The Hampton Elementary School Addition and Renovation is estimated to cost $19 million. The County has committed $12.5 million to the project, with the State paying approximately $6.3 million. Our County Executive states in his letter that the County will be spending $20 million on the project. This is an inflated number.
Ten-year long-term projections from BCPS's Office of Strategic Planning have Ridgley Middle School, Dumbarton and Hereford Middle School operating at close to capacity. They could not possible house more elementary students in the long-term.
In the short-term if the annexation of elementary school grades is to take place, there still needs to be in place a long-term solution that addresses not only the overcrowding, but the failing infrastructure of some of our oldest elementary schools.
As a short-term solution, for a successful execution of the plan to occur, sufficient communication to parents and thoughtful placement and accommodation would have to take place. Of course, funds are limited and I applaud leaders in looking outside the box for possible solutions, but what is necessary is a clear long-term resolution to the problem of aging infrastructure and overcrowding.

On Kamenetz’s suggestion regarding Stoneleigh: I find it mind boggling that people would rather spend dozens, hundreds of hours of their precious time on overcrowded schools, let alone what their children are enduring in them, than pay a very low tax increase, and have all of that extra time in their lives, and all children and parents in the County would benefit. I think that this would be a great time for BC public school parents to push for a modest tax increase, or borrow the money, at very low interest rates, for improving school infrastructure. It’s hard for me to have sympathy for the better off in Baltimore County who are upset about the schools but are not willing to pay more to get us out of this hole. We live in one of the wealthier counties in the wealthiest state in the nation – we have the money, and/or the resources to borrow more. I have publicly advocated for a tax increase to fund school infrastructure and would not mind paying more to solve these problems, and I really wish that more people would consider this as a good alternative to this seemingly endless wringing of hands and wrangling with politicians and BCPS. Is this really how we want to spend our time? Wouldn’t you rather be at home with your family – isn’t that worth a couple of hundred dollars a year? Where do we think Kamenetz is going to get the money for schools if we don’t give it to him? Someone just told me that no politician will call for a tax increase for schools. Of course he or she won’t, unless we make them do it. Why should they go through all that grief? It’s easier for them to watch us fight over the crumbs, year after year, and then they get credit for being “fiscally prudent,” on the backs of our children. Laurie Taylor-Mitchell

Wasn't thisRidgely School addition "promised" during his campaign? Another ploy to get the votes? Is this his way to save the money so he can put it into the education budget to handle salaries/pensions?