[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
432. GOOD EVENING. CHAIR CALLS TO ORDER. FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION ZERO ZERO 1026. ADOPTION OF PROPERTY TAX RATE RESOLUTION 01126. FISCAL YEAR 27. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BILL 26006 ANNUAL BUDGET APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE. THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS TO HEAR COMMENTS CONCERNING BILL NUMBER 26006, WHICH IS THE PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET AND APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE FOR HARFORD COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2027, AND ALSO RESOLUTION ZERO 1026, WHICH PROPOSES TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT TAX RATE AND RESOLUTION 01126, WHICH IS THE CAPITAL PROGRAM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2027 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2032. THE COUNCIL ALSO ACCEPTS AND WILL CONSIDER WRITTEN TESTIMONY SUBMITTED IN ADDITION TO OR IN LIEU OF VERBAL TESTIMONY. WE'RE NOW READY TO HEAR FROM OUR
[2. PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS]
FIRST SPEAKER, MISS DIXON. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? WE DO, MR. PRESIDENT. WE HAVE SEVEN THIS EVENING, I BELIEVE. DEVON DAVENPORT, FOLLOWED BY SANDI EASTON AND IRIS BAUER. CALL YOUR FIRST SPEAKER AGAIN. DEVON DAVENPORT. SECOND SPEAKER, SANDY EASTON. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. NAME AND ZIP CODE, PLEASE. HI, I'M SANDY EASTON, 21001, AND I WAS GOING TO PREPARE SOMETHING. HOWEVER, I WAS A LITTLE BUSY EDUCATING TODAY, SO I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO DO THAT, BUT I WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, PART OF THE BUDGET. I'M REALLY CONCERNED THAT THE BOARD OF ED, WHAT THEY EVEN PUT FORTH ISN'T ACTUALLY WHAT WE NEED, PER SE, BUT JUST WHAT WILL MAKE DO. AND THEN THE COUNTY EXEC CAME IN ABOUT $15 MILLION OR SO LESS THAN THAT. THAT WILL 100% MEAN THAT WE DO NOT HAVE EDUCATORS IN CERTAIN SPOTS. AND IF TEST SCORES IS REALLY WHAT IS A DRIVING FACTOR, WHICH WE KEEP HEARING, THAT IS NOT A WAY TO IMPROVE THEM. HIGHER CLASS SIZES WILL NOT GET THE TEST SCORES ANY HIGHER. I AM A PARAEDUCATOR, SO I WORK FOR $30,000 A YEAR FULL TIME. I CANNOT LIVE OFF MY SALARY. IT WOULD BE EASIER IF I HATED MY JOB. BUT I LOVE MY JOB AND I LOVE MY KIDS WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING. IT IS NOT HARD TO GO TO WORK EVERY DAY. WHAT IS HARD TO GO? WHAT IS HARD IS TO HEAR HOW WE ARE NEVER ENOUGH. WE'RE NEVER DOING ENOUGH. BUT YET WE SHOULD BE SUFFICED WITH $15 MILLION LESS THAN WE NEED. IT SHOULD BE OKAY. WE CAN MAKE DO. I CAN TELL YOU, MY KIDS, THAT I TEACH WORK HARD EVERY DAY, AND THEY DESERVE EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THAT WE CAN PUT INTO EDUCATION BECAUSE IT'S THEIR FUTURE. I HAVE MY OWN PERSONAL KIDS IN THE SYSTEM AND THEY BENEFITED IMMENSELY. MY SON WENT INTO COLLEGE WITH FIVE AND A HALF CREDITS BECAUSE HE WENT TO TECH. MY DAUGHTER IS GOING TO HAVE HER BILITERACY STAMP. ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN BECAUSE WE INVEST IN OUR EDUCATION. IF WE FAIL TO DO THAT AND WE FAIL TO INVEST WELL, WE WILL FAIL ALL OF OUR CHILDREN IN THE FUTURE. AND I KNOW PERSONALLY, IF I WERE PEOPLE IN CHARGE, I WOULD NOT WANT THAT TO FALL ON ME, AND I WOULD NOT WANT TO HAVE TO BEAR THAT I AM SHORT HANDED, SHORT, CHANGING THE FUTURE OF HARFORD COUNTY. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE CONTINUE TO NOT FUND. WELL. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. THANK YOU MA'AM. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ZIP CODE, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS IRIS BAUER 21009, AND I'M A STUDENT AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ADVOCATE FOR FULL FUNDING FOR THE SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES. OUR SCHOOLS NEED FUNDING. THEY NEED MORE FUNDING THAN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS PROPOSED, AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS RESPONSIBLY USING THE MONEY IT GETS. IT'S STRETCHING THE FUNDING AS FAR AS IT CAN AND CUTTING WHAT CAN BE CUT BECAUSE THE MONEY ISN'T ENOUGH. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS HAD TO CUT MANY THINGS, INCLUDING OVER 100 POSITIONS LAST YEAR ALONE ON SUMMER CLASSES, MAGNET PROGRAMS ARE POTENTIALLY AT RISK IN FUTURE, AND THOSE ARE BEYOND TERRIFYING THING FOR ME AND THE AND I IMAGINE THE OTHER 1700 ISH STUDENTS IN MAGNET PROGRAMS, THEY'RE TRYING. BUT THEY CAN'T SUSTAIN THIS. AND IT SHOWS. I'M IN THE SCIENCE AND MATH ACADEMY PROGRAM. WE DON'T TAKE PE9 OUR[00:05:04]
FRESHMAN YEAR SUMMER PE, WHICH WAS CUT, WAS SO VALUABLE IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO US DURING ORIENTATION. NOW IT'S CUT TO SHOW HOW DISRUPTIVE THAT IS. I SURVEYED OVER 100 SMA STUDENTS, 88% OF THE STUDENTS EITHER TOOK SUMMER PE FOR THEIR PE NINE CREDIT OR WOULD. IF THEY HAD THE CHANCE, I REACHED OUT TO THE IB PROGRAM AND WAS TOLD THAT A QUARTER OF INCOMING STUDENTS USUALLY SIGN UP FOR SUMMER PE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS ALREADY HAVING TO CUT THINGS STUDENTS NEED. AND IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE IF THEY REMAIN UNDERFUNDED. AND YES, THEY ARE UNDERFUNDED. NEXT, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES, WHICH VERY HELPFULLY PROVIDED AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. THEIR BUDGET WAS ABOUT $20.8 MILLION IN 2025. THE ESTIMATE FOR THE SERVICES PROVIDED WAS OVER FIVE TIMES THAT. BECAUSE WHEN I SAY THE HCPL IS A COMMUNITY PILLAR, I MEAN THAT ACTIVITIES RANGE OR VARY IN TARGET AGE RANGE FROM BABY UP TO SENIOR. AND I COULDN'T FIND A DAY IN MAY THAT DIDN'T HAVE SEVERAL THINGS GOING ON. THAT WASN'T A SUNDAY, BECAUSE THE LIBRARY SYSTEM DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING TO BE OPEN ON SUNDAYS. PLEASE FULLY FUND EDUCATION BEFORE THINGS GET EVEN SCARIER THAN THEY ALREADY HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. TRACY PAPPIN, FOLLOWED BY TINA GRAF. GOOD EVENING MA'AM, NAME AND ZIP CODE, PLEASE. TRACY PAPPIN 21001. GOOD EVENING. I AM SPEAKING HERE TONIGHT AS AN EDUCATOR AND CONCERNED CITIZEN ABOUT THE BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR HARFORD COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR