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543. GOOD EVENING CHAIR CALLS OR PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 23-0, 14 AND RESOLUTION 24 23. UM THANK
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YOU ALL FOR COMING THIS EVENING . I SEE SOME NEW FACES OF SOME UNFAMILIAR FACES. I HAVE SOME BUSINESS THAT I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY FIRST TO BEAR WITH ME . THE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS TO HEAR COMMENTS CONCERNING BILL NUMBER 23-0 14, WHICH IS THE PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET APPROPRIATION ORDERS FOR HARFORD COUNTY. FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE. 30TH 2024 ALSO RESOLUTIONS THAT 0 24-23 REGARDING THE INTENT OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER A TAX RATE IN EXCESS OF THE CONSTANT YIELD TAX RATE, AS ESTABLISHED BY THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENTS AND TAXATION IN BOTH THE INCORPORATED MUNICIPALITIES AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY. AND RESOLUTIONS HERE, 25-23, WHICH IS THE CAPITAL PROGRAM FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDING JUNE 30TH 2024 THROUGH JUNE 30TH 2029. THE COUNCIL ALSO ACCEPTS AND WE'LL CONSIDER WRITTEN TESTIMONY SUBMITTED IN ADDITION TO OR IN LIEU OF VERBAL TESTIMONY. THE FINAL TAX RATE WILL BE ADOPTED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON TUESDAY, JUNE 13TH 2023 AT 7 30 PM TO BE HELD IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 2 12 SOUTH BOND STREET IN BEL AIR. AND THEN JUST AS A FRIENDLY REMINDER TO EVERYONE, FOR THOSE OF YOU. THAT MAY HAVE NOT BEEN HERE BEFORE. WE TRY TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN DECORUM IN THE EAST CHAMBERS. WE WANT YOU ALL TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER. WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT BUSINESS. LISTEN TO CONCERNS AND COMMENTS TO FOR CITIZENS. THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW VENUES THAT YOU CAN COME TO IN A COUNCIL ARE IN THE COUNTY AND BE ABLE TO SPEAK YOUR MIND. BUT I'M PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE OF EACH OTHER CONSIDERATE OF ALL INVOLVED AND WITH THAT MISS DIXON. HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE[2. PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS]
HAVE? WE HAVE 38 THIS EVENING, MR PRESIDENT. WITH 38 SPEAKERS WILL MAINTAIN A THREE MINUTE PER SPEAKER AND WHENEVER YOU'RE READY TO CALL YOUR FIRST SPEAKER OFFERED SMITH BY CAROL PIPO AND NATHAN BECK. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. THE PROPERTY 25. DO YOU HEAR? OLOGY EDUCATOR.STARTED TIME EVER. YES. IS THAT BETTER? CAN YOU HEAR ME? ALL RIGHT. SORRY MY NAME IS CHRISTY CRAWFORD SMITH. AND I'M A 22 YEAR CAREER IN TECHNOLOGY EDUCATOR WHO WAS PROUDLY SERVING AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THOUGH, I'M THE PARENT OF THREE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. IN HIS FIRST BUDGET CYCLE. OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS MADE A VERY BOLD STATEMENT THAT HE DOES NOT VALUE PUBLIC EDUCATION. NOW YOU'RE THE ONE FROM THE UNFORTUNATE POSITION TO BE ON THE RECEIVING END OF COMMUNITY OUTCRY. I DO NOT ENVY YOU. I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU VALUE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. OUR STUDENTS ARE THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTY. THE OUR FUTURE.
LIBRARIANS ARE FUTURE EDUCATORS , OUR FUTURE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS AND EVEN OUR FUTURE ELECTED OFFICIALS. YET TIME AND TIME AGAIN. HARFORD COUNTY IS AMONG THE LOWEST IN PER PUPIL FUNDING IN THE STATE, SAYING THIS FOR OVER A DECADE. IN THE MIDST OF A NATIONWIDE EDUCATOR SHORTAGE PERSPECTIVE AND YOUNG EDUCATORS ARE WATCHING WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? THEY HAVE PLENTY OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, AS IF THE VITRIOL FROM ALLOWED MINORITY OF THE COMMUNITY ISN'T ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM QUESTION THEIR DECISION TO WORK IN HARFORD COUNTY. WHY WOULD THEY WANT TO WORK FOR A COUNTY THAT DOESN'T FUND AT A LEVEL THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT THEY VALUE EDUCATORS VALUE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND RESPECT THEM AS IN AS PROFESSIONALS? OUR STRONG PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM KEEPS PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY WE CHOOSE TO LIVE HERE. MANY OF US LIKE ME GREW UP HERE. I AM URGING YOU TO REJECT THE CURRENT BUDGET PROPOSAL AND TELL MR CASTELLI TO AMEND HIS BUDGET. WE CANNOT DO MORE WITH LESS AND MR CASTILE'S BARE MINIMUM BUDGET. IS PROVIDING OUR EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS WITH LESS DO NOT GET CAUGHT UP IN THE NONSENSICAL STATEMENTS THAT HTTPS IS RECEIVING STATE MORE STATE MONEY. THEREFORE THE COUNTY DOESN'T NEED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. MR CASTELLI IS WELL AWARE THAT
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INCREASED FUNDING FROM THE STATE IS MOSTLY TIED TO BLUEPRINT FROM MARYLAND'S FUTURE. THAT'S THE LEGISLATION THAT HE VOTED AGAINST TIME AND TIME AGAIN WHILE HE WAS A STATE SENATOR.HARFORD COUNTY IS NOT BROKE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN THE FIVE MONTHS THAT MR CASTLE HAS BEEN IN OFFICE, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS ADDED MORE THAN 60 NEW POSITIONS AND INCREASE THE ANNUAL SALARY TOTAL BY MORE THAN $4 MILLION. THAT INFORMATION CAME FROM AN MP REQUESTED I SUBMITTED NOW WHAT A BROKE COUNTY DO THAT. EVEN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION IS QUESTIONING THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS FOR FY 24 MISTER GLASS MONS ASSERTION THAT REVENUE IS BEING INACCURATELY CAPTURED. IS SUPPORTED BY BOND AND CREDIT RATING AGENCIES SUCH AS FITCH READINGS WHO HAS CONFIDENCE, THE STATED THEY HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE ECONOMY HERE AND HIGHLIGHTS OUR GROWTH THAT IT IS EXCEEDED INFLATION IN THEIR FEBRUARY 2023 REPORT. I URGE YOU TO SEND MR CASTELLI AND HIS TEAM BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD TO PRODUCE A BUDGET THAT ACTUALLY MEETS THE NEEDS OF THIS COUNTY. IT'S 2023 NOT 1983. PLEASE DO NOT FORGET. WE DO NOT HAVE BARE MINIMUM STUDENTS. WE DO NOT HAVE BARE MINIMUM EDUCATORS. WE DON'T LIVE IN A BARE MINIMUM COMMUNITY, SO WE DESERVE BETTER THAN A BARE MINIMUM BUDGET. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MA'AM. LET ME DO A LITTLE MORE EXPLANATION HERE. THERE WILL BE NO APPLAUDING, NO OUTBURST AND NO WARNING. THIS IS IT. WE TRIED TO MOVE THIS MEETING ALONE. AND IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, I'LL START ASKING PEOPLE TO LEAVE. AND IF NEED BE WILL DUMP THE ENTIRE CHAMBERS AND PEOPLE WHO WAIT OUTSIDE TO SPEAK. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. MY NAME IS CAROL CAPEL. I LIVE AT 17 04 COUNTER PLACED IN FOREST HILL. UM FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE OUR LAST COUNTY EXECUTIVE, I THINK HE HE FUNDED THINGS HE SHOULDN'T HAVE FUNDED IN ORDER TO FOR POLITICAL GAIN, AND I AM SO RELIEVED THAT WE FINALLY HAVE A COUNTY EXECUTIVE . THAT'S GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE . I THINK HE'S GOT A GREAT BUDGET. I THINK THINGS ARE GONNA BE FUNDED THAT NEED TO BE FUNDED AS WE KNOW WE CAN AFFORD THEM, AND I APPLAUD HIM FOR BEING THE ADULT IN THE ROOM. SPEAKER. NATHAN BECK, FOLLOWED BY DANIELLE BED SAW. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS. PLEASE I AM NATHAN BEC. I LIVE AT 68 NORTH FOREST DRIVE IN FOREST HILL. I ORIGINALLY SIGNED UP TO BE IN SUPPORT OF THE BUDGET, BUT SINCE THEN, WHICH WAS SEVERAL DAYS AGO I HAVE SEEN THAT QUITE A FEW THINGS THAT I'M NOT SURE I AGREE WITH QUITE AS MUCH. THE BUDGET CUTS THAT WERE PROPOSED WHERE MUCH LARGER THAN WHAT I INITIALLY THOUGHT THEY WERE TO BE. ALONG WITH THAT. I DO YOU STILL BELIEVE? THE POLICE DON'T NEED A NEW FACILITY. AT THE CURRENT MOMENT. BUT THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE THE IMMENSE SCALE, THE CUT PROPOSED FOR THEM. I HAVE MY. I KNOW THAT MONEY CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. I AM AT NOW, FIVE MONTHS AN ESTIMATOR WITH MY COMPANY. AND IT CAN BE A DIFFICULT TRYING TO MANAGE MONEY. ESPECIALLY AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL. I DON'T HAVE THAT ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT. THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM NAME AND ADDRESS. DANIELLE BED STOLE 10 15 YOUNG AVENUE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DANIEL BED CELL, AND I'M A CITIZEN OF HARTFORD COUNTY EMPLOYEE OF HCPS, AND MY MOST IMPORTANT ROLE IS MOM. I HAVE THREE STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF CATS FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF HARTFORD COUNTY, ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL AND SUPERVISORY PROFESSIONALS. THIS ASSOCIATION CONSISTS OF SUPERVISORS, ASSISTANT SUPERVISORS, MANAGERS, NURSES, COORDINATORS, PLANNERS, SPECIALIST PLANT CHIEFS, PROGRAMMERS, ANALYST TEAM LEADERS AND MORE LET ME FIRST START BY SAYING THAT WE THINK THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS PUT YOU IN A HORRIBLE POSITION.
