O'Malley says he'll spend more money building schools
Gov. Martin O’Malley pledged to spend an additional $1 billion in state money for school construction if re-elected, repeating a campaign promise he made and kept four years ago.
“Change doesn’t happen overnight, but we see change happening here,” said O’Malley gesturing toward a construction pit where work was underway for new buildings at Annapolis' Germantown Elementary School.
He appeared at the same school four years ago to promise a $250 million annual investment building schools if elected. Over the past four years O’Malley exceeded that amount, spending $1.3 billion on construction.
The plan would honor recommendations made by a task force Treasurer Nancy Kopp convened in 2004 that said $250 million a year should be dedicated to new buildings.
When in office Ehrlich chopped money from schools to close a budget deficit but the legislature restored funding.
The governor’s plan also seeks alternative financing to help local governments put more capital resources toward schools. He proposes finance new windows, heating and cooling systems through energy service contracts, an arrangement where the more efficient equipment is funded by the savings realized by lower energy bills.
Comments
I would love to have the $300M in the state treasury that Marty overspent the last four years, no wonder the State's budget is so out of balance.
The task force set a reasonable standard for new school construction, but in order to make sure he looked good tacked on 30% more. If I spent 30% more than I have in my bank account, I'd be in bad financial shape too.
He needs a lesson in accounting!
Posted by: NoFriendofMOM | July 8, 2010 12:21 PM
Spending money on school construction is an absurd waste of tax money. I'll touch more on this topic under my candidate's blog.
Posted by: Rick Saffery | July 8, 2010 1:09 PM
Does he know what a charter school is yet?
Posted by: Jane | July 8, 2010 2:00 PM
O'Malley is more worried about good buildings than good outcomes. We need our poorest students to escape the suction of the urban blight that destroys so much potential. Building a new school in Germantown is nice, but it doesn't help the child in inner-city Baltimore or in Suitland do any better.
Posted by: Brad | July 8, 2010 6:00 PM
When the last time they built a new school in Baltimore City?
Posted by: simply someone | July 8, 2010 9:18 PM
Maybe if Marty hadn't chased all of the millionaires out of the state and taxed all of the small businesses to death and all the middle class people who are out of work in this socialist state, then he would have enough money to not only build the schools in the rich areas, but in the poor areas as well.
Posted by: Forrest | July 9, 2010 11:36 AM
Again with the loaded statements. Forrest - I believe Marylanders have and always will have a decent population of Millionaires. Last time i checked, its not the responsibility of the governor to ensure everyone is a millionaire. What do you mean by socialist state? What makes this state socialist? Where is the common ownership or control in the commmunity? Is land divided evenly between the population? Do we all line up at the govt building every month to get our equal paychecks. Where exactly is this socialism? I am middle class, I think I would know if I was being taxed to "death." I am pretty sure the only tax that has changed during Omalley's tenure is the sales tax from 5% to 6% which of course is dependent on your own spending.
Posted by: Chris | July 9, 2010 1:06 PM
How does Marty plan on paying for this?
Both Ehrlich and MOM need to detail the hows when new spending ideas come up.
Chris Maryland takes more out of my paycheck than Social Security.
We are VERY OVERTAXED in Maryland.
Posted by: john | July 12, 2010 11:07 AM
O'Malley doesn't have a clue.... he doesn't care about the average citizen... he is laying people off, handing out furloughs and going to screw the State Employees out of their retirement funds... he is a disgrace.... COME ON NOVEMBER _ It’s TIME FOR HIM TO GET HIS THINGS OUT OF THE GOVERNORS MANSION
Posted by: Mike | July 12, 2010 3:50 PM