SCHOOLS. I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT I DON'T ENVY YOUR POSITION AT ALL. YOU HAVE BEEN PRESENTED WITH A BUDGET THAT UNDERFUNDS ALL OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, ALL OF WHICH NEED TO BE FULLY FUNDED.I'M NOT A BUDGET EXPERT, BUT I CAN SPEAK FROM MY POSITION AS A 20 YEAR VETERAN EDUCATOR IN HARFORD COUNTY AND SHARE WITH YOU THE IMPACT OF REPEATED UNDERFUNDING FROM OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, WHICH LAST YEAR RESULTED IN 168 POSITION CUTS. I SEE THIS IMPACT IN OUR INCREASED CLASS SIZES. WE HAVE SO MANY STUDENTS IN OUR CLASSROOMS THAT OFTEN I CANNOT GET TO STUDENTS TO ASSIST THEM BECAUSE OF THE SHEER VOLUME OF DESKS CRAMMED INTO SPACES THAT WERE NOT DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE THE LARGER CLASS SIZES. I SEE THIS IMPACT DURING INSTRUCTION IN A CLASS OF 36 STUDENTS. EVEN UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS, THERE IS BARELY 1 OR 2 MINUTES OF INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION PER CHILD. THAT IS NOT ENOUGH, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING OR TRYING TO STAY ENGAGED. I SEE THIS IMPACT IN DISAPPOINTED STUDENTS WHO CANNOT SIGN UP FOR ELECTIVE CLASSES BECAUSE THEY AREN'T OFFERED ANY MORE DUE TO ALL OF THE TEACHER CUTS, WHICH HAS REDUCED OUR CLASS OFFERINGS TO THE MOST ESSENTIAL OF CLASSES. ELECTIVES ARE THE ENRICHMENT THAT, FOR MANY STUDENTS, IS THE REASON THEY LOOK FORWARD TO COMING TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. I SEE THIS IMPACT AND THE RESOURCES. WE NO LONGER HAVE A DATABASE THAT I RELIED ON TO HELP STUDENTS ASK ACCESS. HIGH QUALITY, VETTED INFORMATION WAS ELIMINATED, LEAVING THEM TO RELY INSTEAD ON GOOGLE. I SEE IT IN MY COLLEAGUES. I HAVE WATCHED DEDICATED TEACHERS BREAK DOWN IN MY OFFICE AFTER LEARNING THEIR POSITIONS WERE CUT, KNOWING THEY WOULD WAIT WEEKS BEFORE FINDING OUT WHERE OR IF THEY WOULD EVEN BE PLACED. AND I FEEL THIS IMPACT FOR MYSELF WHEN I PULL INTO THE SCHOOL PARKING LOT THE DAY AFTER THIS BUDGET WAS RELEASED, AND EXPERIENCED THAT AWFUL FEELING IN MY STOMACH, WONDERING IF THIS IS THE YEAR THEY'RE GOING TO CUT MY JOB AND WHAT THAT'S GOING TO MEAN FOR ME. THESE ARE NOT ABSTRACT CONSEQUENCES. THEY ARE THE PREDICTABLE RESULT OF FUNDING DECISIONS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I AM ASKING YOU TO USE THE AUTHORITY YOU DO HAVE TO PREVENT FURTHER HARM TO RESTORE FUNDING WHERE POSSIBLE. I RECOGNIZE THE HARD TASK IN FRONT OF YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO DO. THANK YOU MA'AM. GOOD EVENING MA'AM. NAME AND ZIP CODE. TINA GRAF 2105. OH. MY NAME IS TINA GRAF AND I'M THE PROUD SCHOOL SAFETY LIAISON AT FALLSTON HIGH SCHOOL. I WASN'T GOING TO COME TONIGHT. I WORKED EVERY NIGHT THIS WEEK, AND OUR SCHOOL SUFFERED A TRAGIC LOSS OF A STUDENT YESTERDAY. BUT
[00:10:04]
