By Justice D. Stanley
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Maryland state legislators are divided over Gov. Larry Hogan’s decision to put $68 million originally set aside for K-12 education toward funding state workers’ pensions, according to interviews conducted over the past week.
Baltimore City, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County took the biggest hits as they were set to receive a total of $48 million in the current fiscal year until Hogan decided to use the $68 million to fund pensions.
Hogan has received backlash from Maryland lawmakers who believe there are other ways he could have funded the pensions, but some lawmakers are supportive of his decision.
“I think what’s important to recognize in this particular situation is that Governor Hogan is committed to spending more on education than any other governor in the history of the state of Maryland,” Del. Christian Miele, R-Baltimore County, said.
Although Hogan did not use the $68 million for education, he proposed an increase in spending on K-12 education that would be a record high for the state in his budget proposal, according to his website.
“We’re talking about education being important,” Miele said. “We’re talking about the environment being important and we’re certainly talking about state workers’ retirement security being important as well. I think what the governor is trying to do is balance off these priorities.”
According to the interviews, some lawmakers are concerned that Hogan’s decision will negatively affect the state’s public school systems, which ranked number one in the country from 2009 until 2013.
“We have been number one in education for numerous years and we certainly are slipping,” Del. Sheila Hixson, D-Montgomery County, said. “From the national level, it will be noticed.”
Hixson said one option local lawmakers have to make up for not receiving the additional funding is to boost tax rates even though it is not an ideal situation for Maryland citizens.
“We have one constitutional funding mandate as legislators and that is to provide funding for a thorough and efficient public education in the state of Maryland and so that’s always got to be the number one priority,” Del. Jill Carter, D-Baltimore, said.
Carter offered another way for Hogan to collect money for pensions instead of taking from education funding.
“There are non-violent and longtime offenders, lifers, who are recommended for parole by the parole commission but the governor doesn’t honor that decision,” Carter said. “We could save a lot of money and find more money in the money that we spend incarcerating people unnecessarily.”
Sen. Karen Montgomery, D-Montgomery County, agreed that both education and pensions could have been funded by the state without having to take away the $68 million.
“I think there is enough money in the state for both. I do not agree with taking any money away from education,” Montgomery said. “I think having an educated population is absolutely the money-earner for the state. This is why we do well economically because we do have an educated population.”
Montgomery encouraged Hogan to take his time in trying to fund the pensions without negatively affecting the state’s school systems.
There is enough money if he isn’t in a hurry, she said, adding that he still has two more years in this term.
“If he is not in a hurry, we could balance the budget year after next,” she said. “He wants to clean it all up right away so he can say he did.”
The state has a $295 million budget surplus from its last fiscal year because of tax collection increases, according to the Baltimore Sun. There are lawmakers encouraging Hogan to take $68 million of that money back towards education.
“I do hope he will change his thinking in the matter and readjust his proposed budget,” Montgomery said.