For Immediate Release: Friday, March 20, 2020
ROCKVILLE, Md., March 20, 2020—Montgomery County Council President Sidney Katz and County Executive Marc Elrich issued the following statement on the 2020 Maryland General Assembly session.
We thank the Montgomery County Delegation for its hard work during the 2020 session of the Maryland General Assembly. This dedicated group of state leaders moved the county’s agenda forward, while dealing with a state of emergency and the numerous public health and safety challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Montgomery County’s goals for the 2020 session were either met or substantial progress was made because of the efforts of our Montgomery County Delegation, even with the added stress of a compressed legislative schedule.
Direct state aid to Montgomery County will increase by nearly $43 million in fiscal year 2021, with $39 million earmarked for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). In addition, state aid for MCPS will increase significantly over the next ten years as the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future (House Bill 1300) is implemented, resulting in an increase of $178.9 million in fiscal year 2030. These additional funds will be used to expand pre-kindergarten programs and career education, increase salaries and career opportunities for teachers and increase funding for schools with high poverty rates. The plan is set to increase total state education funding by more than $2.8 billion by fiscal year 2030. This historic education measure will fund a world-class system of public education in Maryland and aligns with the Council’s long-standing goal of ensuring that all MCPS students have the resources and opportunities necessary to achieve excellence.
Montgomery County also is on track to receive between $55 to $60 million for much needed school construction funding to help address its backlog of school projects. The great news is that this funding will dramatically increase starting next year. After years of requesting a major infusion of additional state investment in public school construction, our Montgomery County Delegation led the way in securing the passage of legislation (House Bill 1) that will allow the county to tap an additional $420 million over the next 10 years for our public school construction program. Combined with the existing streams of available state funding, the county will be able to make real progress in ensuring that our students and teachers have the learning environments that are necessary to achieve success.
Additional capital funding has also been secured for Montgomery College, health facilities and parks which all contribute to our exceptional quality of life.
We will continue to work with members of the Montgomery County Delegation on the needs of county residents, as we address the COVID-19 health crisis and begin our budget deliberations at the county level. Leaders at the local, state and federal levels are united in our efforts to do all that we can to stop the spread of the virus and provide the resources needed to meet this public health challenge head on.
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Release ID: 20-100