TODAY OUR SCHOOL NURSE WAS THIS YEAR ASKED ME HOW TO BUY SALTINES FOR THE HEALTH SUITE.AS SHE'S EXHAUSTED HER BUDGET. I TOLD HER WE WOULD FIGURE IT OUT. I'M SURE OUR PTSA OR COMMUNITY WOULD PROVIDE, AND I KNOW OUR NURSES, LIKE ALL OF OUR CPS STAFF, WILL DIG INTO THEIR POCKETS, THEIR OWN POCKETS. SO WHEN I CONTEMPLATED THE REALITY OF OUR BUDGET DEFICIT, I TOOK MY ONE NIGHT OFF THIS WEEK TO SPEAK TO YOU IN THE HOPES THAT SOMEONE HERE MAY LISTEN. IT'S EXHAUSTING THAT WE GO THROUGH THIS EVERY YEAR. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE WILL NOT ADVOCATE FOR US. HE POSTS MEANINGLESS GRAPHS AND SOUNDBITES TO CLAIM OUR BUDGET IS BEING FULLY FUNDED, AND CITING RUDE COMMENTS MADE TOWARD CPS AS WE ARE SOMEHOW TO BLAME. THE FALLACY THAT WE ARE FULLY FUNDED IS INSULTING TO OUR EDUCATORS AND MISLEADING TO OUR COMMUNITY. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT ENROLLMENT MAY BE SLIGHTLY DOWN, BUT COSTS HAVE RISEN SIGNIFICANTLY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, HEALTH INSURANCE, FUEL, AGING SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO OFFER. AND MY SCHOOL, WE CAN'T EVEN DRINK OUR WATER. MANY CLAIM THAT THROWING MONEY AT A FAILING SCHOOL SYSTEM IS NOT THE ANSWER. OUR KIDS ARE NOT FAILING. IT'S SOME FAILING TO SEE THAT THE STATE GRADES US ON THINGS THAT ARE MEANINGLESS TO OUR STUDENT SUCCESS. STUDENT PERFORMANCE IS TIED TO STANDARDIZED TESTS, WHICH HAVE NO BEARING ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN PUBLIC PERCEPTION. THE STUDENTS DO NOT RECEIVE GRADES ON THEM, NOR DO THEY HAVE TO PASS. MANY KIDS TELL ME THEY SIMPLY FILL IN THE CIRCLES WITHOUT READING THE QUESTIONS. ATTENDANCE IS ALSO A BIG STATE ISSUE ON WHICH SCHOOLS ARE GRADED UPON. BUT IF YOU'RE SMART AND WORK THE SYSTEM, YOU CAN PASS FIRST QUARTER AND REALLY NOT CARE ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. THERE ARE ALSO MANY PEOPLE THAT CLAIM WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS AND GET STUDENT DISCIPLINE UNDER CONTROL. I ASK YOU HOW YOU PLAN ON DOING THAT WITH LESS STAFF. MY JOB ISN'T EVEN PART OF THE BLUEPRINT. WALK AROUND MY SCHOOL. YOU'LL SEE MANY EMPTY CLASSROOMS. WALK INTO THE CLASSROOMS AND YOU'LL SEE LARGE CLASSES. WE'VE LOST TEACHERS YEAR AFTER YEAR AND THEY'VE NOT BEEN REPLACED. YOU CANNOT EXPECT ONE TEACHER TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL OVER 30 STUDENTS FOR 85 MINUTES EVERY DAY WITHOUT ISSUES ARISING, AND IT WILL GET WORSE. DO YOU WANT TOP NOTCH PUBLIC EDUCATION? BUT YOU'RE NOT. NOT YOUR JOB TO ALLOCATE OUR BUDGET, BUT THE OPTIONS TO SATISFY A $15 MILLION DEFICIT ARE STAGGERING, WITH THE ONLY REAL OPTION IS LOSING STAFF. IF GETTING BACK TO THE BASICS IS SO IMPORTANT, ELIMINATE EVERYTHING OTHER THAN ACADEMICS, SPORTS, THE ARTS, SAFETY AND SECURITY BUSSES OTHER THAN SPECIAL ED. LET'S TRY IT AND SEE HOW FAR OUR PROPERTY VALUES PLUMMET. I'M NOT ASKING YOU FOR OUR PROPERTY OR FOR OUR TAXES TO BE INCREASED. I'M LOOKING AT EACH ONE OF YOU TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE CANNOT FULLY FUND OUR REQUEST. I'M ASKING YOU TO HELP ME IN OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, HOW HE'S INCREASED THE COUNTY'S FUND BALANCE SIGNIFICANTLY, PROUDLY CLAIMING TO HAVE A STRONG STRUCTURAL SURPLUS, AND EVEN ADDING A WHOLE OTHER LINE ITEM CALLED REVENUE VOLATILITY. YET WE CAN'T FUND OUR SCHOOLS. MAKE IT MAKE SENSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. DAVID BAUER, FOLLOWED BY COLLEEN BIANCO.
