Hogan adds to school funding
Gov. plans to spend $3.5B on construction, balks at Kirwan costs
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced a plan Tuesday to fund $3.5 billion in school construction projects across the state, thanks in part to a new constitutional amendment that forces the addition of casino revenue to school funding.
Hogan plans to submit legislation during the 2019 General Assemblysession that would add $1.9 billion in new school construction projects over five years. That funding would be in addition to the $1.6 billion in public school construction funding currently included in the state’s five-year capital budget.
“This represents the largest investment in school construction ever in Maryland history,” Hogan said.
While announcing the plans for new capital funds, however, Hogan said he believed a preliminary price tag of recommendations from a General Assembly commission studying school funding for classroom expenses was too high.
TheCommissiononInnovationandExcellence in Education is considering recommending a phased-in annual increase of $4.4 billion for operating schools in Maryland. But Hogan said spending tens of billions more over the next decade on school operations could not be done without raising taxes — which he pledged not to do.
The administration has not yet released a list of schools that would receive the capital funding under Hogan’s construction plan, but the governor said the money would cover “more than 90 percent of the projects requested by local school systems from 2020
SCHOOLS ,
The new legislation is modeled after to 2024.” Specific funds would be distributed Baltimore’s 21st Century School Buildings andapprovedthroughvotesofthestate Board Program, which funded the opening of five of Public Works. newly renovated buildings this year.
The governor’s office said the projects Karen Salmon, the state’s superintendent would result in an estimated 27,000 jobs. of schools, said the new fund would create
The governor made the announcement of “healthy, modern and efficient schools” that the planned Building Opportunity Fund at will cover almost all existing building reHighland Park Elementary School in Landquests. over. Unlike Hogan’s plan for capital spending,
Joining Hogan was new Prince George’s the recommendations from the Commission County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, who on Innovation and Excellence in Education said new buildings tell school children “how (also called the Kirwan Commission) include valuable they are to us.” offering full-day education for 3-year-olds
“Prince George’s County and all of our from low-income households; universal jurisdictions across Maryland will have extra prekindergarten for 4-year-olds; increased funding to help schools over the next five funding for schools where many students live years,” she said. in concentrated poverty, and raises for teach
Theers.legislationwouldgivetheMaryland
Stadium Authority oversight of these addiHogan expressed concern Tuesday over tional school construction funds, and include the ultimate cost of the commission’s recomaccountability measures, according to the mendations. governor’s office. “No, we cannot afford that,” the governor
“Just investing record amounts of money said. “They have not come up with any doesn’t necessarily solve all of the problems suggestions for where the additional revenue we have in education,” Hogan said. “We would come from. ... No, we’re not going to invested $25 billion in K-12 education and yet raise any of those taxes.” the state has very little control over howthat’s State Sen. Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore spent. … We want to ensure those dollars are Democrat, commended Hogan for his school getting into the classroom, they’re not being construction proposal. But, Ferguson said, he wasted and we don’t have corruption and hoped the governor would show the same mismanagement.” commitment to improving educational out
The new funding would come from comes for students. revenue bonds funded by casino gaming “My one concern this afternoon is that we revenues. In November, nearly 90 percent of cannot make this an ‘ either/or’ choice — voters supported a constitutional amendment either more equitable funding formulas or to direct revenue from Maryland’s casinos to school construction,” Ferguson wrote in a supplement existing education funding after Facebook post. “Great buildings are essential, The Baltimore Sun reported casino dollars but they are not sufficient. What happens had not gone to bolster school budgets more inside a building is as important — if not more than what the state already was required to important — than the quality of the building spend. itself. We must be able to tackle our
Hogan and Democratic lawmakers both infrastructure problems while also creating a pushed to dedicate more money for schools, more equitable and more excellent system of and the amendment— created by Democratic free public schools.” leaders — meansanadditional $4.4 billion will go to school funding over10 years.