ESSENTIALLY HE'S ASKING YOU TO AGREE THAT HCPS AND THE STUDENTS DESERVE TO BE FUNDED AT THE LOWEST LEGAL LIMIT. AND HE'S ASKING YOU TO AGREE THAT YOU THINK THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DESERVES LESS THAN THEY RECEIVED LAST YEAR, AND HE'S ALSO ASKING YOU TO AGREE. THREE 24TH LAST IN THE STATE FOR PUPIL FUNDING. WHO'S ASKING YOU TO IGNORE OUR LEGAL MANDATE FOR THE BLUEPRINT. SO FOR THAT WE'RE SORRY THAT YOU WERE PUT IN THIS POSITION, BUT WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS HOW IMPORTANT THE FUNDING IS TO HCPS IN THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE AN AMAZING COUNTY AND WE NEED KEEP IT THAT WAY. WE WANT HARFORD COUNTY TO BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE AND WORK AND WE SHOULD INVEST IN OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION OVER THE PAST FEW
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YEARS UNDER THE GREAT LEADERSHIP OF SUPERINTENDENT DR SHAVELSON HCPS HAS STRENGTHENED TIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WITH HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND MANY OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. EVERYTHING IN THIS COUNTY IS CONNECTED. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A COUNTY EXECUTIVE THAT WANTS TO PIT ONE AGENCY AGAINST THE OTHER. WE'RE ALWAYS STRONGER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE TOGETHER. JUST THIS WEEK, MR CASTLE. WE SPOKE ABOUT THE NON FEEDBACK ABOUT THE COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK ON THE BUDGET DON'T FAZE HIM BECAUSE HE'S BEEN ON BATTLEFIELDS BEFORE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE UNIONS ARE ATTACKING HIM. TO BE CLEAR. WE'RE NOT ATTACKING. WE ARE ADVOCATING. FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND FOR OUR STAFF, MAYBE A MILITARY ANALOGY WOULD HELP OUR FRONT LINES ARE CLASSROOMS AND OUR TEACHERS ARE OUR TROOPS ON THE FRONT LINES, FIGHTING TO GIVE OUR STUDENTS THE BEST EDUCATION AND THE SUPPORTS POSSIBLE. AND JUST LIKE IN THE MILITARY. WE DON'T LEAVE OUR TROOPS TO FIGHT ON THEIR OWN WITH BARE MINIMUM SUPPORT. OUR MILITARY HAS TRAINED. THEY HAVE STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT, TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY OFTEN PROVIDED BY OUR OWN A P. G COUNTY. THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT HELP SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THAT SUPPORT RANGES FROM BUS DRIVERS , BUS ATTENDANTS, MECHANICS, FACILITIES, WORKERS, FOOD NUTRITION WORKERS, CUSTODIANS, TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST HUMAN RESOURCE STAFF COORDINATORS. SUPERVISORS DIRECTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL NURSES, PEOPLE, PERSONNEL WORKER INCLUSION, HELPERS, PAIR, EDUCATORS, COUNSELORS AND SO MUCH MORE. OUR CENTRAL OFFICE FOR THE CAPTAINS IN GENERALS OR LIEUTENANTS DIRECTLY SUPPORTING THE FRONTLINE CLASSROOM TEACHERS. THE BLUEPRINT AND THE MANDATES ARE REQUIRED BY LAW. HCPSS SUPPORT STAFF IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE MANDATES ARE MET.AND SO OUR TEACHERS CAN FOCUS ON OUR STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM. THE TEACHERS CAN'T GET ADEQUATELY PAID UNLESS WE MEET OUR BLUEPRINT MANDATE AND WE NEED HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS TO GIVE THEM A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION. IN CLOSING. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY. WE NEED YOU TO LET THE STUDENTS AND STAFF OF HCPS KNOW THAT YOU VALUE THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. FILM ITINERARY, FOLLOWED BY LARGE CHILD AND CAITLIN HIM, LEE. MR MONTANARI, I DON'T I DON'T SEE HIM IN HERE. WHO'S AFTER HIM. LAURA CHILD. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. LARGE CHILD'S 12 19. COYOTE COURT. ABINGDON, MARYLAND. I'M COMING TO YOU TODAY IS A TEACHER OF 18 YEARS ALL AT HARVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ALL PROUDLY SERVED AT EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M ASKING YOU TO NOT ONLY RECONSIDER THE FLAT FUNDING OF OUR SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE THAT YOU FULLY FUND THE PROPOSED BUDGET BY HTTPS. MR CASTELLI RAN UNDER THE PLATFORM THAT HE WAS PUTTING EDUCATION AT THE TOP PRIORITY OF HARVARD COUNTY. HOWEVER THE RELEASE OF HIS FIRST BUDGET MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT EDUCATION IN HARFORD COUNTY. MR CASTELLI ARGUED THAT IT WAS HIS MORAL OBLIGATION TO KEEP A CONSERVATIVE BUDGET BUT RATHER CHOSE TO USE HTTPS AS HIS TICKET FOR POLITICAL GRANDSTANDING AND A CLASSLESS PROPAGANDA SMEAR CAMPAIGNS ON GOVERNMENT BASED WEBSITES. I STARTED TEACHING IN 2006 AT EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL IN 18 YEARS LATER, I AM STILL THERE. WHEN I TOLD PEOPLE I WORKED, I GOT GASPS AND INVENTED. INEVITABLY, THE QUESTION OF WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO TEACH THERE? IN MY TIME AT EDGEWOOD. I HAVE BEEN PUNCHED IN THE STOMACH WHILE PREGNANT. I HAVE HAD A DESK THROWN AT ME. I'VE HAD A CLAP MY CLASSROOM DOOR BROKEN. I'VE BEEN PEPPERED STRAIGHT BY STUDENTS ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. I WAS ACTUALLY ELECTROCUTED IN THE OLD BUILDING. AS MR GUNN, THREE KNOWS THE OLD BUILDING WAS A MIRACLE. IT WOULD RAIN INSIDE AND WHEN I WENT TO PLUG IN MY OVERHEAD PROJECTOR, I DIDN'T REALIZE THE WALLS WERE LEAKING. AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, THAT WAS MY FIRST EVER AMBULANCE RIDE. I HAVE TALKED A STUDENT LITERALLY OFF THE LEDGE OF OUR THIRD FLOOR STAIRWELL WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO JUMP TO HEART HIM HARM HIMSELF. I HAVE HAD THREE DIFFERENT PARENTS CALL ME TO TALK TO THEIR CHILD BECAUSE I WAS THE ONLY PERSON THAT THEY COULD LISTEN TO, AND THEY WERE AFRAID THEIR CHILDREN WERE GOING TO KILL THEMSELVES. ONE PARENT EVEN ASKED ME TO ADOPT HER CHILD BECAUSE SHE CAN NO LONGER CARE FOR HER. I HAVE SECRETLY BOUGHT LUNCHES FOR STUDENTS WHO COULDN'T INFORM THEM BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS NEVER SIGNED THEM UP FOR FARMERS BECAUSE THEY WERE LIVING OUT OF A CAR. BUT I'VE ALSO HELPED STUDENTS SUCCESSIVELY INTO NERVOUS, SUCCESSFULLY INTERVIEWED AT PRINCETON HOPKINS. HOWARD EMMETT , I'VE HELPED STUDENTS RAISE OVER $20,000 TO BUILD SHELTERS IN AFGHANISTAN FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES. I'VE SEEN THE PRIDE IN MY STUDENT'S EYES, WHO WAS THE AT A THIRD GRADE READING LEVEL IN MY 10TH GRADE CLASS FINISHES FIRST BOOK EVER. I HAVE ATTENDED EAGLE SCOUT CEREMONIES. FOOTBALL GAMES ARE CHOSE MUSICALS, CONCERTS, GRADUATION PARTIES AND NOW BECAUSE I'M OLD MARRIAGES AND BABY SHOWERS FROM 2006 TO 2008. I WAS PAID MY CONTRACTUAL SALARY THAN 2009 HIT, AND FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS, I WAS PAID A SECOND YEAR TEACHER SALARY DESPITE BEING A 3RD, 4/6 7TH, 8TH 9TH AND 10TH YEAR TEACHER.
ALL STEPS WERE SKIPPED UNDER THE DAVID CRAIG BUDGET. DURING THAT TIME I GOT MY MASTERS BECAME AP CERTIFIED, I'D BE CERTIFIED RECEIVED. MY NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION WAS NOMINATED FOR
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TEACHER OF THE YEAR BOTH TIMES MAKING IT TO TOP 10 1 TIME TOP FIVE. SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE MANGA PROGRAM. I RENEWED MY NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION. I RECEIVED MY ADMINISTRATOR. ONE CERTIFICATE MY MASTERS PLUS 30, MY MASTERS PLUS 60 AND I WAS NOMINATED FOR TEACHER OF THE YEAR TWO MORE TIMES SINCE THEN. AND ALL OF THOSE TIMES WAS BY MY STUDENTS, NOT ONCE BY PRINCIPAL COMMUNITY MEMBER OF FELLOW FELLOW TEACHERS ALL FIVE TIMES FOR BY MY STUDENTS. I BRING ALL THIS UP NOT TO BRAG, BUT AND I BRING ALL OF THIS UP BECAUSE I'M NOT SPECIAL, BUT RATHER I AM THE NORM OF HARVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS. I'M HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND TRAINED AND I'M DEDICATED TO SERVING OUR STUDENTS IN HARFORD COUNTY, AND MOREOVER, I'M DEDICATED TO MY KIDDOS AT E. H S. WHICH MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY DISMISS. I BRING ALL OF THIS UP BECAUSE HARFORD COUNTY HAS PAID FOR THESE TRAININGS FOR ME. THEY HAVE PAID FOR PART OF MY DEGREES AND MY CERTIFICATIONS AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE LIKE ME YOUR COMMENTS TO A CLOSE TRAINING LEAVE. THANK YOU. KATE HEMLINE, FOLLOWED BY CRYSTAL ROOF IN OCT. DANIELLE VENABLE, FOLLOWED BY CYNTHIA POPE, ER.GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. CRYSTAL ROOF, AND I THINK. CRYSTAL ROOF AND AT 700 HESTON COURT, BEL AIR MARYLAND. UM THANK YOU FOR HEARING US TONIGHT. I KNOW. MANY WILL COME TO SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT FACTS AND FIGURES. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN DEEP IN FACTS AND FIGURES.
SO, UM, I WANTED TO COME TONIGHT JUST TO TALK ABOUT MY STUDENTS. I'M AN EDUCATOR AND LIFELONG RESIDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY. UM, I ATTENDED HOMESTEAD. WAKEFIELD BOSTON. MIDDLE PFOSTEN. HI I HAVE A VERY SUPPORTIVE FAMILY AND I CHOOSE TO LIVE AND TO WORK HERE. MANY OF THE STUDENTS THAT I WORK WITH ON A DAILY BASIS, HAVE A DIFFERENT STORY THAN I DO. UM SO SOME OF MY STUDENTS TONIGHT MIGHT NOT KNOW WHETHER I'M SORRY. UM SOME OF MY STUDENTS TONIGHT MIGHT NOT KNOW WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL IS COMING FROM. UM WE HAVE SOME AND UNSTABLE LIVING SITUATIONS. WE HAVE FAMILIES WHO HAVE HAD NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES IN SCHOOL. UM AND STUDENTS WHO ARE, UM, AND FAMILIES WHO ARE IN A CYCLE OF GENERATIONAL POVERTY OR LIVE JUST ABOVE THE POVERTY LINE. IF THE CURRENT BUDGET CRISIS HAPPENS WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, UM MY PARENTS WOULD HAVE DONE WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO. THEY WOULD HAVE MOVED IN WITH MY GRANDPARENTS GOT ANOTHER JOB.
GOT ME TUTORING, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL. UM AS I TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD, I STILL WOULD HAVE KNOWN I COULD DO ANYTHING. I PUT MY MIND TO UM, AND WORKED HARD ENOUGH TO ACHIEVE THERE ARE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN OUR COUNTY WHO SHARE MY STORY.
UM AT THE END OF THE STORY OF THIS BUDGET CYCLE, THEY WILL BE OKAY. WHATEVER THE WHATEVER THE RESULT IS UM, HOWEVER, THE DEEP CUTS REFLECTED IN THIS BUDGET WILL MOST IMPACT THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY OF GREATEST NEED. EXECUTIVE CASSILLY HAS MADE VERY CLEAR HIS VALUES IN THE SHORT TIME THAT HE'S BEEN IN OFFICE. IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO CUT 39 MILLION MILLIONS MORE. CUT FROM THE CAPITAL FUNDING REQUEST, INCLUDING SOME LEGALLY MANDATED PROJECTS. I'M GOING ON A MEDIA PR CAMPAIGN AGAINST HTTPS, INCLUDING USING HARTFORD HARTFORD GOVERNMENT FACEBOOK PAGE POSTING A ROLLING VIDEO OF CENTRAL OFFICE SALARIES, WHILE HARTFORD GOVERNMENT HAS OVER TWO TIMES THE AMOUNT OF THOSE POSITIONS MAKING THOSE SALARIES. WE HEAR THAT THE BOARD OF ED REQUEST FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS WAS FULLY FUNDED. WHY AREN'T ALL OF THOSE FUNDS ABOVE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORTS BEING USED FOR SALARIES? HE NEGLECTS TO SHARE THAT FOR 11 YEARS, HTTPS CUT POSITIONS TO RECONCILE THOSE SPENDING SHORTFALLS, AND THOSE THREE YEARS HAVE ALLOWED HTTPS TO BEGIN TO RECOVER AND HONORING STEPS AND RAISES FOR OUR EDUCATORS. PUBLISHING INCORRECT INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE ON THE PAGE ALSO AND ASKING HTTPS TO DO WHAT HE SAYS SHOULD NOT BE DONE WITH A FUN BALANCE, ACCUSING THE TEACHERS UNION OF ATTACKING HIM AND BEING UNWILLING TO DISCUSS CONCERNS AND COMMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND IN A TEXT SENT FROM HIS CAMPAIGN. WELL, NOT RESPONDING TO THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS AND THE CONCERNS OF HCPS LEADERSHIP. I COME TO YOU TONIGHT BECAUSE WE CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOU. WE NEED YOU TO BE OUR MIDDLE. EXECUTIVE CASTLE. WE WILL NOT TALK TO US. HE DOES NOT CARE IF MY KIDS FAIL. HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE TRAJECTORY OF THEIR LIVES. THAT WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED. WE BELIEVE THAT YOU DO I SPEAK FOR A LOT OF EDUCATORS AND PLEASE BRING YOUR
