Pr. George's Tries to Ease Budget Blow To Schools

The Prince George's County Council is expected to approve a $2.6 billion budget Monday that cuts jobs, slashes spending in nearly every department and requires the Board of Education to pay the county $11.8 million for services it now provides free.

The Board of Education could have taken a bigger hit under the spending plan for fiscal 2010, but council members spent much of this week combing through the budget looking for ways to lessen the blow.

Needing to plug a last-minute budget gap, County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) suggested last week that the school system reimburse the county $23.6 million for crossing guards, security at high schools and debt service on construction projects. The plan was presented to the council after the Maryland State Board of Education denied the county's request that it be allowed to provide $23.6 million less to schools than state law requires.

But Johnson administration officials and the council agreed late Thursday during a closed-door meeting to reduce the effect on the school system by 50 percent.

Prince George's Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. said he needed to examine the county's proposal further to determine what the system would do about the county's decision.

"We would have to revisit all options inside of our budget," he said. He was cautious about whether the school system would challenge the validity of the county's decision.

"I just don't want to comment on that in terms of legality," he said. "While I understand the county's dilemma in terms of funding and shortage of revenue, I have to advocate for the young people and the students in the school system."

Budget officials will publicly reveal the final plan Monday.

The county is considering a proposal to reduce the amount it has budgeted for fueling its fleet of vehicles. Officials said the county budget estimates the cost of gasoline at $3.88 a gallon for unleaded, nowhere near the $2.40 price now. Council members also suggested that the county issue bonds for some capital improvement projects rather than paying for them out of the budget.

Crippled by a depressed housing market and a decrease in income taxes, Johnson originally proposed cutting 307 jobs in the fiscal 2010 budget, which takes effect July 1. He also proposed reducing money for schools by 3.7 percent, community colleges by 2 percent, social services by 11.9 percent and public safety by 4.3 percent.

The revised budget, which the council will finalize next week, includes laying off 55 employees, extending a 10-day furlough for all county workers by 10 more days and eliminating cost-of-living and merit raises for all county employees.

Robert Cease, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 112, said he was pleased that the layoff will be smaller than projected but said the county should find a way to save everyone's job.

"We are already understaffed and overworked," said Cease, who represents 300 sworn and civilian officers.

Johnson was able to reduce the number of job cuts because of state legislation approved last month that allowed the county to shift $30 million from the reserve fund of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission to the county budget.

Jonathan R. Seeman, county budget director, said each department head will decide which jobs to cut.