School Funding and Employee Compensation Are Not The Problem

The County Council's Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) issued a report in December that purported to provide "options for long term fiscal balance". Yet of the more than 250 pages in the report, 240 pages are devoted to reducing employee salaries and benefits, and a mere 7 pages are devoted to revenue options.

There is no attention given to evaluating the effectiveness of the myriad of public services the county provides, no effort to reduce bureaucracy, nor any attempt to prioritize essential programs while eliminating non-essential programs.

There is no doubt that Montgomery County, like the state and the nation, faces another difficult budget year. Our schools face likely budget reductions not only in local funding, but in state and federal funding as well. Unfortunately, there are some voices which seek to paint the school system – and/or employee compensation - as the causes of the county’s budget problems. The facts do not support this.

MCEA has prepared a  Background Paper on School Funding & Employee Compensation in MCPS that provides detailed data that - we believe - refutes the assertions that school funding and/or employee compensation are the causes of the county's budget problems.

The District of Columbia Public Schools now pay higher teacher salaries than Montgomery County does. Most school districts in the area pay their school bus drivers more than MCPS does. As one County Council member is fond of saying, you're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts. Salaries in MCPS are not out-of-line.

It has become fashionable in some circles to scapegoat public employees. We believe that here in Montgomery County, residents understand the valuable contribution that local, state and federal public employees make to the well-being of our communities. We believe that public service is an honorable profession.

Montgomery County has been, and continues to be, the tenth wealthiest county in America. We are committed to maintaining a high quality public school system – staffed by the best educators - that continues to improve the quality of education for our children.

Over the last two years, MCPS employees have voluntarily sacrificed more than $200 million in negotiated salary increases. We have, and continue to be willing to do our part. However we do not believe that the county government can solve its budget problems through cuts alone.

We want our elected representatives to work together to find a fair and balanced budget solution.

Tom Israel
MCEA Executive Director