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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Commissioners signed off Thursday on a plan to sell 50 percent more in bonds than they did last fiscal year.
The $80 million in bonds that the county approved last year fell far below what it needed to extend to this year’s bills, said Ted Zaleski, the county’s budget director.
So commissioners needed to authorize $120 million in bonds to cover the building projects they planned to carry out in fiscal 2009.
“It sounds like an astronomical number, but at the same time if you see a high school costs 80 million dollars, you think twice,” said Commissioner Julia Gouge.
Construction on Manchester Valley High School, which is completely county funded, tops the list of projects for next year. It costs $80 million, and Zaleski said next year’s portion is expected to cost the county about $36 million.
The county already committed to plans for construction projects that span multiple years, and since last year’s bonds did not match the costs, Zaleski recommended the county make up the difference this year.
“If nothing else happens, you would not be able to move ahead with ... the decisions you’ve already made,” he said.
In future years, he recommended bond sales match the budget.
The county’s state delegation will next need to approve the $120 million for the bonds to go to sale.
A public hearing with the delegation is to be held Saturday.
Top construction projects next year
» Top construction projects next fiscal year
» Manchester Valley High School $36 million
» South Carroll High fine arts addition $15 million
» Westminster High air conditioning: $14 million
» Agricultural land preservation: $9 million
» Reservoir development: $8 million
» Community college classroom #4: $6.5 million
msilvestri@baltimoreexaminer.com
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ARTICLE HISTORY 
Comments from Examiner Readers
3:07 PM MST on Sat., Jun. 7, 2008 re: "County seeks to hire more minority teachers"
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7:44 PM MST on Sat., May. 10, 2008
re: "County teachers ‘upset’ by raise; increase lowest in more than decade"
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7:54 AM MST on Fri., May. 9, 2008
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7:52 AM MST on Thu., May. 8, 2008
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9:09 PM MST on Fri., May. 2, 2008
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3:39 PM MST on Thu., Apr. 17, 2008
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6:06 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 16, 2008
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1:35 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 15, 2008
re: "Parents: Drug, alcohol policy targets athletes"
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8:42 AM MST on Sat., Apr. 12, 2008
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6:53 AM MST on Wed., Mar. 19, 2008
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6:53 AM MST on Wed., Mar. 5, 2008
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9:11 PM MST on Wed., Feb. 27, 2008
re: "Teacher salaries, reducing class sizes school renovations dominate debate"
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6:09 AM MST on Sat., Feb. 23, 2008
re: "New slots for teachers OK’d to limit class sizes"
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10:32 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008
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7:22 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 9, 2008
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5:31 AM MST on Fri., Dec. 7, 2007
re: "Carroll could lose at least $8.5 million from state"
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3:55 AM MST on Fri., Dec. 7, 2007
re: "Carroll could lose at least $8.5 million from state"
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Examiner Reader said:
It is far more important to hire excellent teachers then it is to meet a quota in order to keep the NAACP happy.
1 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I want to ask a question about the attitude of 'teachers want to earn money from students" and "students dislike of teachers".
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Examiner Reader said:
We're sick of ignorant people such as yourself who have no idea what "teaching" actually entails. Most people are paid for their extra hours. Most people aren't cussed out by kids all day. Most people know that resorting to name calling is a sign of stupidity. Grow up.
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Examiner Reader said:
Cry Baby teachers. Every body works hard these days. Most people put in extra hours. Many people work alot harder than teachers. I'm sick of their whining.
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Examiner Reader said:
Go complain to the NEA. The taxpayers are more than a little incensed at their sky rocketing state, local, and property taxes.
0 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
(To the reader who posted below) I don't think that line you quoted states what you said it does. Reading further, the writer was disagreeing a previous statement that suggested teachers don't work very much. I appreciate the efforts of those who teach my child. I notice their hard work.
