Reply to Dec 18th: FY 2026 Recommended Operating Budget

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Sounds like former BOE member Jeanette Dixon thinks Taylor is asking for too much with his budget:

[twitter]https://x.com/dixon_jeanette/status/1870681421125132357[/twitter]

It's interesting that she uses her status as a former board member to sway current board decisions.[/quote]

She's not wrong.

The county doesn't have this money and this isn't a realistic ask. This is a way to blame the Council when MCPS doesn't improve.

[/quote]

The ask is too large for the current grim or uncertain financial outlook for the area.  Yes, in the perfect world the ask is correct and yes MCPS needs everything requested.  But, it is an unreasonable request at the moment.  I wish he had looked at capacity issues and the budget gains to be made by closing even one or two schools so people could see how that changes the math of how much is needed to properly fund MCPS.  If Trump does close federal agencies and cut federal employees, our area will feel impact in loss of jobs so not a great time to be raising taxes.  We have more federal agencies in our area than I think people know of and certainly lots more federal employees who work in DC live in Moco.  We also have lots of people living here whose jobs are selling to or contracting to the federal government  so again cuts could have a ripple effect. I hope the governor also looks at economic numbers as well and scales back the implementation of the blueprint for education since that too while a great plan is not financially viable now.  I thought it was smart for to list the blueprint requirements and money to fund in its own section of the operating budget.  Basically yes I agree that Taylor has well laid out how to make MCPS more successful again given it continues maintaining all current schools and programs.  And I think the council can not provide the ask since it is more than the county can afford.  Once the county says no and gives the amount they will fund, Taylor will then need to make cuts. [/quote]

We pay enough in races and MCPS is well funded.  They have a spending issue as does the county. [/quote]

The problem is the spending issue is in compensation. The comparison to county employees is not totally fair. County employees pay a higher share of their health insurance costs and most don't have a pension. The pensions are extremely expensive. Nobody wants to touch that for MCPS.[/quote]

This isn’t new.  County did away with pensions 25 or so years ago.  Not fair and that’s why they cannot keep good employees.  I left when I realized there was no incentive to stay and my supervisor was abusive and cruel. [/quote]

Of course it's not new. That means the county has had a sustainable retirement benefit for most of its employees for 25 years. That's a good thing.

And by the way, no pension is worth getting abused. We shouldn't lock people into terrible jobs to keep their retirement benefits. I'm glad you got out.

But current county retirement plans are great. It's a 200% match. That is awesome. And it's flexible so if you leave, you keep the money. They do mean you have to plan ahead.[/quote]

I'm not talking about no pension = abuse as that's not something the supervisor has control over.  I'm talking about denying leave to the point I had maxed out all my leave and never took a day off while she was regularly out.  Refusing to let me go for a same-day emergency medical appointment for something severe (yes, I just ended up leaving at that point).  Constantly threatening termination and forcing several co-workers out.  Screaming at us, continually changing how things are done without telling us to ding us on our performance reviews.    Constant threats for other stuff.  Expecting us to wokr 2-3 hours after work hours and no compensation (we could get comp time but she'd never let me use it).  Treating everyone differently, especially around leave and work hours... the list goes on.

We had no retirement plan so except for the standard at that time so she kept telling me I couldn't quit due to the pension and health care.  I did not have a pension and covered under my spouses health care so I had it and quit when I had a child as she was threatening to terminate me over taking maternity leave (as I had many months of paid saved up and I was using all my annual leave and part of my sick).  Ended up quitting as it wasn't worth coming back with child care costs (especially given the extra hours) and stress.

MCPS treatment of staff is equal so this is why neither the county or MCPS can keep good people as they run them all out.

Pensions are important.  Especially for lower paid workers who don't have the same ability to save.[/quote]

I was saying people who have pensions can feel compelled to stay in abusive situations for the sake of their retirement, or simply stay in jobs that are a poor fit.

If you are a county employee not in the pension system, you automatically put in 4% of your salary and the county pays in 8% of your total salary. That means every county employee enrolled in a defined contribution plan is saving 12% of their salary each year. If you start working in your 20s you can save a lot of money that way. It's really not a bad deal and much more fiscally sustainable than pensions that have to be funded by taxpayers that lack similar benefits.[/quote]

Correct but it wasn't enough of an incentive to stay especially when we didn't need the health care.  The pay would barely cover child care for one newborn after taxes, union dues, etc.  Its ok, but a guaranteed pension regardless of the market is better.   4% of 60-80K isn't great.  You are thinking many workers make $$$ but the bulk don't make much even with a masters.[/quote]

You're assuming it's better for the county for people to stay in jobs they don't like. I disagree.[/quote]

No, the point is it’s not worth it at all and many of us left.  Pay, how you are treated, no pension, work hours.   [/quote]

Sounds like it would have been worse for you to stay in the job even if it came with a pension[/quote]

I may have stuck it out for a pension and other perks. [/quote]

The county does offer tons of perks. Most importantly, retiree health insurance. But none of that is worth getting abused.[/quote]

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