Montgomery County Public Schools officials must furlough employees or risk having their budget cut by the County Council, Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg said Thursday. Currently, the school system is the only county agency to spurn furloughs for its employees; however, its employees make up about two-thirds of all county workers. If MCPS furloughed all its employees for five days, it would save $33.7 million, according to data from council Staff Director Stephen B. Farber.
The school system's budget is $2.2 billion in fiscal 2010. "MCPS doesn't really want to play," said Trachtenberg (D-At-large) of North Bethesda. "We can't force the school system to apply a furlough plan. Obviously, we can reduce what we give to them in the way of funding, hoping they'll use furloughs as a way to realize savings."
The furlough issue was discussed Thursday at a meeting of the council's Management and Fiscal Policy Committee, which Trachtenberg chairs. Under Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett's proposed $4.3 billion budget, most county employees face 10 days of furloughs — saving $15 million. If all county employees were included, the same amount could be saved in 1.5 days. Montgomery County Public Schools officials must furlough employees or risk having their budget cut by the County Council, Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg said Thursday. Currently, the school system is the only county agency to spurn furloughs for its employees; however, its employees make up about two-thirds of all county workers.
If MCPS furloughed all its employees for five days, it would save $33.7 million, according to data from council Staff Director Stephen B. Farber.
The school system's budget is $2.2 billion in fiscal 2010.
"MCPS doesn't really want to play," said Trachtenberg (D-At-large) of North Bethesda. "We can't force the school system to apply a furlough plan. Obviously, we can reduce what we give to them in the way of funding, hoping they'll use furloughs as a way to realize savings."
The furlough issue was discussed Thursday at a meeting of the council's Management and Fiscal Policy Committee, which Trachtenberg chairs. Under Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett's proposed $4.3 billion budget, most county employees face 10 days of furloughs — saving $15 million.If all county employees were included, the same amount could be saved in 1.5 days.
Both Montgomery College and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission are developing furlough plans, Trachtenberg said. The council is considering alternative furlough plans, including those that would require unpaid leave for school system employees. However, the decision to furlough MCPS employees is up to the county school board, which has resisted the idea. SOURCE: Gazette
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