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COMMENTS TO A CLUES. SO WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE VOTE NO. TO THIS BUDGET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. CYNTHIA POPE ER, FOLLOWED BY DAVID BAUER. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE PROPER 952 ANGEL VALLEY COURT. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL. UNFORTUNATELY YOU HAVE BECOME THE RECIPIENTS OF THE PUBLIC IRON OVER THE BUDGET FOR THAT. I AM TRULY SORRY. BECAUSE THIS DUMPSTER FIRE OF A BUDGET IS NOT OF YOUR DOING. BUT AGAIN, YOU ARE TAKING THE BLAME FOR THE ACTIONS OF ANOTHER. WELL YOU ARE PUTTING YOURSELVES OUT IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC. HE IS COWERING BEHIND THE SOUND BITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT ARE FULL OF MISINFORMATION AND MEANT ONLY TO FURTHER DIVIDE THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY. BUT HE DID NOT COUNT ON THE FACT THAT THERE'S ONE THING THAT BRINGS THIS COUNTY TOGETHER. OUR CHILDREN.THE BUDGET PROPOSED FOR 24 DOESN'T THE CHILDREN OF HARFORD COUNTY A GREAT DISSERVICE NOT ONLY HAS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CHOSEN TO BECOME BARE MINIMUM BOB FOR OUR SCHOOLS HE HAS ALSO CHOSEN TO UNDER FUND HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE PUBLIC LIBRARIES. PARKS AND REC, AS WELL AS OTHER PUBLIC SERVICES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT PROTECT AND SERVE OUR CITIZENS. WHAT BAFFLES ME IS THAT OTHER COUNTIES ARE NOT ESPOUSING THE GLOOM AND DOOM SCENARIOS REGARDING ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS THAT OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS ASKING US TO SWALLOW. THEIR FUNDING THEIR COMMUNITY COLLEGES, THEIR LIBRARIES, PARKS AND REC PROGRAMS. PLUS OH, BY THE WAY, THEY'RE FUNDING THEIR SCHOOLS. IN BALTIMORE COUNTY MERE MILES FROM HERE. SCHOOLS WILL RECEIVE $71 MILLION OVER MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT. EVEN OUR CONSERVATIVE NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH ONLY CUT THEIR SYSTEM BUDGET BY 3/4 OF 1. NOT THE 6% BARE MINIMUM, BOB CUT HCPS. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE MADE A LARGE POINT IN HIS VARIOUS BUDGET PROPAGANDA MESSAGES THAT HE FUNDED SIGNIFICANT PAY SCALE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO CONTINUE TO RECRUIT THE BEST CANDIDATES. WHILE WE ARE FACING A NATIONWIDE EDUCATOR SHORTAGE, HE IS ASKING HCPS TO PUT ASIDE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS DUE TO HIS BARE MINIMUM FUNDING. ARE WE NO LONGER INTERESTED IN RETAINING OUR BEST EDUCATORS AND RECRUITING THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR OUR SCHOOLS? APPARENTLY NOT. OTHER DISTRICTS ARE RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTRACTING AND RETAINING EDUCATORS. AND AGAIN, WE WILL SEE OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST HEAD FOR GREENER PASTURES AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES WHERE THEY WON'T HAVE 35 OR MORE STUDENTS IN A CLASS HAVE TIME TO WORK INDIVIDUALLY WITH STUDENTS THAT ARE STRUGGLING. AND THEY WILL HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO MAKE THEIR STUDENTS SUCCESSFUL. PLEASE REJECT THE PROPOSED ABOUT BUDGET AND DEMAND THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DO BETTER FOR THE CHILDREN OF HARFORD COUNTY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVID BAUER. 29 52 KIRK WILL COURT ABINGTON. I STRONGLY OPPOSED THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES BUDGET PROPOSAL. IT IS DEEPLY IRRESPONSIBLE. IT IS SELF INCONSISTENT, AND IT'S BASED ON ERRORS. IMAGINE THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAD COME TO YOU AND SAID THAT WE HAVE A SERIOUS STRUCTURAL DEFICIT. THAT IS AN UNSUSTAINABLE BURDEN ON A COUNTY. SO IT IS NECESSARY. TO SLOW THE PIECE OF CAPITAL PROJECTS. FLAT. FIND VITAL SERVICES, EVEN IN A TIME OF HIGH INFLATION AND CUT FUNDING FROM OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND ALSO HE WANTS TO CUT REVENUE BY $20 MILLION PER YEAR WITH A NEW TAX CUT. THE ONLY PART OF THAT I MADE UP WITH THE ADJECTIVE NEW WITH TAX CUT. IF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY WAS ANY SORT OF ACTUAL GOAL FOR THIS BUDGET. IT WOULD NOT BE RENEWING THE TAX CUT THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR LESS THAN A YEAR. COVER. LET HER . FOR THE BUDGET PROPOSAL HAS THE TERM FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY RIGHT THERE IN THE VERY FIRST SENTENCE. THE BUDGET ITSELF DEMONSTRATES THE OPPOSITE. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE EFFECTIVELY PREVENT EFFECTIVELY PRETENDS THAT INFLATION ONLY EXISTS IN AREAS HE WANTS TO FUND AND DOESN'T EXIST FOR THE OTHERS. THE COVER LETTER TALKS ABOUT THE UNFUNDED MANDATES FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM FROM THE BLUEPRINT. BUT THE BUDGET ITSELF DOES NOT FUND THEM. AND THEN WE GET TO THE OUTRIGHT ERRORS. THE COUNTY IS BUDGET BOOK CONTAINS WRONG NUMBERS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
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FUNDING FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. SO WHEN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS TALKED ABOUT $22 MILLION INCREASE, EVEN WITH HIS CUT SORRY. IT'S BARELY MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH DOESN'T COVER THE UNFUNDED MANDATES MENTIONED EARLIER. I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THIS IS HUGE. ALL OF THE ANALYSIS AND CHURCH THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION PROVIDED CONCERNING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BUDGET. RECYCLE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE WRONG. OF THE COMMENTS YOU'VE RECEIVED THAT SAY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BUDGET IS FULLY FUNDED. OR SITE THE $22 MILLION INCREASE. ARCHIVE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE WRONG. THERE IS A $21 MILLION GAP. BETWEEN WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION BELIEVED AND WHAT ACTUALLY IS. AND NOW I'M SORRY. THE JOB HAS BEEN LEFT TO YOU ALL TO FIX THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES MESS AT LEAST AS MUCH AS THE CHARTER AND STATE LAW. ALLOW YOU TO SORRY IS NOT ALL OF IT. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, SIR. BENJAMIN WHITE, FOLLOWED BY DELAINE LEWIS, FOLLOWED BY CRYSTAL O LEARY. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS BEN WHITE. 14 25 ALBERT COURT. THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT AND COUNTY COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK. YOU HAVE SOME SPOKEN A NUMBER OF TIMES. I ALWAYS FOUND YOU TO BE VERY REASONABLE PERSON. YOU'RE ONE OF FEW, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE A WE HAVE A FULL COUNTY COUNCIL. THANK YOU, JACOB. NICE TO SEE YOU HERE. ALRIGHT, UM I'M NOT GOING TO CITE ALL THE FACTS AND FIGURES THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DONE. IT'S JUST THAT, UM THEY MENTIONED THE OTHER OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE MENTIONED IN THE PAST. WE HAD THAT SEVEN YEAR DROUGHT. PERSONALLY REMEMBER WALKING THROUGH TARGETS AND REALIZING THAT I COULDN'T ACTUALLY BUY ANYTHING. I COULD PUT IT IN THE CAR, BUT THEN I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THE CARD. YOU KNOW, WHEN THE BILL CAME THAT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE. WE TIGHTEN OUR BELT, BUT NEVER ONCE DURING THAT ENTIRE THING DID WE ACTUALLY GO BACKWARDS? THIS IS A BACKWARD STEP. THIS IS UNTHINKABLE IN MY 28 YEARS. I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS GO BACKWARDS.THIS IS AN UNREASONABLE BUDGET. YOU ARE ALL REASONABLE PEOPLE FEEL ANYTHING. QUALMS ABOUT VOTING NO ON AN UNREASONABLE THING IF SOMEBODY ASKED YOU TO DO SOMETHING UNREASONABLE LEAP OUT INTO TRAFFIC. YOU WOULD SAY NO. THEY SAID, WHY DON'T YOU JUMP OFF THE BUILDING? BUT SAY NO, I'M NOT GOING TO THAT'S UNREASONABLE. THE BUDGET HERE IS UNREASONABLE. THE EFFECT THAT'S GOING TO HAVE ON STUDENTS LIKE THIS YOUNG MAN OVER HERE WHO WILL SPEAK IN A MOMENT. HE'S PREPARED SOMETHING VERY NICE FOR YOU. IS THAT IN MY SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE, I TEACH UPPER LEVEL SCIENCE CLASSES LIKE MICROBIOLOGY. IF THIS BUDGET IS PASSED WE WILL LOSE STAFF. MY STUDENT. THAT CLASS WILL NO LONGER BE OFFERED. TALKING ABOUT GOING FROM CLASS SIZES OF 30 35.
40 45, PERHAPS. WE WILL LOSE THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING KALBE. KID WHO WANTS TO BE AN ENGINEER. PERHAPS HE WANTS TO BE AN ASTRONAUT. SORRY, NOT IN HARFORD COUNTY. BECAUSE OF THIS BUDGET. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK IS THE EFFECT THAT'S GOING TO HAVE ON THE MIDDLE TEACHERS AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME LIKE ME. I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE . LET'S BE HONEST. WHAT YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO ME. I'M STICKING AROUND BECAUSE I'VE GOT NO PLACE ELSE TO GO. ANY HOBBIES. PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT I'M GONNA RETIRE. I HAVE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE FROM MY BAD DAD JOKES GREAT. WHAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE ROOKIES COMING IN. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE UNTIL THEY GET TENURE. IT'S THE 5 TO 10 YEAR, PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOSE. WE HAVE A BUDGET LIKE THIS. THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MOVE 20 MILES. WHAT IS IT THAT WAY? YEAH BALTIMORE RIGHT BECAUSE THEY JUST HAD A HUGE INCREASE. WHY WOULD THEY COME HERE AND DO THE SAME JOB FOR LESS MONEY? THAT'S NOT REASONABLE AND TEACHERS ARE VERY REASONABLE PEOPLE AND THEY CAN ADD SO I'M SUGGESTING THAT YOU DO THE REASONABLE THING AND THAT IS SEND THIS UNREASONABLE PACKAGE BACKWARDS STARTED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. D'ALENE, LEWIS , 27 14 PEMBERTON RIDGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'VE BEEN TRULY DISAPPOINTED AT THE POSTURING
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
AND I COMING TO UNDERSTAND THAT . HE CAN'T. WE CAN'T TRUST PEOPLE THAT ARE PUT IN POSITIONS. TELL HALF TRUTHS. AND THE MORE THAT I READ THE MORE HALF TRUTHS AND FINDING REALLY? JERSEY TO BE SPENDING THE TIME TO DO WHAT WE DO BEST, AND THAT'S ADVOCATE AND TEACH OUR STUDENTS ADVOCATE FOREIGN TEACHERS. I TEACH AT ALL POST ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS YOU KNOW, AND AS YOU DISCUSSED RECENTLY IN YOUR BUDGETARY HEARING, IT IS ONE OF THE OLDEST
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SCHOOLS IN HARFORD COUNTY. WE HAVE LEAKY ROOFS WERE CURRENTLY PAINTING THE DROP CEILINGS WHITE SO THAT YOU CAN NO LONGER SEE THE LEAKS THAT ARE THERE. THAT ARE CONSTANTLY COMING THROUGH OUR CEILINGS. AND DESPITE THAT WE SHOW UP AND WE DO IT THE BEST THAT WE CAN FOR OUR STUDENTS.EVERY DAY. WE HAVE, UH, THIS YEAR OF THEME, THE WISH. AND ON THE BACK OF MY T SHIRT ON THE BACK OF STAFF T SHIRTS THAT SAYS YOU'RE NEVER GIVEN A WISH. WITHOUT ALSO BEING GIVEN THE POWER TO MAKE IT COME TRUE. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN'S WISHES, HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THEIR FUTURE. HENDRA MY QUALITY OF THEIR EDUCATION. AND I'M WATCHING THAT SLOWLY SLIP AWAY. WE FIGHT AND WE FIGHT AND WE FIGHT FOR SCRAPS. AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND I KNOW THAT EACH ONE OF YOU HAS PUT IN AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT POSITION. IT'S YOU'RE NOT TURNING A BLIND EYE TO THIS BUDGET. AND I BEG OF YOU. TO VOTE. NO. I DO HAVE SOME FACTS AND FIGURES, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING FACTS AND FIGURES UNTIL THEY'VE COME OUT OF YOUR EARS AND LIKE I YOU I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE FACING ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES. FUNDING HCPS AT THE LEGAL MINIMUM. RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE 33. IN AN AVERAGE OF 33 STUDENTS IN HARFORD COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. WE HAVE THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTY, AND THAT COMES FROM M S D S BLUEPRINT. LARGER CLASS SIZES MEAN A REDUCTION IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. AND WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT COMMENTS TOO CLOSE. I LOVE THE COUNTY. IN WHICH I AM MY FAMILY HAVE LIVED UP LAST SENTENCE. CAN I FINISH? PLEASE? LESSON? TIME IS UP, MAN. THANK YOU. TINA GRAPH, FOLLOWED BY CHERYL ADAMS, FOLLOWED BY ROBERT TUCKER. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. TINA GRAPH. UM 17 32 BUCKS ROAD. I'M CURLING THE SCHOOL SAFETY LAYERS ON AT BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE I WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS, COUNSELORS AND OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY FIRST SOLELY IN YOUR HANDS. I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M HOPING YOU WILL SEE THE VALUE IN OUR EDUCATORS AND WANT TO INVEST IN OUR STUDENTS. DO YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT FUNDING OUR BUDGET? I INVITE YOU TO COME AND SPEND THE DAY WITH ME LIKE THEY SAY, WELCOME MILE IN MY SHOES OR YOU CAN TAKE THE 20,000 STEPS I TAKE DAILY. WALK INTO ONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS WITH 34 KIDS, SOME OF WHAT I E. P S AND NO SUPPORT STUFF. TAKE A PEEK INTO OUR COUNSELING OFFICE AND SEE THE AMOUNT OF KIDS LINED UP WAITING TO SEE ONE OF OUR THREE COUNCILORS FOR OUR 1000 STUDENTS , AND IF THEY'RE REALLY STRUGGLING, WE CAN STOP BY AND VISIT OUR ONE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST. WALK INTO ONE OF OUR LIFE, SCHOOLS, CLASSROOMS AND YOU'LL NOTICE WE'VE BEEN DOWN IN INCLUSION HELPER FOREVER. TWO YEARS. WHY MAYBE BECAUSE THE PAY IS LESS THAN WHAT YOU CAN MAKE AT MCDONALD'S. LISTEN AS THEIR SECRETARIES ANSWER THE PHONE TELLING ONE OF OUR STRIVE PARENTS THAT THEIR NONVERBAL ARTISTIC TYPE AUTISTIC CHILD WILL NOT HAVE A BUS AND THEY NEED TO PROVIDE THEIR OWN TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BUS DRIVERS OR EIGHT SOMETIMES THE STEPS I TAKE HER LAPS WITH KIDS THAT ARE HAVING PANIC ATTACKS. WALK WITH ME AND SEE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS TO HELP MONITOR OUR HALLWAYS AND BATHROOMS DURING CLASS CHANGES, AND I CAN'T BE IN 10 BATHROOMS AT ONCE. THEN LISTEN AS I AS I LISTEN IN AS A PARENT BLAMES THE SCHOOLS FOR THEIR CHILD GET GETTING CAUGHT IN THE BATHROOM. VAPING WERE GETTING HIGH, AND THEY ASKED WHY THE BATHROOMS AREN'T MONITORED. PASS ME THE TISSUES FOR THE STUDENTS THAT I SEE WITH FRESH CUTS THAT I ESCORT TO THE NURSE. REPORT SELF HARM PRAYING SHE GETS THE HELP THAT SHE NEEDS. THEN WATCHES. I BREAK DOWN IN MY OFFICE AND YOU CAN PASS THE TISSUES BACK TO ME. INTO THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES MEETING BEFORE SCHOOL AND JOINED THEM IN PRAYER AFTER SCHOOL. WE CAN THEN STOP BY THE GAY STRAIGHT ALLIANCE CLUB AND JOIN THEM IN A CRAFT. PERHAPS WITH YOUR GREAT KNOWLEDGE OF ACADEMICS. YOU COULD FIGURE OUT WHY OUR TEST SCORES ARE LOWER AFTER SUFFERING THE GREATEST PANDEMIC IN OUR LIFETIME. ONCE YOU'VE TAKEN ALL OF THIS IN CONSIDER HOW TO CREATE DECREASING OUR BUDGET WILL DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN HURT OUR COMMUNITY. PLEASE ADVOCATE FOR US AND REJECT THIS BUDGET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, MAN. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING.
