State school construction falls short of expected $55M

Montgomery system still slated to get most aid of any county

On Tuesday, the Interagency Committee on School Construction recommended the Montgomery school system get $46.3 million of the state’s $340 million for construction projects — the most of any county.

The state committee’s recommendation will be reviewed next month by the Board of Public Works. School systems in Baltimore city, Baltimore County and Prince George’s would all get $41 million from the state if the recommendations are approved. The Anne Arundel system is slated for $27.4 million.

‘‘I think the recommendation approved is very fair,” said David G. Lever, the committee’s executive director. ‘‘We’re living in very difficult budgetary times. It’s been difficult times for everybody.”

But during the November special session, Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) personally lobbied the Montgomery delegation to support the slots referendum. After the closed-door meetings, Montgomery officials said the county was in line to receive $55 million for school construction, although they insisted there was no quid pro quo.

The referendum ultimately passed the House of Delegates, 86-52, one vote more than the supermajority needed. Sixteen of the county’s 24 delegates supported the legislation.

‘‘We’re really in a bad place politically. The governor made that commitment to a lot of people that we’d get that $55 million. I’m not sure where’s it going to end up,” said Sen. Nancy J. King, a member of the Capital Budget Subcommittee and a former Montgomery school board member.

‘‘If he hadn’t made that commitment, I don’t think we’d be that unhappy about it,” said King (D-Dist. 39) of Montgomery Village. ‘‘On the one hand, we have to stick by our guns. On the other hand, we don’t know what’s going to happen.”

O’Malley has ‘‘got to be mindful of any potential political fallout as it pertains to Montgomery County legislators,” said Del. Brian J. Feldman (D-Dist. 15) of Potomac, who is also the delegation chairman. ‘‘It’s an important relationship. We were looking for a higher number. Hopefully, there’s a little more wiggle room to get us a little more to where we need to be.”

In January, County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) recommended $266 million for schools, assuming that the state would fund at least $50 million in projects.

The school system, which has seen its enrollment dip about 1,000 to about 137,700 students, asked for $132.7 million in state aid. In his proposal to the school board, Schools Superintendent Jerry D. Weast decided to take ‘‘a little more risk” after state lawmakers agreed during a special session to raise taxes to help plug a projected $1.5 billion shortfall.

‘‘We believe [the state] is gonna move a little more toward what they owe us, certainly not $135 million, maybe more like $50 [million],” he said at the time.

On Thursday, school officials weren’t surprised by the state committee’s recommendation. ‘‘At this point, it’s a revenue shortfall that falls to the County Council to make up,” said Brian K. Edwards, Weast’s chief of staff. ‘‘Once again, the County Council is left having to make up for a shortfall at the state level.”

The county can find $3.7 million for schools next year, but the state’s $86 million funding shortage has further delayed five high school projects, Council President Michael J. Knapp said.

‘‘Sadly, I never anticipated we’d get everything we wanted from the state,” said Knapp (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown, also a member of the County Council’s Education Committee. ‘‘We’re taxed more heavily and get less. I’d like to be hopeful, but there’s not much reason to be. The hits keep coming.”

Not everyone empathizes with Montgomery. On average, school buildings in Baltimore city are 30 years old, said J. Keith Scroggins, chief operating officer of the Baltimore city school system.

‘‘We appreciate what [the state] is trying to do,” he said. ‘‘I do think to give the richest county in Maryland $55 million would impact the other jurisdictions. That would be a big problem for us.”

for more info

Go to www.gazette.net⁄links to read Montgomery Schools Superintendent Jerry D. Weast’s April 23 memo on state construction funding.