Wicomico Budget Vote Tuesday – Another Pig in a Poke

June 2, 2009 by Cato  
Filed under Education, Fiscal Policy, Maryland, Wicomico Politics

As the Wicomico County Council prepares to approve another budget, taxpayers will again be buying a pig in a poke.  No, this is not a criticism of the council, but concern that Wicomico elected officials will be appropriating most of the county’s tax dollars to a proverbial black hole – the Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE).

So far, the county government has no idea as to how tax dollars at WCBOE will be spent.  While I am sure that we would hear protestations from the likes of Supt. John Fredericksen and councilman Bill McCain, the facts are simple;  we don’t know how much the WCBOE’s employees will be paid next year.  Given that a disporportionate percentage of the BOE’s budget goes to salaries, how can we know how much the BOE is spending next year.  How can the county council or County Executive Rick Pollitt?

The answer is simple.  They can’t.  As county employees dodged the furlough bullet, expect to see WCBOE employees either receive raises, an increase in benefits through the now infamous “Rate Stabilization” slush fund, or both.

Expect Pollitt to continue to whine about the revenue cap.  Expect the teachers’ union (or probably all four WCBOE unions) to start organizing for the cap’s repeal.  Expect to hear that “It’s for the Children!“.

When bad teachers can be fired and the majority of BOE members start treating the taxpayer with something better than contempt, MAYBE it will be time to start having that discussion.  Of course, if the cap is ever repealed I’m sure Rick Pollitt has a huge wish list.