CAROL ADAMS, 2025, COLGATE CIRCLE FOREST HILL. I THINK I INADVERTENTLY EMAILED ALL OF YOU WITH MY REQUEST TO SPEAK TONIGHT WITH ALL OF MY PERSONAL INFORMATION. FEEL FREE TO CALL ME BEFORE I REALIZED I HAD THE WRONG EMAIL ADDRESS, ANYHOW, UM , I MOVED TO HARFORD COUNTY OVER 25 YEARS AGO WHEN MY OLDEST CHILD WAS ENTERING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MY YOUNGEST CHILD JUST GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL TWO YEARS AGO. DO THE MATH AND, UM, IS GETTING READY TO GRADUATE FROM HTC AND TRANSFERRING TO YOU, NBC IN THE FALL. UM OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS, I WOULD SAY,
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I HAVE NOTICED, UM, THE SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS STARTING TO ERODE IN THIS COUNTY. I'VE SEEN TEACHERS ASKED TO DO MORE AND MORE WITH LESS AND LESS. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU WHY GOOD PUBLIC EDUCATION IS SO IMPORTANT. A POPULATION THAT IS BETTER EDUCATED, HAS LESS UNEMPLOYMENT, REDUCED DEPENDENCE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND GREATER TAX REVENUE.EDUCATION ALSO PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN THE REDUCTION OF CRIME, IMPROVED PUBLIC HEALTH AND GREATER POLITICAL AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. PUBLIC EDUCATION IS THE VERY FOUNDATION OF A HEALTHY SOCIETY AND AS SUCH NEEDS TO BE FULLY FUNDED. THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN IN A SAFE, HEALTHY , EQUITABLE ENVIRONMENT NEEDS TO BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. OUR CHILDREN ARE DEPENDING ON IT ARE TEACHERS ARE DEPENDING ON IT. AND OUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT. PLEASE FUND OUR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FULLY ANYTHING LESS IS BEING PHYSICALLY. FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. ROB TUCKER 1219 HOLES CHANCELLOR IN BELCAMP. LIKE SO MANY OTHER TEACHERS IN THIS COUNTY OF THE LAST MONTH, I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAMPAIGN TO IMPLORE OUR NEW COUNTY EXECUTIVE THAT HE HAD A DUTY TO THE CHILDREN OF THIS COUNTY. THAT DUTY IS FUNDING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE WROTE LETTERS SENT EMAILS ASKED OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO DO THE SAME. IMAGINE MY UTTER DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN THE BUDGET WAS RELEASED WITH THE BARE MINIMUM FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW, AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT CUTS TO LIBRARIES , PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. THANK GOODNESS YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T REALIZE OUR KIDS WERE BARE MINIMUM. FURTHERMORE I DIDN'T REALIZE OUR OUTDOOR SPACES LIKE CEDAR LANE AND SWAN CREEK WERE BARE MINIMUM. LOOKING OVER THIS BUDGET. IT'S OBVIOUS WHAT GOT US HERE, A SENSIBLE TAX CUTTING A YEAR OF WILDLY, UH SKYROCKETING PROPERTY VALUES. IT MADE SENSE THAT WE WOULD HAVE A YEAR OF REVENUE BUILDING IN AUSTERITY TO RIGHT. THE SHIP.
BUT THIS BUDGET CONTAINS NO SERIOUS PLANS FOR FUTURE REVENUE, AND IT LOOKS TO CONTAIN SOME DUBIOUS CLAIMS LIKE MILLIONS LESS IN REVENUE WITH THE SAME TAX RATE AND MORE TAXPAYERS. IF I WERE ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO ASK BOB CASSILLY, WHAT'S YOUR PLAN WHEN THINGS GET MORE EXPENSIVE NEXT YEAR? WHAT'S YOUR PLAN? WHEN YOU CAN'T HIDE YOUR LACK OF FORESIGHT IN A SCHOOL BUILDING THAT YOU SIMULTANEOUSLY UNDERFUNDED, THEN CRITICIZED OUT OF THE OTHER SIDE OF YOUR MOUTH BECAUSE THEY DARE TO ACTUALLY SERVE EVERYONE LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO. WHAT'S YOUR PLAN BOB AND ASK HIM WHEN PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO NOTICE THE COUNTY PARK TRASH CANS ARE OVERFLOWING BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN EMPTIED THAT WEEK WHEN FLYING POINT PARK SHUTS ITS GATE BEFORE SUNSET OR THE MANPAD TRAIL STAYS WASHED OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER AFTER A HARD RAIN BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T PROVIDED THE FUNDS TO MAINTAIN THEM. WHAT'S YOUR PLAN? BOB? WHEN A MAN OR WOMAN STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION HAS NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN, BUT BACK TO THE NEEDLE OR PILL, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THAT PERSON IS GONE.
IS THAT REALLY AN INVESTED IN IN PUBLIC SAFETY? WHEN YOU DON'T GIVE FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS THE OPTIONS TO SURVIVE IN ANY OTHER WAY THAN TO BREAK THE LAW? WHAT'S YOUR REAL PLAN? BOB FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. I WOULD EXPECT A MAN SO DEDICATED TO IT TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT HAS MULTIPLE FACETS OTHER THAN POLICING WHEN YOU CUT SERVICES, YOU MAKE ROOM FOR MORE CRIME. BUT THE FANTASTIC THING IS THAT YOUR BUDGET SCREWS. THE SHERIFF'S AS WELL. SORRY FOR MY LANGUAGE. IT SEEMS HIS MOTIVATIONS ARE PLAIN AND I'M NOT GOING TO MINCE WORDS . HERE WE COULD HAVE THE MOST PERFECT PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE NATION AND HE WOULD HAVE STILL FOUND AN EXCUSE TO DEFUND US BECAUSE MR CASTELLI APPEARS TO ALIGN WITH PUBLIC SCHOOL ABOLITIONISTS. HE APPEARS HE ABORTS THE IDEAS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HE HATES THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND HE SEEMS TO HATE THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED IN THIS COUNTY AND INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE SOCIAL SERVICE, WHICH INVITES UPWARD MOBILITY AND ENABLES ALL OF US TO MAKE SOMETHING OF OURSELVES IN THIS GREAT NATION. HE APPEARS TO HATE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PLAIN AND SIMPLE AND HIS ACTIONS IS EITHER COUNTY EXECUTIVE OR STATE LEGISLATOR HAD NEVER PROVED OTHERWISE. AND SO I POSITIVE YOU, MR PRESIDENT IN COUNTY COUNCIL THAT THIS BUDGET DOES NOT REPRESENT TEMPORARY AUSTERITY. NO IT IS A PERMANENT COMMITMENT TO A LESS CIVILIZED AND MORE DANGEROUS HARFORD COUNTY. AND IF YOU CAN'T FIX THE GLARING SCHOOL AND SERVICES PROBLEMS IN THE UPCOMING COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS, I URGE YOU TO RETURN TO SENDER AND VOTE THIS BUDGET DOWN. I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING INCENDIARY. THANK YOU. DAVID AIRING, FOLLOWED BY JACK MIKLOS, FOLLOWED BY KAREN WALLER. SURNAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. MY NAME IS DAVID. I RING 11 10. JANICE COURT. JOPPA, MARYLAND. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DAVID HIRING. EVERYONE CALLS ME D I'M A CURRENT GRADUATE STUDENT AT TOWSON UNIVERSITY, PURSUE MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN TEACHING SECONDARY ENGLISH. I LIVE IN JAPANESE CALLED HARPER COUNTY. MY HOME FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE, BUT I'VE NEVER STEPPED FOOT IN THIS BUILDING. I GRABBED HIM BY SCHOOL IN 2016 ATTENDED TWO YEARS. HARPER COMMUNITY COLLEGE GUY BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN THEATER FROM STEVENSON 21. MY DREAM FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS HAS TO BECOME A HARFORD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER. IT HAS BEEN MY ULTIMATE GOAL OF MY WAY TO GIVE BACK TO MY TEACHERS AT EDGEWOOD AND EVERY OTHER PROFESSOR ON MY
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EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY HAS GIVEN ME THE PERSON WHO SENT ME ON THIS PATH OVER THERE, ROB TUCKER. HE SHOWED ME HOW FUN REWARDING TEACHING CAN BE DEMONSTRATED. SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS CAN BE WHEN THEY HAVE A TEACHER WHO IS TRULY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE SUBJECT MATERIAL AND THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES. I WANTED TO BECOME JUST LIKE HIM. I FEEL I AM SO VERY CLOSE TO ACHIEVING THAT GOAL. HOWEVER THIS PROPOSED BUDGET HAS MADE ME FEEL GREAT SHAME IN MY COUNTY. THIS BUDGET CUT TELLS ME THAT BOB CASSILLY DOES NOT CARE FOR STUDENTS AS TEACHERS, STAFF AND STUDENTS. I ASK YOU THIS WHY WOULD I CHOOSE TO TEACH IN A COUNTY THAT TREATS THEM LIKE THIS? WHY WOULD I CHOOSE TO COME HERE WHEN I COULD GO TO BALTIMORE COUNTY AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE ME? IT'S THE IF IT'S MORE ALLURING, I WOULD GO THERE AND LEAVE MY HOME BEHIND ME. HARFORD COUNTY IS THE PRIORITIZE THE EDUCATION OF ITS STUDENTS AND THE SUPPORT OF ITS TEACHERS IF IT WANTS TO RETAIN AND ATTRACT US EDUCATORS. THAT'S WHERE YOU ALL COME IN. YOU YOU HAVE THE POWER TO NEGATE THIS BUDGET AND HELP US TO PROVIDE FOR OUR STUDENTS SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE GREATEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE ARE STUDENTS OF THE FUTURE. THEY DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS. THEY DESERVE TO THRIVE. DID YOU KNOW IT'S CURRENTLY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. AND I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T FEEL VERY APPRECIATED. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE TEACHERS IN HERE DO EITHER. SEE IF YOU LOOK AT MY SHIRT IT SAYS, TEACHING THE ONLY PROFESSION THAT TEACHES EVERY SINGLE OTHER PROFESSIONS.TEACHERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR SOCIETY. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EDUCATING PREPARING NEXT GENERATION OF WORKERS FOR OUR NATION. SO WHEN YOU TAKE FROM TEACHERS YOU TAKE FROM EVERYONE ELSE. THIS BUDGET WILL HAVE LASTING REPERCUSSIONS, AND THOSE PAYING THE ULTIMATE COST WILL BE OUR CHILDREN. IN CONCLUSION, THIS PROPOSED BUDGET SENDS A MESSAGE TO EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN IS NOT A PRIORITY, HARFORD COUNTY BUT OUR STUDENTS DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS. NOW.
AS WE CELEBRATE TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, I URGE YOU TO REMEMBER THE VALUE OF EDUCATION AND THE IMPORTANT ROLE TEACHERS PLAY IN OUR SOCIETY. LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. JACK NICKLAUS. I LIVE AT 31 OH, THREE MORNINGSIDE COURT.
UM I'M CURRENTLY A STUDENT. 738 STUDENT AT FOSTER MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND BY THE FUNDING THE SCHOOLS, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY KIDS ABILITIES TO GET QUALITY EDUCATION. THEY DESERVE. ALSO TAKING AWAY THE ABILITY TO LEARN WHAT THEY NEED TO GET A WELL PAYING JOB IN THE FUTURE.
