Maryland House members from Prince George’s County gave their support Friday to two bills that would give County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D) more discretion over how to pay for schools, a move officials said could offer some relief as local leaders confront a looming budget deficit this spring.
The decision comes after weeks of conversations among county leaders over whether to expand how Prince George’s uses money from local telecommunications and energy taxes to pay for schools. The taxes currently can be spent on school operating expenditures and other categories such as instructional salaries and special education.
Alsobrooks asked state lawmakers for more flexibility to help cover rising costs fueled by the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a law that calls for increased spending for schools from the state and counties, and to help the county close a $171 million deficit.
Alsobrooks sent a letter to the county’s House delegation Thursday warning of the consequences of not passing both bills, saying it could require additional cuts to services. She also said the delays in voting on the bills have placed county officials in “jeopardy” of not meeting their legally mandated March 15 deadline to submit a budget to the county council.
