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Council seeks to introduce budget two weeks earlier
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Anne Arundel taxpayers who said they were unaware of proposed tax increases or cuts to the school system may have a chance to change how the county does its budget.
Complaints from officials and residents having little time to weed through hundreds of budget documents have led County Council Chairwoman Cathy Vitale, R-District 5, to propose the county executive introduce the budget two weeks earlier.
If approved by five council members, the question would go before county voters in November, as it requires a change in the county’s governing policy.
A $60 million expansion of a Glen Burnie prison surprised many county officials, one of several surprises that met the council when County Executive John R. Leopold introduced his proposed fiscal 2009 $1.22 billion budget May 1.
“I think it’s a major undertaking ... and we need more than one or two weeks to discuss this,” said Councilman Ed Middlebrooks, R-District 2. The project was eventually axed.
Though Vitale said the problem is years old, this year saw many complaints, mainly from business leaders, about a proposed hotel tax increase and $50 million in cuts to the school system budget.
But Budget Officer John Hammond said pushing back the unveiling of the budget could make it difficult to factor in state funding and school construction money, which is allocated in mid-April.
“This process has worked well in 45 years-plus of charter government, and I have never heard anyone express concerns about the timing of the budget,” Hammond said.
This is the sixth charter amendment resolution before the council, part of an effort to give the council more say over the inner workings of the county government.
jflanagan@baltimoreexmainer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
5:26 PM MST on Sat., May. 24, 2008 re: "School system beats out libraries, housing needs"
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12:21 PM MST on Sat., May. 3, 2008
re: "Anne Arundel superintendent says budget proposal is ‘devastating’"
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9:03 AM MST on Fri., May. 2, 2008
re: "Anne Arundel superintendent says budget proposal is ‘devastating’"
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8:51 AM MST on Fri., May. 2, 2008
re: "Anne Arundel superintendent says budget proposal is ‘devastating’"
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Examiner Reader said:
I am very Out rage over this article,, I am a concern alumni of Northeast Senior high school in Pasadena Maryland and every time the area schools are up on the board Northeast gets turned down for getting the help for a new school. There is mold in the music rooms, The auditorium is in need of being fixed and there is no air in all of the school. No real work has been done to the school since I graduated there in 81,,, This is not right to pass us again...We really need a new school before the children and the parents refuses them to go there...
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Devastated??? said:
They should have been devastated with the failing schools, beaten students, assaulted students at aacps. I am not sure if the students are going to jail or school. I do not have my child to write articles like Josh...
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Examiner Reader said:
Is there anytime in the history of aacps, that they did not beg for money? It is unbelievable! It's never enough... Just like a sponge...How about the outcome? It's going down every day. No one cares about the kids. Thanks Mr. Leopold for not allowing them to waste any more tax dollars.
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OHH WELL! said:
Then the system should spend less money for paying some reporters(!) to write for them.
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