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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Can people please explain why the Kirwan Commission would be so awful? I skimmed the "essential" goals and they all seem pretty positive - like universal pre-k for 4 year olds.[/quote]

You need to skim better.  I am taking just these talking points from this summary by ACY (Advocates for Child and Youth) which is pro-Kirwin report (underlining is my "highlighting"):
[url]https://www.acy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ACY-Kirwan-Commission-Info-Sheet-Version-2.pdf[/url]

[quote][b]WHAT’S AT STAKE? [/b]This Commission and the resulting legislation will
[b]determine the formula for school funding across Maryland for the next 
decade and more![/b] [u]Our schools have not received the funds they 
require to give our children the education and resources they need 
and deserve. Now is our chance to ensure that we don’t repeat the 
past – more funding now![/u] [/quote]

Barring the state increasing education funding beyond the minimum mandated levels (which the governor and legislature have not done in the last 10 years), this means increasing education taxes.  So your taxes are going to go up to fund the Kirwan commission goals.

[quote][b]WHAT DO WE NEED?[/b] The Commission has a lot to consider, but
ACY would like to see the following issues addressed in the
Commission’s recommendations.[u][b] INCREASED BASE AND WEIGHTS[/b]
The Commission must increase its base amount of funding per pupil
and the weights for special populations must remain high enough
to address the additional resources and services needed to
educate students in Maryland schools.[/u] [b]UNIVERSAL PRE-K[/b] There
must be funding to provide access to high quality, childhood
programing/prekindergarten for 4 year olds and (low income) 3
year olds. [u][b]POVERTY PROXY[/b] The Commission must adopt an efficient
and effective way to count low-income students, such as direct
certification with a multiplier, in order to properly direct funding
and resources to the schools with greater need. [/u]Any additional
form is burdensome and counter-productive. [u][b]MULTIPLICATIVE
WEALTH CALCULATION[/b] The multiplicative wealth measure will
provide a more accurate reflection of a jurisdictions ability to pay,[/u]
it results in state and local contribution targets that ensure all
students receive the same funding across the state. [b]ADDRESS
[u]CONCENTRATED POVERTY[/b] The Commission recommendations must
include resources to combat the negative impacts of poverty on
school communities, which could be in the form of an additional
weight or an escalator that provides additional funding for schools
at a certain threshold of poverty.[/u][/quote]

These sections are the Robin Hood clauses.  They say that counties education taxes will be based upon a jurisdictions "ability to pay."  So, MoCo being the wealthiest county in the state will have a multiplier on their education taxes and will be paying a much higher rate per capita towards education taxes that poorer jurisdictions.   Additionally, the distribution of state-wide education funds will be based on need with poverty and special needs being extremely high multiplying factors.  So more funds will go to poorer school districts and more funds will go to higher FARMS rate schools.  So the wealthier counties and wealthier individuals/families in the state will be paying proportionally much higher education taxes and will receive less benefit as those funds are channeled to the poorer school districts and value added for lower income and URM communities.

[/quote]

How is this different than the current system that's already in place where the state redistributes based on need? I hear all this talk about Jealous' funding formulas but I don't see anywhere what they are or how they differ from the existing system.

In addition, Jealous's plan is to fund some of these goals through marijuana and casino taxes. You didn't mention that, only implying that the spend comes from individual taxes.

I have an open mind but I don't see anyone addressing the real details.[/quote]

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