Archive for November 2011
29
“A REVIEW OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET CATEGORY 12″
Comments off · Posted by admin in Budget, Public Schools
On November 29, 2011, Montgomery County's Office of Legislative Oversight released report number 2012-2, which was a detailed look at Category 12 of the budget of the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
"The primary expenditures in Category 12 are funding for employee benefits such as reitrement, health insurance, and social secuirty…
"From FY03 to FY12, Category 12 expenditures increased by 101% while total MCPS operating expenditures increased by about 57% (from $1.29 billion to $2.03 billion) during the same period.
"As a result, Category 12 expenditures as a percent of total MCPS operating expenditures have increased from 18% in FY03 to 23% in FY12."
Read the full report.
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29
“Montgomery police referendum is no bargain”
Comments off · Posted by admin in Uncategorized
From the Washington Post of November 28, 2011:
“It’s critical to taxpayers, to public safety and to the health of the [Montgomery County Police] department that a sensible balance be restored to labor relations within the police force. That’s why Montgomery’s elected officials, from County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) on down, must actively campaign against the union’s attempt to resurrect an abused, abusive and lopsided bargaining regime. ”
Read the full story at the Washington Post.
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19
Questions and responses from Messrs. Gordon and Silverman
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At our meeting of October 20, 2011, our speakers were Steven Silverman, Director, Department of Economic Development, Montgomery County, and Gerald Gordon, President, Fairfax County (Virginia) Economic Development Authority.
Each speaker answered questions that were provided to them several days earlier by the League.
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18
Questions and Responses from Sen. Richard Madaleno
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At our meeting of September 22, 2011, our speaker was Maryland state Senator Richard Madaleno.
He answered questions that were provided to him several days earlier by the League.
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From the Washington Post of November 16, 2011:
“In the two decades ending last year, Fairfax [County, Virginia] added jobs almost four times faster than Montgomery did. Economic growth in Fairfax was 50 percent faster. While federal spending in the two counties (mostly government contracts) was roughly the same in 1990, it is now, at $33.5 billion annually, more than 60 percent higher in Fairfax than in Montgomery. And while average wages in the two counties used to be roughly comparable, they are now $15,000 higher in Fairfax, ”
Read the full story at the Washington Post.
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14
How Does Montgomery Compare to Surrounding Counties?
Comments off · Posted by admin in Uncategorized
Ever wonder how Montgomery County stacks up against other local jurisdictions in taxes and spending? MCTL member Gordon Brenne wondered about that too and has put together the following table to show how our county compares to Fairfax (VA), Howard and Prince Georges Counties.
One of several interesting facts to note is what we're getting for the $2.2 billion we pour into the public schools each year. We see that Fairfax has 20% (30,000) more students and 40% (4000) more teachers but at a per-pupil cost 8% lower than ours. How do they do it? Because they pay their teachers 14% less on average than in Montgomery. Do those lower salaries west of the Potomac result in an education inferior to what our students get? Well, the average SAT score for Montgomery is 1653 while in Fairfax it is 1664.
Draw your own conclusions. And read the editorial the Washington Post of November 16, 2011.
How Montgomery County Compares to Fairfax (VA), Howard and Prince Georges Counties:
|
Function |
Montg |
Fairfax |
Howard |
PG |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
General County |
$4.6Bil |
$6.1Bil |
$1.4Bil |
$3.2Bil |
FY12, All |
|
Population (000s) |
971 |
1,081 |
289 |
835 |
Year 2010 |
|
Median Household |
$89 |
$103 |
$101 |
$69 |
Year 2010 |
|
Assessed Real Property (billions) |
$167 |
$230 |
$49 |
$71 |
Residential (78%) & commercial FY2010 |
|
Job in county (000s) |
446 |
573 |
148 |
298 |
Bur. Of Labor Stats., 1Q 2011 |
|
Serious crime (000s) |
30.2 |
19.3 |
9.7 |
47 |
FBI top 7 crime incidents 2009 |
|
Teen pregnancy |
20 |
11 |
13 |
38 |
Per 100 females age 15-19 |
|
Commute time (mins.) |
33 |
31 |
33 |
36 |
|
|
Total government employees (000s) |
29.9 |
34.5 |
11.1 |
15.5 |
Full-time equivalents |
|
General overhead (mils.) |
$107 |
$73 |
$50 |
$105 |
Executive, legislative & back office |
|
Average taxes per resident (000s) |
$3.1 |
$2.9 |
$2.9 |
$1.7 |
Property, income, transfer, other |
|
Charges for government services (mils.) |
$319 |
$656 |
$111 |
$34 |
|
|
K-12 Education (mils.) |
$2,200 |
$2,200 |
$681 |
$1,600 |
FY2012 operating budget |
|
Students (000s) |
147 |
177 |
50 |
125 |
|
|
Average SAT score |
1653 |
1664 |
1639 |
1296 |
ACT test scores excluded |
|
Drop-out rate, grades 7-12 |
2.7% |
1.5% |
1.4% |
1.3% |
2010; Wash. Area Boards of Education |
|
Averqge cost per student (000s) |
$14.8 |
$12.6 |
$13.6 |
$12.8 |
Excludes capital costs |
|
Teachers (000s) |
10 |
14 |
4 |
9 |
Full-time equivalents |
|
Average salary (000s) |
$74 |
$64 |
$59 |
$49 |
15% productivity advantage? |
|
Non-teachers (000s) |
11 |
8 |
4 |
8 |
Includes para-educators, administrative staff |
|
Instruction cost share |
80% |
85% |
77-86% |
na |
FY 2012 budget |
|
General costs |
10% |
5% |
11% |
10% |
FY 2012 budget – leadership team, back office |
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13
“Montgomery’s big-box bill sends the wrong signal to retailers”
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From the Washington Post of November 13, 2011:
“For an array of reasons, Montgomery is rapidly developing a reputation as a poor place to do business, at an enormous cost to the county. In the decade ending in 2010, its job growth badly lagged Fairfax County’s, as well as the region’s.
"One reason the county has fallen behind is that it has sent hostile signals to business, developers and employers. ”
Read the full story at the Washington Post.
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From the Washington Examiner of November 10, 2011:
“Virginia consistently ranks higher than Maryland in surveys examining states' business friendliness. The commonwealth's corporate tax rate, at 6 percent, is 2.25 percentage points lower than Maryland's.
"An even larger gap exists between the states' personal income tax rates, with Maryland's rate approaching 10 percent when the local "piggyback" tax is included, compared with Virginia's top rate of 5.75 percent.”
Read the full story at the Washington Examiner.
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