FUNDING THE SCHOOLS ACROSS THE LEAD TO PAYING TEACHERS LESS KIDS DON'T ALWAYS MAKE TEACHERS JOB EASY, AND I KNOW I DON'T ALWAYS BEHAVE PERFECTLY IN CLASS. IT SEEMS LIKE THE LEAST WE COULD DO IS PAY THEM WELL. ALSO KEEPING THE SCHOOL VOTING ISN'T EASY WHEN THE BUILDINGS ARE ONE DOWN WITH CARDED HALLS IN LARGE CLASS SIZES. IT'S JUST HIS THIRD GRADE CLASSES. 30 KIDS IN IT. IT WAS AN AMAZING NEW SCHOOL AT LIKE BENEFIT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND WITH GREAT TEACHERS TRY TO IMAGINE BEING IN A ROOM WITH 38 YEAR OLDS THAT WAY, TOO MANY KIDS FINALLY IN MY FAMILY MOVED HERE BECAUSE OF THE GREAT SCHOOLS IN SCHOOL. START BEING GREAT. OTHER FAMILIES WON'T WANT TO MOVE HERE OVERALL, DEFINING THE SCHOOLS WON'T HELP ANYTHING. IT'LL JUST HURT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. MY NAME IS KAREN WALLER. I LIVE AT 2300 SHOWROOM COURT IN BEL AIR. UM SHE'LL BE GLAD TO KNOW I'M GOING TO SCRAP THE SPEECH BECAUSE EVERYBODY THAT SPOKE BEFORE ME HAS BEEN VERY ELOQUENT AND GIVING YOU ALL THE FACTS TO SKIP TO THE LAST PARAGRAPH, AND I STILL NEED MY PHONE FOR THAT. UM I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY WILL THRIVE IF EVERYONE RECEIVES A GREAT EDUCATION AND AFTER MORE THAN TWO YEARS OF DURESS DURING THIS PANDEMIC OUR KIDS AND OUR EDUCATORS NEED OUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. BENJAMIN HEUSER, FOLLOWED BY THOMAS PENNY PENNINGTON, FOLLOWED BY APRIL HAWTHORNE. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BENJAMIN HEUSER. RESULT OF 3412 WIDOWS. KAREN FALLSTON, MARYLAND. UM HERE TO DISCUSS. OBVIOUSLY THE BUDGET. AH SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW I'M VERY ACTIVE AS FAR AS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SPEAKING WITH THEM. THEY CURRENTLY HAVE $50 MILLION IN THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT. NO, IT WAS ONCE BROADCASTED THAT THOSE 90 AND THERE IS BUT 40 MILLION IS ALLOCATED. 50 MILLION IS NOT . NOW IF SUPERINTENDENT BALLSTON IF HE CLEARED THAT $50 MILLION OUT OF THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT. HE GAVE IT TO THE TEACHERS, THEN I WOULD COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND. WHY EVERYBODY WOULD WANT. TO GO AHEAD AND FUND HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS THE WAY THAT THE GREEN
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ASKED TO BE FUND, HOWEVER. $50 MILLION IN THE BANK IS PRETTY TOUGH TO ASK FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY. YOU GOTTA SPEND WHAT YOU HAVE. AT LEAST HAVE A ROAD MAP FOR IT. AND HE DOESN'T WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIS BUDGET. IT INCLUDES $8 MILLION FOR A ROOF ON HARFORD TECH. WHICH IS A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT, BY THE WAY. THERE'S NO COMPETITION. THERE'S NO MULTIPLE BIDS. THERE'S NOTHING IT'S A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT. $8 MILLION FOR ROOF THAT BLOWS MY MIND. ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I HAVE IS ACTUALLY WITH THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. THEY DO NEED THE FUNDING THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING, FOR. THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. EVEN IF YOU THINK ABOUT QUESTIONING YOU, YOU JUST SHOULD UM, ESPECIALLY WITH BODY CAMERAS THAT ARE COMING ON BOARD. NOW WE NEED MORE STATES ATTORNEYS. WE NEED THEM TO BE FULLY FUNDED AS WELL. AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BUDGET HAS BEEN, UH, PLACE BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY DOES NOT ADDRESS THOSE. IF YOU DO APPROVE THE, UM. BOB CASTILE'S BUDGET. YOU WOULD THEN BE UM, SHORTING THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND ALSO SHORTING THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. SO I AGREE WITH HIM AS FAR AS THIS FUNNY FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I DO NOT AGREE WITH HIM AS FAR AS FUNDING FOR HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. AND AS WELL AS THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND ALSO, LET'S NOT FORGET THAT DURING COVID. EVEN TONY G RECOMMENDED TO THE STATES. I MEAN TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT TO USE THAT COVID MONEY FOR AN H VAC UPGRADE. IT MADE SENSE. INSTEAD THEY BOUGHT OVERPRICED PLEXIGLASS. WHAT ARE THEY ASKING FOR NOW? H VAC UPGRADES. THIS COUNTY TIME AND TIME AGAIN HAS REQUESTED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO USE MONEY IN CERTAIN WAYS, AND HE HAS THEN SHUFFLE THE DECK. AND NOW HE'S BASICALLY GIVEN THE TEACHERS A SHAFT. SO LET'S NOT BLAME THIS WHOLE HEARTEDLY ON THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. THERE'S PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO AROUND. HOWEVER THERE'S STILL $50 MILLION THAT NEEDS TO GO SOMEWHERE. AND UNTIL THAT'S ACCOUNTED FOR, UNTIL THAT GOES INTO THE POCKETS OF THE TEACHERS. I DON'T THINK THIS DISCUSSION SHOULD EVEN GO ANY FURTHER. THANK YOU. THANKS, SIR. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS. PLEASE TOM, PITTING TONIGHT, AND I LIVE IN PADDINGTON COURT AND ADDINGTON. AND I AM A PRODUCT OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR WHAT THAT'S WORTH. AND I ACTUALLY WENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON ON WHAT WAS OAKINGTON AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS ALL POST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NOW, SO DATE ME A LITTLE BIT. BUT WITH THAT SAID, UM I SUPPORT THEM. KIND OF EXECUTIVE CASTILE'S, UH, BUDGET PROPOSAL, AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I STAND AGAINST THE TEACHERS BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.IT'S A WHEN I STARTED LOOKING AT SOME OF THE FIGURES IN THE BUDGET, I WAS KIND OF ASTOUNDED THAT ACCORDING TO WHAT I SAW IN THE PROPOSAL, 53% OF THE HARFORD COUNTY BUDGET. GOES TO EDUCATION. MORE THAN HALF. SECOND BIGGEST EXPENSE IS PUBLIC SAFETY AT 22. THAT IS A LARGE NUMBER. AND I AM NOT ADVOCATING . THE TEACHERS DON'T GET PAID WHAT THEY'RE WORTH. THEY NEED TO GET PAID WHAT THEY'RE WORTH. WHAT IF MORE THAN HALF OF OUR COUNTY BUDGET IS GOING TO EDUCATION AND YOU ARE BEING STARVED AND PROGRAMS ARE BEING SHUT DOWN. THERE IS A PROBLEM SOMEWHERE A DISCONNECT SOMEWHERE . WHAT I'M SEEING IS MORE MONEY ISN'T GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM UNTIL WE IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHERE THE PROBLEM IS OR WHERE THE BOAT IS LEAKING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
I CAME HERE PREPARED TO TALK ON COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECTS. BUT AFTER LISTENING TO SO MANY OF YOU TALK, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I STILL STAND IN SUPPORT OF CASTLES BUDGET, BUT I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I DON'T WANT TO DEPRIVE YOU OF ANYTHING. AND I'LL JUST I'LL CLOSE IN SOME OF THE DIVISIVE COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE COMING OUT. NOT FROM YOU ALL. FROM YOUR LEADERSHIP. I HAVE OBTAINED SEVERAL MEMOS THAT COME OUT TO YOU. FOR EXAMPLE, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE RALLY THAT WAS HELD TONIGHT. THERE WAS THAT IT WAS TALKED ABOUT WHERE YOU WERE GOING TO RALLY UP AT AND GOING TO MARCH TWO IN THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. BUT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MEMO, IT SAYS NOT TO SHARE IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THEM FINDING OUT ABOUT IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING IN A SHOCKING OR SURPRISES. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PURPOSE OF POTENTIAL INTIMIDATION MIGHT BE. BUT WHY WOULD IT MATTER IF IT WAS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE THAT THE RALLY WE'RE GOING TO TAKE PLACE BECAUSE THAT MEMO SPECIFICALLY SAID NOT TO SHARE IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THAT PURPOSE. PEOPLE LIKE ME. WHO FOLLOW GOD. HEAVY A STRONG BELIEF IN THE PURSUIT OF
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HAPPINESS AND WANTING ALL CHILDREN TO SUCCEED. ALL CHILDREN. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR PRONOUN IS. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR RACE IS, BUT TO SUCCEED. ARE CALLED ULTRA CONSERVATIVE AND HARMFUL TO CHILDREN. THIS IS COMING FROM HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS. NOT NECESSARILY. I'M NOT POINTING OUT ANYBODY HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT IT'S COMING FROM THE PEOPLE WHO MANAGE YOU AND PROBABLY RALLIED YOU TONIGHT. AND I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT PISCES ME OFF THAT MAKES ME WANT TO PUSH BACK HARD, BUT PUSHING BACK HARD IN AN ATTEMPT TO HURT YOU. WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE WRONG. YOU NEED TO BE PAID WHAT YOU'RE WORTH. BUT WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BECAUSE WE'RE SPENDING AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY ON PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THIS COUNTY AND STILL COMING UP SHORT, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, SIR. APRIL HAWTHORNE FOLLOWED BY LEE MCCUSKER. SUSAN SCOTT, FOLLOWED BY ADRIAN DARREN. MILO, GO BACK TO YOUR OLDER TWO SPEAKERS. APRIL HAWTHORNE. NEXT ONE. LEE MCCUSKER. MHM. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. TIMELY MCCUSKER AND I LIVE AT 3 20 EAST BELL CRIST ROAD IN BEL AIR. UM I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY SINCE 1963 WHEN MY FATHER , JOSEPH BOONE, BROUGHT HIS FAMILY HERE TO START HIS TEACHING CAREER IN HARFORD COUNTY. LATER BEING NAMED TO THE HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION HALL OF FAME. MY ENTIRE FAMILY, INCLUDING MY CHILDREN, ATTENDED HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ARE ALL WORKING PROFESSIONALS HERE IN THE COUNTY. THE PANDEMIC PUT EVERY CHILD BEHIND IN ACADEMICS. TEACHERS AND PARENTS EVERYWHERE ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO GET THEIR CHILDREN UP TO THE STANDARDS THEY NEED TO BE. ADDED TO THIS BURDEN ARE THE EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.RESULTING IN MORE TIME AND RESOURCES BEING DEVOTED TO TROUBLED CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM. COUNTY'S POPULATION HAS GROWN. AND OUR POPULATION OF NON ENGLISH SPEAKING CHILDREN HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN OUR SCHOOLS. THESE CHILDREN REQUIRE EXTRA TIME AND EXPERTISE IN TEACHING THEM TO SPEAK, READ AND WRITE ENGLISH. WITHOUT THESE SKILLS OF COMMUNICATION, THEY CANNOT PROGRESS IN THE EDUCATION PROCESS. WE LOST MANY TEACHERS DURING THE PANDEMIC. SOME BECAUSE OF ILLNESS, BUT MANY BECAUSE OF FRUSTRATION ABOUT A SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION.
