Annapolis Schools Funding Update

This afternoon the County Council took up amendments to the Fiscal Year 2010 budget. I am thrilled to report that the County Council unanimously delivered a huge victory for Annapolis schools.

1. Bates Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) Magnet Program

The County Council restored $800,000 to fully implement the Arts Magnet at Bates this Fall. The County Executive's proposed budget had eliminated this funding which the Board of Education had proposed.

2. Germantown Elementary and Annapolis Elementary Construction Projects

The County Council took no action on the County Auditor's recommendation to close Annapolis Elementary and combine its students into a new mega-elementary school complex at Germantown. Both County Executive Leopold and the Board of Education strongly supported keeping the two schools separate. The County Council's support for the Board of Ed's recommendation effectively assures that the new Germantown project will continue as planned with construction of the new school starting next year. Annapolis Elementary will also remain as a stand-alone revitalization project with design slated for FY 2012 and construction to begin in FY 2013.

I have no doubt that these budget votes would have been different without the tremendous outpouring of support from the community. I thank the parents and students who came out for impromptu rallies, waited long hours to testify at public hearings, and otherwise made their voices heard. The community's voice does make a difference.

The final vote on the amended budget is next week so it's not over yet, but the heavy lifting took place today. I am grateful for the bipartisan support of my colleagues on the County Council during this very difficult budget season. I am also grateful for the personal involvement of House Speaker Mike Busch and the Annapolis City Council, especially Alderwoman Sheila Finlayson and Alderman Fred Paone, all of whom went the extra mile to convey the importance of these votes to Annapolis families.

Bates Arts Magnet funding cut

As reported in today's Capital, the County Executive's proposed budget fails to fund the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Program at Bates Middle School this Fall.

This budget cut is disappointing to say the least. The Annapolis feeder system has more middle-school students attending private school than any feeder system in the county. Signature programs such as the Middle Years Programme at Annapolis Middle School and the Arts Magnet at Bates are key to the long term viability of city public schools.

The County Council needs to restore the Arts Magnet funding, and community support will be key to making it happen.

Tough fiscal times

Fiscally, the County is hard-pressed to fund any enhancements for FY2010. It is a challenge simply to maintain our existing level of services. From that viewpoint, any increase such as the Arts Magnet sticks out as an easy target to cut.

Enrollment decisions already made

Although the full implementation of the Arts Magnet will be an enhancement over the current budget, it is one that the schools have committed to in writing. Parents have passed the point of no return in making school decisions for their children next Fall. After receiving the Arts Magnet acceptance letters, parents withdrew their children's slots at other schools.

How heartbreaking this will be for these students who applied for admission and received the acceptance letter, only to have it pulled away. If this action stands it will severely erode families' confidence and trust in their school system.

It would be understandable to defer a funding enhancement that was never committed to. But, at this late date it is unacceptable to cancel the implementation of the Arts Magnet after scores of parents have already made irreversible enrollment decisions for this Fall.

Needless to say, I am committed to restoring this funding. I am cautiously optimistic that a majority of my colleagues will support the effort, but it is a very difficult year fiscally. Community support will be the key to making it happen.

To testify

The County Council is holding two public hearings on the budget next week. They both start at 7 p.m. as follows:

- Monday, May 11 at Old Mill High School
- Wednesday, May 13 at the Arundel Center in Annapolis

Individuals are given two minutes to speak. The best testimonial is simply from the heart. Parents whose children have already been accepted into the magnet should bring their acceptance letter with them.

Annapolis schools update

Today the Board of Education finalized its FY 2010 budget request and reaffirmed its significant commitment to the Annapolis-area school system. Despite the difficult budget climate, the Board approved all three Annapolis school construction projects: Germantown Elementary, Annapolis Elementary, and the Phoenix Center. It also approved the new funding needed to fully implement the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Program at Bates Middle School this Fall -- one of the very few funding enhancements in the FY 2010 budget.

These projects have passed a critical juncture in the budget process with today's vote. Now the budget process moves on to the County Executive followed by the County Council. The final outcome is by no means assured, but our success so far is a testament to the power of grassroots community support. Thank you to all of you who have made your voices heard. Let's keep it going as we aim for final budget approval in May.

The best laid plans...

Citizens of Anne Arundel County and the City of Annapolis have an opportunity right now to help shape development and land use for the next 10 years.

Both the County and City are in the process of updating their long-range development plans. Once finalized, these two documents will serve as blueprints for everything from zoning and development to housing and economic development to transportation and environmental protection. Several key dates and opportunities for input are coming up soon.

Anne Arundel County's General Development Plan (GDP)

On January 20th, the County will release the draft GDP on its website. The County will then hold four public forums to present the plan and receive public input. All forums will run from 6 to 9 p.m. at the following locations:

• January 26th at Annapolis High School
• January 28th at Old Mill High School
• February 3rd at Southern High School
• February 5th at Meade High School

The County will also accept input in writing or by email through February 16th.

After this public outreach effort concludes, the County will revise the draft and present a final proposed plan to the County Council shortly thereafter. Once the County Council receives it, the Council will hold public hearings of its own. I and likely other council members intend to hold special public forums in our districts to highlight local changes and to receive constituent input.

