Are you even required to have a college degree to hold these positions? (At the county level) Montgomery County Public School teachers are required to earn masters degrees and their salaries should reflect their educational requirements.

All County employees. And salary schedules already reflect both educational requirements as well as years of experience. Throwing that out there is a total red herring.

The issue is that there is no money. 80% of County government expenditures are personnel costs. There's no way to structurally balance the budget without restructuring salaries and benefits. And when doing that, it doesn't make any sense to hold one class of employees harmless. If you do, County services elsewhere will be cut significantly. If you want the police or EMTs to take an hour to get to your house, I suppose that's a viable option. Or cut 40% of bus routes around the County regardless of how many citizens depend on them to get to their own jobs. Maybe we should release more prisoners out on the streets. That pesky prison sure does cost a mint to run. Or reduce garbage pickup to once every couple of weeks. Let it rot in the streets. Or not serve protective orders on people accused of domestic violence. Maybe not process divorces for years. Hostages at the Discovery Building again? Too bad, the special ops units are getting cut. Those brush fires in Germantown that burned up 500 acres but no houses? Let them burn. No money for firefighters this year. But the teachers' pay and benefits are safe. Is that really all that matters to you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd much rather see furloughs and benefits changes than cutting positions. The rest of County government has taken that hit the past few years. Why can't teachers?

I agree. I think a four day school week would work well, don't you?

They could have easily fit 5 furlough days into their school year last year without impacting the students at all. The shame in it all is that if they had sucked it up and taken furloughs, we (as a County) probably wouldn't be facing increased health benefits costs. Furloughs are good because they are a temporary cut to your salary. It doesn't impact the base and will be restored the next year. But increasing an employee's share of health benefits? That's likely forever.