THAT LEFT A BIGGER BURDEN ON THE TEACHERS WHO HAVE REMAINED IN THE CLASSROOM. THE BALTIMORE CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM IS A DISASTER. THE BALTIMORE CITY CRIME RATE IS OUT OF CONTROL. MR CASTLE, A DELUSIONAL AND NOT REALIZING THAT THESE TWO FACTS GO HAND IN HAND. HOW MANY TEACHERS WILL LEAVE THE SYSTEM FOR OTHER COUNTIES OR OTHER CAREERS. WHAT NEW OR VETERAN TEACHER WOULD WANT TO WORK IN A COUNTY WHERE EDUCATION IS SUCH A LOW PRIORITY. HOW MANY CHILDREN WILL BE LOST IN THE CRACKS? BECAUSE OF A SEVERE, SEVERE LACK OF RESOURCES. AND HOW MANY OF THESE CHILDREN WILL TURN TO A LIFE OF CRIME IN ORDER TO SURVIVE? DO WE WANT TO COUNTY WHO RACES PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS OR DO WE WANT TO GO THE WAY OF BALTIMORE CITY WHERE THE EDUCATION SYSTEM HAS FAILED ITS CHILDREN AND THE CRIME RATE MAKES THE CITY UNBEARABLE FOR MANY PEOPLE. LET'S GET OUR PRIORITIES IN ORDER BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. I DON'T APPROVE A BUDGET THAT, IN EFFECT PUNISHES HARDWORKING TEACHERS AND IN THE END PUTS ALL OF OUR CHILDREN AT RISK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAN. SUSAN SCOTT, FOLLOWED BY ADRIAN DARREN AND LAURA. CORRECT. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS , PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. I'M SUSAN SCOTT. I LIVE AT 3 14 STREET CIRCLE AND FORREST HILL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU THIS EVENING. UM I URGE YOU TO PASS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES PROPOSED BUDGET. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS IS ALWAYS CONTENTIOUS, BUT THE RHETORIC AND VITRIOL DIRECTED AT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR PROPOSING A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET THAT DOESN'T RAISE THE CITIZENS TAXES IS REACHING INCENDIARY LEVELS. I'M APPALLED AND. I'M JUST AMAZED AT THE EMOTIONAL, UH, BLACKMAIL
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BEING PLAYED HERE TONIGHT. THE VOTERS OF HARFORD COUNTY HAVE OVERWHELMINGLY ELECTED MR CASTLE E TO REIN IN SPENDING AND BALANCE THE BUDGET. WE ALL HAVE HAD TO RECALIBRATE OUR BUDGETS AND REEVALUATE OR SPENDING IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. WHY DID GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THINK THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THE SAME? THE EMOTIONALLY CHARGED RHETORIC THAT'S COMING FROM SUPERINTENDENT BOLSON AND THE TEACHERS UNION IS EMBARRASSING. THEY HAVE EVEN STOOPED TO THE LEVEL OF ENCOURAGING THE STUDENTS TO PROTEST THE BUDGET. OVER THE MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS AT A LOCAL MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. THIS CURRENT HCPS ADMINISTRATION AND THE TEACHERS UNION ARE USING OUR CHILDREN AS THEIR POLITICAL PONDS. MEANWHILE ACADEMIC SCORES ARE SHOCKINGLY ABYSMAL. MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH PROFICIENCY IS 18% WERE JUST BARELY ABOVE BALTIMORE CITY IN OUR MATH PROFICIENCY. LET THAT SINK IN. THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS PROVEN THEMSELVES TO BE UNFIT AT THE MISSION OF EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS GIVING INTO THEIR DEMANDS FOR MORE MONEY THAN REQUIRED BY THE STATE WOULD BE MOST IRRESPONSIBLE. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO OUR CHILDREN? THEY'RE BEING INDOCTRINATED INTO AN IDEOLOGY WHILE ACADEMIC SCORES PLUMMET AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH IS DECLINING. THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD OF EDUCATION NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE POOR PERFORMANCE. THEY SHOULD NOT BE REWARDED WITH MORE MONEY. WE NEED ADULTS IN THE ROOM. WE'VE ELECTED AN ADULT AS OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE. I HOPE THE ADULTS ON THIS COUNCIL WILL HAVE MR CASTLE IS BACK AND PASS HIS PROPOSED BUDGET. PLEASE DON'T BEND TO THE SPECIAL INTERESTS STAND WITH THE TAXPAYERS OF HARFORD COUNTY AND PASS MR CASTILE'S FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET. AND SINCE NO ONE ELSE HAS SAID IT TODAY. MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS . GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ADRIAN DURAN. MY ADDRESS IS 10 23 OLD PYLESVILLE ROAD. PYLESVILLE, MARYLAND, 21132.THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TIGHT. I AM COMING TO YOU AS A HARVARD COUNTY RESIDENT. A. GRADUATE A PROUD GRADUATE OF THE HARBOR COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL. I WENT AWAY FOR COLLEGE. I RETURNED TO HARFORD COUNTY AFTER COLLEGE, AND I'M PLEASED TO BE RAISING MY CHILDREN HERE. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN. WHO ARE NOW IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND I HAVE . RECENTLY BECOME A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. HARFORD COUNTY. I'VE REPEATEDLY JOKINGLY REFERRED TO IT AS A VOLUNTEER POSITION BECAUSE I HAVE A REGULAR JOB. AH, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL TEACHERS THAT THEY ARE DESPERATE AND DESPERATE NEED OF HELP FOR SUBSTITUTES. SO I SAID , OKAY, WELL, I'LL PUT MY JOB IN MY WORK ON HOLD BECAUSE I KNOW THAT EVERYONE NEEDS SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS. SO I'VE BEEN DOING AS MUCH AS I CAN TO BE A SUBSTITUTE HERE, AND I JUST I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU AND IMPLORE YOU TO REJECT THE BUDGET AND SEND IT BACK TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR ADJUSTMENT, BECAUSE, UH, WE NEED TO FULLY FUND THE HARVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. PHYSICALLY YOU'RE 24 BUDGET REQUEST BECAUSE WE NEED TO PROVIDE FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM PROVIDES STEPS INCREASES COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS AND BE ABLE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS TEACHERS, FOOD, NUTRITION, PEOPLE ADMINISTRATION AND ALL OF THAT, AND IT'S. IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING, AND I AM I'M PROUD TO BE ABLE TO BE A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN COME TO SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION WITH THE FUNDING. UM AND I BETTER NOT SAY I'M GLAD TO PAY MORE TAXES TO MAKE IT HAPPEN BECAUSE MY HUSBAND WOULD NOT BE PLEASED, BUT THAT SAID THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MA'AM. LAURA POOL BIT ROT. FOLLOWED BY THOMAS SHARE.
I THINK YOU'RE ON, SIR. YES GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TOM SHARE. THOMAS SHARE. I TEACH AND HOW MANY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I LIVE IN BEL AIR 202 BRIAR CLIFF
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LANE. I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT I LIVE IN BEL AIR CHILDREN ARE GRADUATES OF HARVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF HARVARD COUNTY. PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE A GRADUATE FROM THE I B PROGRAM UNDER MISS CHILDS. I HAVE A GRADUATE FROM HARPER TECH. AND A GRADUATE FROM PATTERSON MILL MIDDLE SCHOOL. I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT I AM A EDUCATOR WHO WORKS FOR HARPER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH IS NOT A SPECIAL INTEREST WERE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT SERVE THE PEOPLE OF HARFORD COUNTY. UM I'VE BEEN AN EDUCATOR FOR 33 YEARS AND EDUCATOR AT ABERDEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR 28 OF THOSE YEARS. I TEACH THERE I LOVE THOSE CHILDREN. I LOVE THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH. AND I'M DEDICATED TO THEM. I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO WONDER ABOUT THE BUDGET. YOU NEED TO LOOK AT ALSO THE AGE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WE ALL WORK IN.ARE BUILDING TURNS 50 YEARS OLD NEXT YEAR, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH ASBESTOS REMEDIATION. IT'S PART OF BEING AN OLDER BUILDINGS. THERE ARE COSTS INVOLVED WITH MAINTAINING SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY ARE SAFE FOR THE CHILDREN THAT WE TEACH AND WORK WITH. UM I'M THERE EVERY DAY FOR MY STUDENTS. SOME OF THEM DON'T LIKE THAT, BUT I DON'T MISS SCHOOL. I'M THERE EVERY DAY I SHOW UP. I FEEL THAT MR CASTLE IS NOT SHOWING UP. HE IS SETTING A BUDGET. THAT ISN'T GOING TO SERVE OUR SCHOOLS, AND IT'S NOT SERVING THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HARTFORD COUNTY. WE NEED A FULLY FUNDED BUDGET. WE NEED FULLY FUNDED SCHOOLS, JUST LIKE THE ONES THAT WERE FULLY FUNDED THAT SET HIM ON HIS PATH TO A SUCCESSFUL CAREER. I DON'T THINK THAT HE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT THE BUDGETS WHEN HE WAS A STUDENT THE WAY SOME OF OUR STUDENTS DO.
SOME PEOPLE ARE UPSET BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS ARE EDUCATED ABOUT THINGS LIKE POLITICS. WE NEED AN EDUCATED STUDENT BODY. THE FACT THAT STUDENTS ARE LEARNING ABOUT THE POLITICS. AND THE GOOD AND BAD OF IT IS A GOOD THING. WE NEED EDUCATED GRADUATES. WE NEED EDUCATED GRADUATES TO RUN THE FARMS IN THE NORTH END OF THE COUNTY. WE NEED EDUCATED GRADUATES. TO WORK AT THE MANUFACTURING PLANTS IN THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY. THOSE EDUCATED PEOPLE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO CARRY OUR COUNTY FORWARD. IF YOU'RE RETIRED OR NEARING RETIREMENT IN HARFORD COUNTY. YOU WANT THOSE SCHOOLS FUNDED. YOU WANT THOSE CHILDREN GETTING A GOOD EDUCATION. YOU WANT THEM SUPPORTING YOU? IN YOUR DOTAGE. WE ALL DO. THAT'S WHAT KEEPS A COUNTY GOING. UM, I WOULD SAY. THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT. IS THE FACT THAT HE IS EXPANDING OUR FIREFIGHTERS IN THE MTS, AND THAT'S WONDERFUL. BUT I FRANKLY DON'T WANT FIREFIGHTERS OR EMTS SHOWING UP WHO ARE ALSO WELL EDUCATED. THEY COME FROM YOUR COMMENTS TO A CLOSER THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS AND SUPPORTING THOSE GRADUATES. THE BEST MAJORITY OF US ARE THANK YOU. LOUIS SINGER, FOLLOWED BY JANINE CANTEL. GOOD EVENING, SIR. GOOD EVENING. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. LOUIS SINGER 13 OH. SIX CRANES BILL COURT BELCAMP ROMERO. UM. I WAS GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT A COUPLE OF FACTS AND FIGURES THAT I FOUND, UM, KIND OF DISTURBING LOOKING THROUGH THE BUDGET. UM WHAT I CAN TELL YOU WITH CERTAINTY. NOT HAVING CHILDREN IS PERSPECTIVE THAT HASN'T ACTUALLY BEEN BROUGHT UP TOO MUCH, UM OUR POPULATION HAS GROWN. BUT MY ENTIRE GENERATION I'M 32. I'M ABOUT THE AGE WHERE YOU START HAVING KIDS. UH, I THINK MAYBE TWO OUT OF MY 30 ISH ODD FRIENDS GROUPS ARE HAVING KIDS. WE DON'T FEEL SUPPORTED BY BUDGETS LIKE THIS. YOU HEAR PUBLICLY THAT WE ARE THE BARE MINIMUM AND I DON'T WANT TO RAISE KIDS IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY'RE TREATED LIKE THEY'RE ONLY WORTH THE BARE MINIMUM. AH THIS IS TRUE FOR ME. THIS IS TRUE FOR MY ENTIRE FRIENDS GROUP. UM I HAVE A COUPLE OF FRIENDS THAT ARE TEACHERS, AND THEY DISCUSS HOW DIFFICULT IT IS AND HOW FEW RESOURCES THEY HAVE. UM AND I HEARD A COUPLE OF GENTLEMEN EARLIER SAYING THAT WE HAVE A LEAKY SHIP. UM AND I AGREE. THAT BEING SAID. UH, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO FIND IT UNLESS YOU HAVE WHERE YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR SAID LEAKY SHIP. UM IF WE ARE THE. LOWEST FUNDED SCHOOL OR COUNTY, I GUESS AND THE GREATER BALTIMORE AREA I DON'T SEE MY
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WIFE AND I STAYING HERE. WE WANTED TO SET THE ROOTS. WE WANTED TO PLANT ROOTS. UM BUT YOU SEE STUFF LIKE THIS AND IT'S CONCERNING, I GUESS FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD. THAT'S ALL I REALLY WANTED TO SHARE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. HOLD ON A SECOND. OKAY THANKS. UM JANINE CANEDO 305.DUFFY COURT FOUR. STILL, UM. I DO NOT ENVY YOUR ANY OF YOUR POSITIONED. YOU'RE KIND OF GOING TO BE IF YOU DO AND IF YOU DON'T . I MEAN THAT. THAT'S JUST THE FACT OF THE MATTER. THERE ARE A LOT OF STRONG FEELINGS. UM UNFORTUNATELY, WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE WE BELIEVE THAT IF WE JUST THREW JUST ENOUGH MONEY AT SOMETHING, UM, THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER. I THINK OUR CURRENT, UH FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT DOES NOT WORK. UM WE ALL WANT SHINY. NEW THINGS. YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT. UM OUR SCORES ACADEMICALLY OR ABYSMAL, YET ADMINISTRATIVE SALARIES. SALARIES HAVE. GROSSLY INCREASED. DESPITE THIS. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE SPEAKING TONIGHT HAVE PULLED ON YOUR HEARTSTRINGS MY MYSELF AS WELL. BUT THE LEVEL OF. NAIVETE AND MISSING IN MISINFORMATION IS ASTOUNDING. I TREAT PERSONALLY IN MY PROFESSION, A LOT OF TEACHERS. I AM FRIENDS WITH A LOT OF TEACHERS. THEY KNOW I HAVE NO TIES TO TEACHERS, UNIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE. SO THEY TELL ME THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. I HEAR REAL STORIES VERSUS GENERIC, GRANDIOSE VIRTUE, SIGNALING SORRY. MM TEACHERS ARE LEAVING THE PROFESSION IN DROVES . UM NOT BECAUSE OF MONEY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THEIR ADMINISTRATIONS. THEY FEEL UNSAFE AT WORK. THEY'RE TIRED OF BEING DISRESPECTED, BEING ASSAULTED AND HAVING TO BREAK UP. STUDENT FIGHTS. NO AMOUNT OF MONEY WILL KEEP TEACHERS IN THEIR JOB, AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT OUR TEACHERS DON'T DESERVE AN INCREASE. THEY ABSOLUTELY DO. UM I THOUGHT I SAW A RECENT ARTICLE , UH, IN BALTIMORE THAT TEACHERS WERE LEAVING IN DROVES. DESPITE SALARY INCREASES. MAYBE IT'S OLD. I DON'T KNOW. I JUST THOUGHT THIS MORNING. SO MANY PEOPLE FALL PREY TO SUPERINTENDENT DOLPHINS. MASTERFUL PROPAGANDA. HE IS EXCELLENT, ADDED. UM I SINCERELY HOPE YOU WILL NOT BE FOOLISH ENOUGH TO FALL PREY. TO THAT, UM , THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE AND IN TERMS OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND INCREASING THEIR FUNDING, BY THE WAY RAPE IS UP 20% IN HARTFORD COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM PALLOR, FOLLOWED BY ZACK THINK, FOLLOWED BY JASON REPACK. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, EMMA PELLER, 14 47 REDFIELD ROAD, BEL AIR. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT HARPER COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS A PROUD FIGHTING OUT. UM, I AM IN MY THIRD SEMESTER OF THE NURSING PROGRAM AT HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, MY PROFESSORS, THE SUPPORT STAFF, MY CLINICAL INSTRUCTORS. EVERYONE HAS BEEN AMAZING. AND I'VE BEEN LUCKY TO HAVE REALLY GREAT CLASSMATES WHO WANT TO BECOME NURSES. AND STAY IN HARTFORD COUNTY AND SERVE THE PEOPLE OF HARFORD COUNTY, AND SO MANY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DO THAT. BECAUSE EITHER THEY DIDN'T MEET THE COMPETITIVE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM. THAT HAS TO BE SO COMPETITIVE BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GRADUATE WITH THIS DEGREE. OR THEY'VE BEEN IN THE PROGRAM AND HAD TO STOP BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD IT ANYMORE.
