MCCPTA Supports Executive’s FY15 Capital Budget

The Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (MCCPTA) released the following statement Jan. 23 in support of County Executive Isiah Leggett’s recommended FY 2015-2020 Capital Improvements Program (CIP).

The recommended $1.7 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Capital Budget and  FY 2015-2020 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) unveiled by Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett last week reflects MCCPTA capital improvement priorities and supports the recommendation made by the Montgomery County Board of Education (BOE). The County Executive’s recommendation includes a significant increase in the local contribution for school funding, $1.117 billion, an historic high.

• The County Executive included funding for critical capacity projects, including four new elementary schools, two new middle schools, eighteen elementary additions, two middle school additions, and two high school additions.
• The recommendation also recognizes MCCPTA’s prioritization of our backlog of revitalization/expansion–“rev/ex”–projects by supporting the BOE’s decision to keep the middle and high school rev/ex projects on their FY 2013-2018 schedule, an adjustment the BOE had made from the Superintendent’s initial recommended delay of those projects.
• The budget recommended by Mr. Leggett also meets the BOE request for countywide project funding–including roof replacement, security, indoor air quality improvements, planned life-cycle asset replacement, building modernization and program improvements, and fire safety–as well as a $37 million increase for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning mechanical system replacement; all MCCPTA priorities.

The approximately $24.2 million shortfall between the BOE request and the County Executive’s recommendation is in technology modernization; Mr. Leggett’s recommendation would maintain this funding at the FY 2013-2018 level of $130.2 million rather than the requested $154.4 million.

While $1.247 billion of the recommended budget would be funded by county revenues, a state contribution of $600-700 million will be required to make up the difference. MCCPTA is working closely with our delegation to the Maryland General Assembly to press for that additional funding; MCCPTA traveled to Annapolis on January 10, and is organizing hundreds of PTA members and MCPS students to rally in the state capital the evening of Thursday, February 13, Maryland PTA Night in Annapolis.

MCCPTA President Janette Gilman stated, “County Executive Leggett’s recommended budget addresses the urgency of building school capacity to accommodate the explosive, continuing growth of our student population.  The priority placed on school construction as county revenues rebound is very welcome. And MCCPTA recognizes that local funds alone cannot meet the building and maintenance needs we face today. Consequently, MCCPTA will work closely with the County Executive, County Council, and our delegation in the Maryland General Assembly to secure additional state funding to match the additional local contribution.

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