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Plan Would Curtail Mandated School Aid
(Photo By Dennis Cook -- Associated Press)
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When O'Malley hinted at his plans during a radio interview three weeks ago, John E. Deasy, the Prince George's superintendent, said it sounded like something "you can deal with."
The state has budgeted nearly $5.2 billion for education aid to counties this year. That reflects several large increases in recent years, including $567 million this year proposed by O'Malley.
The law requires more modest spending increases, tied to an inflation-based formula, in coming years. Legislative analysts have expressed surprise in recent months at the size of the increase called for by the formula -- 5.2 percent -- which exceeds traditional inflation measures.
O'Malley said yesterday that lawmakers had no way of gauging what the impact would be when they included it in the law in 2002.
Under the governor's proposal, inflation-based increases would be suspended for two years and then capped at 2.5 percent in subsequent years.
During that period, however, O'Malley wants to start funding a geographic component of Thornton that has been considered discretionary under the 2002 law.
That part of the Thornton plan would allocate $129 million in additional funds to counties based on a formula that considers housing costs, the percentage of students receiving subsidized lunches, the rate of violent crime and commuting times. The formula would provide more money to such counties as Montgomery and Prince George's.
O'Malley did not include funding for the geographic component in this year's budget and unsuccessfully lobbied lawmakers to commit to it in following years. Under his proposal yesterday, it would take three years to phase in geographic formula, with $38 million being spent next year.
Staff writer Lisa Rein contributed to this report.