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TUITION INCREASES ARE ALREADY GOING TO HAPPEN FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AND. I AM MANY OTHERS ARE LUCKY TO HAVE SCHOLARSHIPS, BUT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TO GO AROUND AND CUTTING FUNDING, WHICH FLAT FUNDING IN THIS TIME OF INFLATION. THAT'S A CUT TO FUNDING FOR HARVARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS GOING TO MAKE THESE PROBLEMS WORSE. THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE AMAZING NURSES AND TEACHERS AND ACCOUNTANTS OR WHATEVER AND SERVE HARFORD COUNTY WHO ARE UNABLE TO DO SO, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD IT. THIS COLLEGE CANNOT SUPPORT THEM OR THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TEACHERS TO GO AROUND. SO PLEASE. FUND COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THANK YOU.THANK YOU, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. ZACH FRANK. I LIVE IN EDGEWOOD.
I'M SPEAKING TO YOUR ADDRESS, SIR. 564 JAMESTOWN COURTS. THANK YOU, SIR. I'M SPEAKING TO EXPRESS MY STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE BUDGET PROPOSED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. I'M CALLING ON THIS COUNTY COUNCIL TO FULLY FUND THE COUNTY'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OTHER VITAL PUBLIC SERVICES.
I'M ALSO CALLING ON THIS COUNTY COUNCIL TO BUILD AGAINST THE PROPOSED BUDGET. THE BUDGET CUTS NEEDED AND VITAL FUNDS TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE PUBLIC LIBRARIES, PARTS RIGHT PARKS AND RECREATION AND OTHER NEEDED SERVICES. I HAVE ATTENDED HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE. I ALSO VISIT THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND I VISIT THE COUNTY PARKS ON ON A WEEKLY BASIS. THESE BUDGET CUTS NEGATIVELY IMPACT EVERYBODY IN HIS ROOM AND SOME FORM OR FASHION. THESE BUDGET CUTS ARE REPREHENSIBLE. REPREHENSIBLE.
THIS BUDGET IS NOT ACTING IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. AS THE OLD SAYING GOES, YOUR PRIORITIES ARE IN YOUR BUDGET. COUNTY COUNCIL SHOW THAT YOUR INTERESTS ARE IN THE PUBLIC. GOOD BYE BYE. VOTING AGAINST THIS BUDGET. BECAUSE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS SHOWN THAT IS INTEREST ARE NOT IN THE PUBLIC. GOOD. THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD EVENING, SIR. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. JASON REPACK 542 COUNTRY REGISTER CIRCLE, BEL AIR MARYLAND. SO I HAD NO INTENTION OF SHOWING UP HERE TODAY IF YOU ASKED ME YESTERDAY, BUT I WAS READING AN EMAIL. ABOUT BUDGET CUTS LAST NIGHT AND MY DAUGHTER SAW THAT AND SHE GOES. WHAT ARE YOU READING? DADDY? AND I SAID THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING CUTTING OUT. THE BUDGET FOR THE SCHOOLS. AND SHE GOES WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT? AND I SAID. WELL THEY THE BUDGET THEY WANT TO IMPROVE. THEY WANT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, AND SHE'S LIKE BUT WHAT WHAT? WHAT DOES THAT? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND I SAID WELL, YOU'RE PROBABLY MEANS YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE MORE STUDENTS IN YOUR CLASS . YOU MIGHT HAVE LESS TEACHERS AND SHE GOES. THAT DOESN'T SEEM VERY SMART. WE HAVE 22 KIDS IN MY CLASS AND SHE'S IN SECOND GRADE AND SHE GOES, WE SHOULD ONLY HAVE 20. OUR TEACHER CAN ONLY HANDLE 20 GOOD STUDENTS FOR THE TWO KIDS THAT ARE ACTING UP ALL THE TIME. I GO. OKAY WELL, WHAT ABOUT YOUR SISTER? SHE'S IN KINDERGARTEN. SHE GOES. OH THEY'RE CRAZY. THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE MORE THAN 15. I GOT LEILA HAS 21 IN HER CLASS, AND SHE'S LIKE THAT IS WAY TOO MUCH, AND I GO THE FOURTH GRADE CLASSES 35 STUDENTS. AND SHE'S LIKE, WHY ARE THEY? WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT? WHY WOULD THEY CUT PEOPLE CUT THE FUNDS WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS AS IT IS? 35 4TH GRADERS IN A CLASS THAT JUST TO ME IS ASTOUNDING. OUR KIDS ARE FUTURE. I'M A CONCERNED PARENT. I'M NOT A TEACHER. I'M NOT INVOLVED IN THE P T A, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MY DAUGHTER. I CAME HERE BECAUSE I CAME TO HARFORD COUNTY MOVED HERE BECAUSE OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM . I GREW UP IN WESTERN MARYLAND.
THEY DON'T VALUE EDUCATION AS MUCH. WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD FOOTBALL PROGRAM. BUT I CAN'T WHY I MOVED TO HARFORD COUNTY WAS THEY HAVE A VERY GOOD EDUCATION SYSTEM. BUT THEN I LOOKED STARTED LOOKING LAST NIGHT AND I SAID, HEY, WHAT'S THE MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING TO HOW MUCH UH, THAT THIS CUT AND I, AND, UH, WHAT I FOUND OUT WAS HARFORD COUNTY HAS SOME OF THE LOWEST SPENDING PER STUDENT IN THE ENTIRE STATE. EVEN IF YOU LOOK AT A COMPARABLE COUNTIES SUCH AS FREDERICK COUNTY IF WE HELP THE BUDGET CONSTANT, WE'RE STILL SPENDING LESS THAN THEM.
AND IF WE CUT IT, WE'RE SPENDING LIKE 1000 LESS PER STUDENT OR STUDENTS WERE WORTH LESS THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THE STATE. THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. AND, UH, HMM. IT JUST IT'S UH IT'S ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDING THAT WE WOULD, UH. THAT WE WOULD MAKE THESE CUTS AND I JUST I
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THINK THAT WHAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE FUND OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE OUR KIDS ARE OUR FUTURE. AND THERE'S A GREAT GREEK PROVERB THAT SAYS SOCIETY GROWS GREAT WHEN OLD MEN PLANT TREES WHOSE SHADE THEY SHALL NEVER SIT. AND THAT'S WHAT EDUCATION IS ITS FUNDING OUR KIDS FUTURE, SO OUR SOCIETY GROWS AND BECOMES, UH, A BETTER SOCIETY. WHY DO WE WANT TO CUT OUR FUTURE? WHY ARE KIDS ARE THESE POLITICAL PONDS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, SIR. CHRISTINA LLANO CHA. FOLLOWED BY ALI DAMAGE AND RACHEL DELAUGHTER. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS. PLEASE. 36 43 JARRETTSVILLE PIKE. I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH USING OUR STUDENTS TO PROMOTE POLITICAL OPINIONS. ALSO THE SCHOOLS ARE USING WAY TOO MUCH MONEY TO PROMOTE SOCIAL INDOCTRINATION AND WAY TOO LITTLE IN GETTING OUR KIDS MATH AND READING PROFICIENCY SWORDS OUT OF THE BASEMENT. THEREFORE, I AM FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SPOT BUDGET. BASIC EDUCATION. BASIC ACADEMIC EDUCATION IS WHAT IS NEEDED FOCUS THE CURRENT FUNDS THERE. THIS IS WHAT IS NEEDED TO HELP ALL OUR CHILDREN GROW TO BE INDEPENDENT AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. AND SO I DO AGREE THAT EDUCATION IS A RIGHT HERE BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING FOR THAT WITH OUR TAXES. WE ARE NOT PAYING TO HAVE SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND THE SCHOOLS ARE NOT MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES. THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES FOR THAT. WE ARE NOT PAYING TO HAVE PORNOGRAPHY, BOOKS AND GENDER IDENTITY INDOCTRINATION. THIS IS JUST PURE EVIL AND LIES IN THE RESULTS OF GOD BEING TAKEN OUT OF THE SCHOOLS. WE ARE PAYING TO GET DECENT MATH AND READING PROFICIENCY RIGHTS, WHICH WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT GETTING. THE GOAL OF OUR SCHOOLS SHOULD BE PURELY EDUCATION. PLEASE STOP USING OUR KIDS AND JUST HELP THEM GET EDUCATED MATTHEW 25 29 TO THOSE WHO USE WELL WHAT THEY ARE GIVEN EVEN MORE WILL BE GIVEN AND THEY WILL HAVE IT IN ABUNDANCE. BUT FROM THOSE WHO DO NOTHING, EVEN WHAT LITTLE THEY HAVE WILL BE TAKEN AWAY. MAY GOD BLESS AND GUIDE YOU IN EACH AND EVERY DECISION YOU MAKE FOR OUR COUNTY. THANK YOU, MA'AM.GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. MY NAME IS ALI M DAMAGE. AND MY ADDRESS HUSBAND 13 HOURS 600 RED PUMP PROVED SO RED PUMP ELEMENTARY MA'AM, I NEED YOUR ADDRESS. 300. STEPHEN SUCKLE. THANK YOU, MA'AM. AGAIN 12 HOURS AT GRANDPA. SO EVERYONE MILLION DOLLARS CUT FROM THE HARTFORD COUNTY BUDGET RESULTS IN 12 LOST TEACHING POSITION. FUN IN THE BUDGET IS THAT THE LEGAL MINIMUM COULD RESULT IN OVER 450 TEACHER POSITION. THAT MEANS UP TO 15% OF HARFORD COUNTY TEACHERS WOULD BE LAID OFF. THESE HARDWORKING EDUCATORS SHOW UP EVERY DAY FORWARD CHILDREN AND DO NOT DESERVE TO BE PUNISHED FOR THIS BUDGET. THIS IS MY 30TH YEAR IN HARFORD COUNTY. I CAME FROM LOUISIANA EIGHT YEARS THERE. ALL IN SPECIAL AIR. I WORK IN A CLASSROOM SUPPORT PROGRAM. SO I HAVE E S. P S WORKING WITH ME. AND I WAS APPALLED OF WHAT THEY TOLD ME. THEY BRING HOME. AND HIS SIDE. VERY SAD. THEY THERE WITH ME, AND I CANNOT DO MY JOB WITHOUT MY THREE EDUCATORS WITH ME. SO THEREFORE PLEASE CONSIDER FUNDING THE BUDGET. THE BUDGET INCLUDES JUST GIVEN A STEP OF A MODEST 3% COST A LIVING RAID. OUR NEARBY SYSTEMS ARE GIVEN EDUCATORS STEP INCREASE. AS FOR HOWARD AND PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, EVEN AS A HIGH 6% AND AROUND THE COUNTY, HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL WILL NOT BE COMPETITIVE WITH THESE OTHER SYSTEMS AND OTHER EDUCATORS WOULD LOOK FOR BETTER OPPORTUNITIES. BUDGET ISN'T FUNDED. AND AGAIN, I'M GRATEFUL. UM, COME NEXT WEEK. HERE'S MY LITTLE 30 YEAR WATCH RECEIVED FROM THE HOUSE OF SO I GET MY LITTLE DINNER NEXT WEEK. BUT AGAIN, I'M GRATEFUL, OKAY? AND SOME LIMPING. THAT'S BECAUSE OF MY PROFESSION OF MY JOB. MY CLASSROOM SUPPORT PROGRAM. OKAY I WAS INJURED AND MY LEG. BUT GUESS WHAT I SHOW UP EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE OF MY KIDS BECAUSE I LOVE MY KIDS, AND ALL OF MY 38 YEARS HAVE BEEN IT'S SPECIAL AND SO AGAIN. IF IT'S
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NOT FOR ME. THINK ABOUT MY E S. P S THINK ABOUT THE SECRETARY. THINK ABOUT THE BUS DRIVERS A SEVER. ALL OF US ARE STAKEHOLDERS AGAIN. AS THE LADY SAID BEFORE I'M A QUOTE THIS TO GOD BE THE GLORY. SO FOR THE GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE FUND THE BUDGET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. DELAUGHTER 770 SHALLOW RIDGE COURT. I GREW UP IN HOWARD COUNTY, SO I WENT TO ONE OF THE MOST FUNDED PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY. I'VE SEEN THE VERY BEST I MOVED TO LOUISIANA AND I'VE SEEN THE VERY WORST. MY CHILDREN WERE BORN. I MOVED BACK TO MARYLAND BECAUSE I WANTED THEM TO HAVE THE VERY BEST. I WILL NOT. I HAVE SPENT 10 YEARS BUILDING A LIFE IN HARFORD COUNTY AND SENDING MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. THIS BUDGET PASSES. PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO HAVE CHANGED THEIR ENTIRE LIVES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CHILDREN HAVE THE BEST EDUCATION WILL LEAVE. OUR TEACHERS WILL LEAVE. MY CHILDREN'S SCHOOL HAS HOLES IN THE WALLS AND THE CEILINGS. THERE ARE MICE AND SNAKES IN THE BUILDINGS. THE TEACHERS ARE SUBSTITUTING MULTIPLE CLASSES DURING THEIR PLANNING PERIODS DURING THEIR LUNCH PERIODS. WE SHOULD BE BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS, NOT CUTTING FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN'T EVEN PLASTER TOGETHER THE CRUMBLING BUILDINGS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM RANKS RANKINGS GO DOWN PROPERTY VALUES. AND NOT EVERYBODY CARES ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND THE EDUCATION. I DON'T HAVE KIDS, WHATEVER. IT'S NOT MY PROBLEM, BUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON CARES ABOUT THEIR PROPERTY VALUES. THE PROPERTY VALUES GO DOWN AND THE SCHOOL RANKINGS GO DOWN. CRIME GOES UP. HARFORD COUNTY WILL BECOME UNDESIRABLE TO LIVE. THANK YOU.THANK YOU, MA'AM. SARAH OH, DONALD, FOLLOWED BY JESSICA PIAZZA. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM.
