Politics & Opinion

By Councilman Dick Ladd, Fifth District

As the council moves toward the FY 2013 budget process, Severna Park High School remains mynumber onefunding issue. The detailed design process is currently underway and with the $5.7 million requested by the Board of Education for FY 2013, construction on the project will be ready to start in July 2013with FY 2014 construction funding.

A senior official of the Board of Education has clearly stated to me and our board member, Amalie Brandenburg, that their goal is for a July 2013-August 2015 construction period with the new school up and running before September 2015.

The County Executive has consistently supported that schedule or an earlier one. I suspect his budget request (to be submitted April 16) could reflect a slightly earlier start date with a potentially earlier completion date.

The requirement for the county to begin funding a portion of teacher pensions in the next budget and at a higher rate starting the year after will drive and alter a lot of spending priorities.

The issue or choice of the council will be to try to squeeze in at least three of the six elementary schools the Board of Education places as higher priority than Severna Park High School. Given the two-year funding period of these elementary schools, initiation of construction could very possibly take money away from SPHS and delay the construction start date at least one year.

Of the six elementary schools, only Lothian Elementary School has a higher MGT score. The Board of Education is well aware of the placement of these six elementary schools (including Benfield Elementary) higher up on their priority list, ahead of SPHS. When asked why, they simply shrug and say it is up to the council to determine the appropriate priorities.

Also of note, the Governor is requesting an extra $100 millionin one year, “matching funds” to incentivize school construction. The County has “shovel ready projects” but not the debt service capacity to support the required additional borrowing. An additional, reliable 10-year revenue stream is needed to support any additional borrowing – read astax increases – and such an increase has many other significant long-term consequences and associated costs.My concern is that it would simply increase the size and cost of the county government. That does not appear to be a good trade-off at this point.

Legislatively, attention shifts to issues before the Maryland Legislature: the funding shift of teachers’ pensions to the county; the Board of Education Maintenance of Effort; the “flush fee” for Bay Restoration Fund; and road maintenance funding.

Some important dates to remember are as follows:

• The council will meet on Feb.16 at 7:00pm. in the Council Chambers for a special meeting to select the new council member for District 1 to replace former Councilman Daryl Jones.
• The County Executive will hold a listening session on Feb. 22 from 6:00 to 8:00pm at the Severna Park Middle School Cafeteria for those who are interested in the pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the county. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan has not been updated since 2003, so this is a great opportunity to voice your concerns and offer any suggestions you may have.
• A public hearing for the Charter Review Commission will be held on Feb. 27 at 7:00pm in the Council Chamber.

As always, you can contact my office at any time at 410-222-1401 to share with me any ideas, suggestions and/or comments you may have. I’ll look forward to hearing from you.