February 9, 2012
Town Hall Alliance meets with School Superintendent Dr. Mike Martirano and Dr. Sal Raspa
St. Mary's School Board Member Dr. Sal Raspa, left, and St. Mary's Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano, right.
This week, we had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Mike Martirano and Dr. Sal Raspa in order to have the Town Hall Alliance slate candidates briefed on the status, needs and goals of the public school system.
Having the top school superintendent in the State of Maryland working to bring results for our public school students is one of the most positive developments in the county in recent years.
Dr. Martirano explained the budget of the school system, the contributions from local government and the challenges involved in keeping the system operating, especially with unpredictable costs such as heating oil and transporation costs.
With 85% of the school budget devoted to salaries for employees, another 10 percent for paying the light and heating bills, along with transportation, only 5% is left for purchasing textbooks, program costs and instructional materials.
Thus the dangers lurking around the corner on funding from the State to the counties for education, with crippling slashes possible, shows more than ever the reason why it is important for St. Mary's County to set aside any plans for a $16 million Mega Library built on the stinky fields of the Hayden Farm.
Dr. Martirano told us of the cost to the county in funding the new Evergreen School at being about $10 million with another matching $10 million from the State. With a library, there are no matching funds and the money that the Library Liberals want the county to plunk down will not be available to pay for teacher's salaries, teachers pensions or to pay the county share of a new school.
With the draconian damage to the economy, serious downturns in revenue and more of the burdens of the state government likely to be shifted to the counties, we need to safeguard our resources. One thing is for sure, the taxpayers cannot and will not stand for higher taxes. It means we must cut nonessential spending.
The Town Hall Alliance is committed to maintaining the constant yield so taxes will not increase and to maintaining funds for our schools. Something will have to give and that something is frivolous spending, mega librarys, stinky land deals and parks we don't need and can't afford to operate.
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I hear that Commissioner Mattingly, Raley, Dement and Russell still want the Mega Library and are continuing to act like little chidren when told "No" on the extra $25 Million bond authority for the Mega Library. These nut jobs just don't get it and want to put the County Taxpayer more in debt.
Only Commissioner Jarboe sees the light and knows not to put us in deeper dept.
No but commissioner Jorboe is wanting this money for the Three Notch Trail
The debt is not to be incurred so this money is not to be spent on trails or anything. That means the new Board will not have an additional 2 million dollars of debt service that would have to be paid each year of their first term (4 years= $8,000,000.00). The great debt the present Board intended to incur would be a real liability for the next Board and future Boards for twenty years that would have to be passed on to the taxpayers.
Future trail construction has been deferred for at least a couple years. Previous construction was funded by primarily Federal rails to trails grants in Charlotte Hall/New Market section or developer dollars in the Wildewood to Pax River Navy Base corridor.
In this very difficult economy, the priorities must be education, public safety, and transportation. Recreational amenities will take a backseat to the basic needs of our taxpayers who deserve elected officials who will hold the line against property tax increases.
State Senator Roy Dyson and our State delegation deserve a big THANK YOU from the taxpaers for taking such an early and adamant stand against increasing our County debt load.
Larry Jarboe
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