Community forum this Sunday: Two local organizations -- The League of Women Voters of Anne Arundel County and Growth Action Network -- are sponsoring a special public program on the GDP. It is scheduled for this Sunday afternoon, January 11th at 1:30 p.m. at Woods Memorial Church in Severna Park. LWV member and Growth Action Network chair Ann Fligsten will chair a panel discussion that will include Al Johnston, longtime civic activist and member of the County's Special Advisory Committee for the GDP. For more information contact Ann.

City of Annapolis' Comprehensive Plan

The City has already posted the public draft of its Comprehensive Plan online. The City's Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive input on Thursday, February 5th at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 160 Duke of Gloucester Street.

The City will also accept comments in writing or by email through February 9th.

I encourage all citizens to make the most of this opportunity to be heard and to shape the future of our city and county.

Arts Magnet Program at Bates update

This post is to encourage parents who support the Performing and Visual Arts Magnet Program at Bates Middle School to mobilize in support of it at the Board of Education's budget hearings in January.

Last Wednesday, Schools Superintendent Kevin Maxwell presented his proposed FY2010 operating budget to the school board. It is a bare-bones budget with very few enhancements, a reflection of our dismal government revenue outlook. The wonderful point for local families is that one of the few proposed enhancements is funding for the continued implementation of the Arts Magnet Program at Bates next year. Many families have already been making plans for their kids based on the expectation that the Arts Magnet will be fully implemented. It is critical for it to stay on track.

(In fact, support is not just local - parents all over the county are hoping to send their kids to Bates for the magnet program. The strong countywide interest is prompting school officials to consider moving up the opening of another arts magnet program in the northern part of the county.)

Dr. Maxwell's proposed funding is the first step; the next step is for the Board of Education to support it. Not everyone in the county shares our local enthusiasm for the Arts Magnet, and it is an easy target for anyone looking for a program to cut. Supporters need to demonstrate the community's strong backing for this program and to reinforce that Dr. Maxwell made the right decision for our kids.

Two budget hearings are scheduled: one is on Tuesday, January 13th in Glen Burnie, the other is on Thursday, January 15th at the Board of Education on Riva Road. Both public hearings start at 7:00 p.m.

On the web:

• The Sun: Arundel officials agree on school budget goals (Dec. 19, 2008)
  

Two upcoming transportation events

1. Public hearing on proposed elimination of 921 Commuter Bus Route

Recently the Maryland Mass Transit Administration (MTA) announced plans to eliminate several commuter bus routes and MARC train routes as a result of $25 million in budget cuts. One of the routes on the chopping block is the 921 bus route from Annapolis to the New Carrollton Metro Station near Washington, D.C.

Tomorrow, Thursday November 20th, the MTA will hold a public hearing to receive input on the proposed cuts. The hearing will be from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m., and again from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the gymnasium of the Stanton Center at 92 W. Washington Street in Annapolis. Comments may also be sent by email to commuterbus@mtamaryland.com until December 26th.

Elimination of the 921 route is ill-advised for a number of reasons. It is important that people who care about this route speak out. Even if one is not a rider of the 921 route, it benefits us all. Transit is a major part of the solution to avoid increasing gridlock in the future. Even though our national economic crisis may defer plans to expand transit, we need to hold the line and protect our current level of service.

Below is the text of a letter I sent last month to MTA Administrator Paul Wiedefeld shortly after the proposed cuts were announced.

October 21, 2008

Mr. Paul Wiedefeld
MTA Administrator
Maryland Transit Administration
6 Saint Paul Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Re: Proposed cut to MTA 921 Commuter Bus Route

Dear Mr. Wiedefeld:

This letter is to respectfully urge you to withdraw the proposed elimination of the 921 Commuter Bus Route from Annapolis to New Carrollton. Cutting this service now will only put more cars on an already congested Route 50, and will increase household expenses for hundreds of working families already struggling to make ends meet.

The 921 is a mainstay for Annapolis-area commuters and has been for years. As you know, an estimated 42,000 riders rode the bus last year. Ridership has been increasing, fueled in part by the recent rise in gasoline prices. To accommodate this demand, the state has recently been enhancing – not scaling back – its Washington commuter bus service.

Unlike the other two Annapolis to Washington commuter routes (the 922 and the 950), the 921 serves a unique role. As the only commuter route that terminates at the New Carrollton Metrorail Station, it provides a vital service for the unanticipated trip. If a commuter is running late or needs to leave early to pick up a child from school, the 921 enables them to do so. The 921 also is the most efficient of the three routes because it fully empties at New Carrollton. By contrast, the 922 and 950 have multiple stops in D.C. and therefore transport fewer and fewer riders after passengers disembark at each stop.

Commuters to Baltimore are already dealing with the previous administration’s elimination of the 210 route. The last thing we need is to cut back on our Washington D.C. bus service as well. As you seek ways to absorb the state budget cuts, I respectfully urge you to protect the 921 Commuter Bus Route. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Joshua J. Cohen
Councilmember, District Six

2. Panel discussion on transportation

ARTMA, the Annapolis Regional Transportation Management Association, will be holding its annual meeting the week after Thanksgiving. I will be one of the panelists for a discussion about applying smart growth principles to a coordinated, multi-modal transportation system to improve mobility and reduce congestion.

The annual meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 4th from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Annapolis. For more information or to register, visit www.artma.org and click on Programs.