BUDGET NUMBERS

DON'T ADD UP

The FY2011 budget released by Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett this week cannot realistically close the $800+ million shortfall.

First of all, like Gov. Martin O'Malley's state budget, it assumes funds that are not certain to be available. Specifically, it relies on the dangerous Ambulance Fee, which will only pass the county council if its members plan on not running for reelection.

Second, it relies on an energy tax increase that will cost much more than $3 a month for the average Montgomery County homeowner. This would require Ike Leggett to break his promise to not raise taxes this year, and for the council to pass a flat, regressive tax increase on the poor.

Third, the budget (as predicted) cuts in all the wrong places. It eliminates police officers in schools at a time when many schools are facing serious gang problems. It reduces funding for transportation and eliminates Ride On routes, two core government services.

Fourth, the claim of eliminating full-time positions is a false one. The Washington Post's Michael Laris credited Ike Leggett for terminating hundreds of employees over the last few years. That is simply not true. The county itself has stated that almost every one of those jobs was an unfilled position. 0 - 0 = 0. (At least it did when I was in school). This week's claim of new "axings" is mostly false, as well. County officials have promised to move almost every one of these employees into "other positions." These "other positions," of course, draw salaries, benefits, and pensions. Hence, there are no budgetary savings realized by these "firings." It is just a PR stunt, and with reporters willing to boost these stunts, it's hard to get the facts out. That's why you're reading this blog, to get the information you cannot get from the local media.

Finally, the budget makes plain that these are the first executive and council in the history of Montgomery County to seek less money for schools, eliminating $173 million while ensuring less education funds in the future, and larger class sizes.

Meanwhile, Health and Human Services emerges intact, and we had plenty of cash on hand to buy the Webb Tract in Montgomery Village to benefit developers at Shady Grove - Hmm. Does that kind of sound like what I predicted in previous blog entries? Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it does.

Again, these councilmembers and their dear friends in the media will tell you they are the experts. They have the birthright, divine right, and only right to public office in Montgomery County.

So how do they explain an $800 million deficit?

How do they explain a tax increase when high county and state taxes plainly have caused tax revenues to tank over the last 3 years?

How do they explain their budget decisions when we have a structural deficit forecast for the next several years, with tax revenues never catching up to spending?

How do they explain giving over $400,000 to a non-profit already under FBI investigation(!) for being unable to account for $900,000 in taxpayer funds?

How do they explain cutting core government services like mass transit, education, police, and more, while retaining massive funds for purely politically-motivated budget spending?

How do they explain their beyond-belief spending, when a true budget expert would have known our current crisis was inevitable?

Don't say there's a national economic crisis!

Because Montgomery County's busted budget shortfall is several times that of the next-worst county's shortfall.

If it was the economy, every county would be in the same boat.

This one's called the Titanic.