2 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"...[T]here is nothing mentioned about the extra time put into the [teaching]job outside the contracted hours. It is not a job that ends when the school day is over." The problem with that worn argument is that it implies the rest of us--outside of the teaching arena--do not similarly put in more hours than are officially recorded. Quit whining. Don't like teaching? Try a job where your success or failure dictates whether you remain employed!
2 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
you rule
1 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This policy does not seem practical especially because only there is only one Baltimore County that enforces this policy. Rather, other counties in Baltimore have policies saying that they will force students out of sports teams and other extracurricular activities if the students themselves possess it or consume it. I agree with Alexander regarding Carroll’s policy which has more of an incentive for students drinking at parties because they the students feel that regardless if they are “caught” and are not drinking them still get into trouble. Yes, this policy does impose more responsibilities on parents so they can be more on a look out for their children. Nonetheless, even if this policy were not to exist, parents should still always check what their children are up to regardless of busy lifestyles. If parents keep an eye on their children, it can keep them out of trouble. This policy is a little unfair as well because it forces students out of teams even if the student did
1 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
So was this person the best choice for this job or was she put here becuse of the race game?
2 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Previous poster is right, very right. There are only so many good teachers out there. We have 2.8 million k-12 teachers in the country. Baltimore County has a mixture of good and not so good. Teachers convince your unions to not allow the weak teachers to be carried by the good ones. They are the ones limiting the salaries of good teachers not the county executive. I suspect he would be in favor of differentiated pay based on performance.
3 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The power of the church.
8 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
A previous comment demonstrates the misunderstanding much of the public has about the work a teacher does. There is more to it than meets the eye. Though the typical contract requires teachers to work 10 months a year and 7.5 hours a day, there is nothing mentioned about the extra time put into the job outside the contracted hours. It is not a job that ends when the school day is over. Check out an elementary school parking lot an hour after the students leave. Half of the staff is still there. The other half took work home. Just like police, public works, and others paid with tax money, the salaries of teachers will always be controversial. As a teacher with a Master's Degree, it is disheartening to see friends and family with much less education in less essential jobs, making more money. If more teachers took the advice of the commenter below and went to other jobs for more money, our nation's kids would pay in the end. There are only so many good teachers out there.
28 agree | 24 disagree
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voter said:
Would love to see an article with the percentage of money spent within the budget on different areas. Teacher salaries are only one area of the budget. Raise teacher salaries or hire more and something else must be cut. Sorry but that is life. What should be cut? Maintenance of building? Textbooks? Libraries? Sports? Band? Janitorial service? Lawn maintenance? Busing? Lesson materials? Computers? Counselors? Face it, education is expensive. But cc board of commissioners must cut 8 million.
27 agree | 30 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I agree with this comment and I think people do appreciate the fact that a public school teaching career is not path to riches. The facts are clear that a perceived low salary is not the top reason teachers leave. Many become teachers without a real appreciation for what is involved in the job. In the first few years you like it or not. If we hire smarter, we might retain longer but when you lose 200+ teachers in one year you have to hire who shows up. Working conditions and in-school training that addresses current teacher professional development needs are the bigger hot buttons for teachers frustrated by the move to teach-to-the-test rather than proficiency in a subject. Salaries is what we hear about because teacher's union officials keep harping on it - he who has the gold makes the rules. Ask a real teacher why they stay or leave and get some real feedback.
68 agree | 73 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I'm always surprised at people constantly complaining about teacher salaries. They work fewer hours per day than a lot of people and fewer days out of the year than probably everyone else with a full time job, probably at a maximum of 75% of what many people do. Think $37,000 is low? Bump it up by 25% to in excess of $46,000 and it doesn't seem so bad does it? Everyone knows what teacher salaries are and many people who go into the profession balance that with the huge amount of time off, vacations, benefits, etc. If you want to earn more, choose a different profession and work 50-52 weeks out of the year, 8+ hours per day.
66 agree | 71 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The real reason for this is carroll votes republican. The Dem's do not care about the children, they only care about power and retribution.
73 agree | 59 disagree
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Sven said:
The solution is ALWAYS the same. Raise taxes.
62 agree | 60 disagree
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