NAME AND ADDRESS. PLEASE O'DONNELL, 108 REGION, DR BEL AIR. UM I HAD NO INTENTION OF SPEAKING TONIGHT. WE HAVE A TON OF STAFF AS EVERY PARENT PROBABLY GOING TO TEST TWO. WE HAVE TAEKWONDO HAD TO GET A NEW CAR BECAUSE SOMEONE CRASHED INTO MY HUSBAND'S MINIVAN AND TOTALED IT. BUT I FELT LIKE SPEAKING TODAY WAS REALLY IMPORTANT. UM I'M AN EDUCATOR IN HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND I HAVE TWO CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTY. I TRANSFERRED TO HCPS THIS YEAR AFTER WORKING IN ANOTHER COUNTY FOR 14 YEARS. UM THERE WERE MANY OF MY FORMER COWORKERS WHO WARNED ME AGAINST MAKING THIS SWITCH FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. I TOOK A PAY CUT. I LOST MY TENURE AS WELL AS SOME INSURANCE BENEFITS TO WORK HERE, BUT I CAME TO HARTFORD COUNTY SO THAT I COULD BE CLOSER TO MY CHILDREN AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN MY LOCAL COMMUNITY. IN MY POSITION.
I WORK AS AN ASSAULT TEACHER. ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES. I WAS OVERJOYED TO HEAR THAT ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS WERE A MAJOR COMPONENT OF OUR SOUP OF OUR STUDENTS SUPPORTS ON HCPS IS BLUE POINT FOR OUR STUDENTS FUTURE. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY LOVED MY JOB THIS YEAR. MY STUDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND MY COWORKERS ARE AMAZING INDIVIDUALS. I SUPPORT THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS, AND THIS YEAR IT HAS BEEN AMAZING TO KNOW THAT I'M MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN MY POSITION. I REALLY TRULY BELIEVE THAT I HAVE BEEN SO EFFECTIVE AND IT IS LIKE THE BEST FEELING AND I'M NOT PULLING ON HEARTSTRINGS. I'M TALKING 100% IT'S BEEN AMAZING. I AM BEYOND DISAPPOINTED THAT LESS THAN A YEAR INTO MY TIME HERE, EDUCATORS ARE HAVING TO FIGHT FOR MONEY THAT OUR CHILDREN NEED. I CURRENTLY WORK IN ONE BUILDING. AND I AM AT RISK NOW OF BEING PULLED. INTO SEVERAL BUILDINGS. UP TO THREE IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD. I'M WORRIED ABOUT MY STUDENTS AND MY OWN CHILDREN. WE DESERVE BETTER. OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER, AND OUR COUNTY DESERVES BETTER. I OPPOSE THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL. MONEY TALKS WE HAVE S OR SUBS RIGHT NOW AT MY SCHOOL, WHICH ARE MONEY THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM COVID, WHICH I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT'S GONNA LAST. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS BUDGET. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS MONEY TALKS WHEN YOU HAVE MONEY. YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN COME IN. THAT CAN BE SUPPORTS THAT HELP THOSE CLASSROOM TEACHERS. IT IS SO VITAL. I MEAN, WE HAVE SO MANY
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THINGS THAT WE NEED AND WE'RE HONESTLY NOT JUST THROWING MONEY AWAY. LIKE I SAID, I TOOK A PAY CUT TO COME HERE. IT'S NOT ABOUT MY SALARY. IT'S ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND WHAT THEY NEED MY OWN CHILDREN. BECAUSE I AM A TAXPAYER HERE, AND I DO LIVE HERE AND I'M NOT FROM HERE AND MY HUSBAND'S NOT FROM HERE. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT I WILL STAY. BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF MY KIDS. THANKS. THANK YOU, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ADDRESS. PLEASE JESSICA PIAZZA.I LOVE THAT 1939 MEDALLION COURT. UM I AM I NEITHER OR I ALSO DIDN'T PLAN ON SPEAKING TONIGHT, BUT THIS IS SO HUGELY IMPORTANT. AND I KNOW I REACHED OUT TO ALL OF YOU, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS EXPRESSING A LOT OF MY CONCERNS, BUT JUST TO MAKE UP PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT. I AM A SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL. I'M ALSO A MOM OF THREE. NEXT YEAR. ALL THREE OF MY CHILDREN WILL BE STUDENTS OF HARTFORD, HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AS A PROFESSIONAL. AND AS A MOM, I ASK YOU TO REJECT THE BUZZ. THE BUDGET THAT IS, UM I ASKED YOU TO REJECT THE BUZZ BUDGET AND VOTE TO FUND OUR SCHOOLS. UM. THERE'S SO MUCH MISINFORMATION. I FEEL SO MUCH DIVISIVENESS, UM, WITH WITHIN MY OWN SOCIAL CIRCLE AND WHAT I WHAT I SEE EVERY DAY IN SCHOOL BUILDING. IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING THAT I WORK. UM AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR, I CAN TELL YOU THAT MIGHT CASE SO THAT FALLS IN HIGH SCHOOL IS IN EXCESS OF 300 STUDENTS. I DO NOT PURPORT THAT WE ARE A MENTAL HOSPITAL OR CAN PROVIDE ANY SUCH SERVICES TO STUDENTS. UM WE DO MANY THINGS AND I WOULD LOVE TO SHARE WITH ANYONE WANTING TO KNOW ANY COMMUNITY MEMBER WANTING TO KNOW WHAT WE DO AS SCHOOL COUNSELOR BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE ROLES OF TEACHERS AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE REALLY BEING, UM MS PURPORTED AND PEOPLE ARE MISINFORMED. SO I WOULD OFFER THAT UP. UM, TO ANYONE WANTING TO KNOW MORE. UM. I HAVE RECEIVED RESPONSE FROM FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN REGARD TO THE CONCERNS I HAVE EXPRESSED TO HIM. IT'S JUST VERY CONFUSING.
HE'S SAYING THAT HE IS FUNDING THE BUDGET THAT THIS IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF MY CHILDREN AND I, IT'S I JUST AND HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF IT AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS GOING ON, UM WHAT I DO KNOW. IS THAT THE PTA MEETING BECAUSE I AM A MEMBER OF THE P T. A UM AT MY CHILDREN'S SCHOOL, THEY ANNOUNCED THAT 1/5 GRADE TEACHER WILL BE CUT NEXT YEAR. SO WE'RE ALREADY PREPARING FOR IMPACT. MY DAUGHTER IS IN A CLASS OF 30 CURRENTLY. THEY HAVE ENROLLED SEVERAL STUDENTS WITHIN THE SCHOOL YEAR. UM AND NOW NEXT YEAR, IT'S FORECASTED THAT YOU WILL BE IN A CLASS IN EXCESS OF 30. FIFTH GRADE. UM, IT'S JUST REALLY HARD, AS EVERYONE HAS SAID HERE TONIGHT, UM. WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO GET THE BEST EDUCATION. UM I REALLY THINK ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SPOKEN TONIGHT AND SUPPORT OF REJECTING THE BUDGET. UM I AM SO HAPPY TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND SO ENCOURAGED TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND SUPPORT OF OUR STUDENTS AND IN SUPPORT OF OUR CHILDREN, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO MAKE THIS COMMENT, AND I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE TO REJECT THIS BUDGET. THANK YOU, MA'AM. I HAVE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR PRESIDENT. WITH NO OTHER SPEAKERS. THIS WILL CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING. BUT I WOULD ALSO REMIND OUR PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING NEXT WEDNESDAY NIGHT ON THE 10TH. SIR. I APOLOGIZE. I SIGNED UP TO SPEAK EARLIER, BUT I MISSED MY NAME. ARE YOU SIGNED UP, SIR? I THINK I WAS A FINALIST. YOUR NAME. YES. HE WAS NUMBER EIGHT. NAME AND ADDRESS. SIR DANIEL VENABLE, 3359 GARRISON CIRCLE.
ABINGDON MARYLAND. I APOLOGIZE FOR KEEPING YOU ALL HERE LONGER. UM I, UH, PLANNED ON SPEAKING AND THEN LEAVING IT AROUND 7 30 SO I COULD HAVE DINNER WITH MY WIFE AND MY NEW PUPPY AT HOME. I
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HAVE NOT EATEN SINCE 11. BUT I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM LOOK MYSELF IN THE MIRROR WITHOUT VOICING THOUGHTS FROM A VIEWPOINT. I HAVE NOT HEARD MUCH TONIGHT, WHICH IS THAT OF A NEW TEACHER. UM. I'M CURRENTLY 25 YEARS OLD, AND I'M THE CURRENT BAND TEACHER, EDGEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL. THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR OF TEACHING, ALTHOUGH IT'S MY FIRST WITH ANY SEMBLANCE OF NORMALCY WERE FULLY IN PERSON. MY BANDS CAN FINALLY PLAY WITHOUT BELL COVERS ON THE END OF THE INSTRUMENTS, AND IT FINALLY FEELS LIKE WE'RE BACK ON TRACK AFTER A COUPLE OF VERY DIFFICULT YEARS. BUT IT'S A HEALING PROCESS THAT HAS JUST STARTED. AND THE PROCESS THAT WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY SET BACK BY THE PROPOSED COUNTY BUDGET. I AM ORIGINALLY FROM PENNSYLVANIA. I MOVED TO HARTFORD COUNTY TO START MY JOB AT EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IMMEDIATELY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE AREA. MY WIFE AND I HAVE MET FRIENDS ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY MADE UP EXCUSES TO GO TO VAGABOND, AND WE EVEN RECENTLY BOUGHT A HOUSE HERE. BUT THE SCHOOLS AND ESPECIALLY THE STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW. TEACHER RETENTION IS EXCEPTIONALLY LOW, ESPECIALLY AT SCHOOLS LIKE EDGEWOOD MIDDLE SOME MOVE AWAY FOR FAMILY. OTHERS MOVE AWAY FOR OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IN MY OPINION , MOSTLY BECAUSE THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT WAS HOSTILE DUE TO A LACK OF RESOURCES AND A LACK OF SUPPORT. TEACHERS ARE HEADING FOR EARLY RETIREMENT WITH THE THREAT OF EXPANDING CLASS SIZES AND MANDATORY COVERAGE IS LOOMING OVER THEM AT MY OWN HOME SCHOOL BEDROOM MIDDLE SINCE THE SCHOOL YEAR HAS STARTED NINE DAYS OUT OF 10 TEACHERS HAVE BEEN PULLED TO COVER CLASSES, LEAVING LITTLE TO NO PLANNING TIME THAT THEY ARE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO HAVE AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO ATTRACT MORE SUBS AND NEW TEACHERS THAT FELT ALL THOSE GAPS, NOT A BUDGET CUT. NOW MORE THAN EVER, TEACHERS NEAR THE COUNTY SUPPORT WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS, TEACHERS AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL ARE GOING TO LOSE THEIR JOBS RIGHT ON THE POTENTIAL COST OF AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. TEACHERS AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL THAT ARE STUDENTS DESPERATELY NEED CLASS SIZES, WITH BALLOON, PUTTING ADDITIONAL STRESSES ON TEACHERS THAT REMAIN, SCHOOLS WOULD START CUTTING DOWN PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE ARTS, REDUCING THE FUNDING THAT ALLOWS THE MUSIC PROGRAMS OF HARFORD COUNTY TO BE SO ROBUST INSTRUMENTS WOULDN'T GET REPAIRED, FEWER STUDENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO BORROW INSTRUMENTS. SCHOOL TRIPS WILL BE CANCELED, KIDS WOULD LOSE VALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. ALL STUDENTS DESERVE AN EXCELLENT PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE CURRENT PROVIDE THE CURRENT BUDGET PROPOSAL WILL BE ROBBING THAT EDUCATION FROM UNDER THERE. BEAT I IMPLORE YOU. PLEASE VOTE NO AND TRY TO FUND THE SCHOOL BUDGET PUSH EDUCATION FORWARD GIVE STUDENTS A PLACE THEY CAN FEEL SAFE AND A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN LEARN ALL THAT WE CAN TEACH THEM GIVE TEACHERS A PLACE THEY CAN COME TO EVERY DAY AND FEEL LIKE THEIR HARD WORK IS APPRECIATED AND ACKNOWLEDGED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.EVERYBODY DOWN THIS TEXAS. I HAVE NO MORE SPEAKERS. ALRIGHT AGAIN. THIS WILL CONCLUDE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'LL BE BACK IN THE CHAMBERS. UM NEXT WEDNESDAY EVENING AT SEVEN O'CLOCK. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.