Leggett decides against cut to free bus rides for teens

Eliminating program would have saved county $25,000

Leggett put the brakes on the bus program as part of a $23.6 million savings plan he sent to the County Council on Dec. 21. The county is facing a projected $401 million budget deficit in the next fiscal year and Leggett had asked county agencies to find ways to cut 2 percent of their budgets immediately to get a jump on the deficit.

Eliminating the Kids Ride Free program would have saved the county $25,000, but it was one of the programs that council members opposed cutting when they took up Leggett’s plan at Monday’s retreat and Tuesday’s council meeting.

‘‘Given what council members had to say, it’s a fairly small amount of juice for the squeeze,” Lacefield said.

‘‘Excellent,” said Councilwoman Nancy M. Floreen (D-At large) of Garrett Park after being told news of Leggett’s decision. ‘‘That was a no-brainer. I was surprised to see that on the list because it wasn’t a significant cost issue for the county.”

Council members had held off voting on Leggett’s savings plan on Tuesday, saying they had questions and concerns about some of the cuts, including the Kids Ride Free program.

School board members also denounced Leggett’s initial decision to cut the program, saying that it was unfair to ask middle school and high school students to help plug the gap.

Council and school board members hailed Leggett’s reversal Wednesday.

‘‘I think it’s a good thing. It wasn’t really a savings,” said school board member Patricia B. O’Neill (Dist. 3) of Bethesda. ‘‘We want kids engaged in activities and working.”

Under the scrapped plan, teenagers could instead buy a $10 monthly pass for the Ride-On bus.

During the meeting, school board President Nancy Navarro (Dist. 5) of Silver Spring argued that cutting the program would hurt lower-income families, especially those not able to afford a bus ride every day.

‘‘That’s very welcome news,” school board President Nancy Navarro (Dist. 5) of Silver Spring said Wednesday. ‘‘So many students and their families will be breathing a sigh of relief because transportation is such a challenge. This is definitely a step in the right direction.”