GOOD EVENING, SIR OR SIR. NAME A ZIP CODE, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVID BAUER 21009.
MOST OF THE TIMES I'VE SPOKEN BEFORE THIS COUNCIL. I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR FUNDING FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. SOME YEARS WE'VE GOTTEN IT AND SOMETIMES WE DID NOT. LAST YEAR I DIDN'T ASK FOR MONEY. I ONLY ASKED FOR HONESTY IN THE LANGUAGE, IN THE BUDGET. WE DIDN'T GET IT. IN ALL THE TIMES I'VE COME HERE ASKING FOR MORE FUNDING FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE COUNTY'S FINANCES HAVE NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD AS THEY LOOK NOW. WITH THIS NEW BUDGET PROPOSAL, I SENT YOU MORE DETAILS IN EMAILS, BUT I WANT TO SIMPLIFY THE NUMBERS TO THIS. THE PROJECTIONS IN THE BUDGET PROPOSAL SHOW THAT YOU CAN FUND EVERYTHING IN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION PROPOSAL, AND FULLY FUND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S OPERATING BUDGET REQUEST, AND STILL GROW THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE BY MILLIONS. IT'S THAT SIMPLE. THE COUNTY CAN EASILY AFFORD TO FULLY FUND THE REQUEST, EVEN ACCOUNTING FOR THE CONCERNS OF THE AFFORDABILITY COMMITTEE.
MEANWHILE, I HEAR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TRYING TO SCARE YOU ALL. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN DID THE COUNTY HAVE A $90 MILLION STRUCTURAL DEFICIT? THE ANSWER IS NEVER. MR. CASTILE'S OWN COVER LETTER FOR THE FY 24 BUDGET SAYS IT WAS ONLY $60 MILLION, BUT THAT WAS BUDGET PLANNING. THE ACTUAL SPENDING THAT YEAR WAS SMALLER. THE RECURRING. WHEN YOU ACCOUNT FOR RECURRING EXPENSES, THE ACTUAL STRUCTURAL STRUCTURAL DEFICIT WAS VERY SMALL. THIS BUDGET
[00:15:07]
PROPOSAL PUTS WELL OVER $100 MILLION OF GENERAL FUNDING INTO ONE TIME EXPENSES, AND STILL HAS ENOUGH CASH FLOW REMAINING TO FULLY FUND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S OPERATING REQUEST AND ALSO GROW THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE. COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S PROJECTION. MEANWHILE, THE BUDGET COVER LETTER CITES, QUOTE, THE SUPERINTENDENTS THREE YEAR FUNDING PLAN AS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN JANUARY 20TH, 2025. SORRY, END QUOTE. NO HONEST BUDGET WOULD CITE THIS A PRESENTATION, NOT A DOCUMENT FROM 16 MONTHS AGO AND FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT. WHEN IT'S THE BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT IS THE ACTUAL BUDGET AUTHORITY FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. IN CONCLUSION, I'M ASKING FOR BOTH FULL FUNDING OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S BUDGET REQUESTS AND HONESTY IN LANGUAGE. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU SIR. GOOD EVENING MA'AM.NAME IS IT COLLEEN BIANCO 21009. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I AM COLLEEN BIANCO AND I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY. I HAVE DEDICATED MY LIFE TO BEING AN EDUCATOR FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M HERE ONCE AGAIN BEGGING THE COUNCIL. YOU KNOW, IT'S SPRING TO FIND THE FUNDS TO COVER THE $15 MILLION SHORTAGE BOB HAS CREATED IN HIS BUDGET. HE ALREADY SUBMITTED A VERY TRIMMED DOWN BUDGET, ELIMINATING NEEDED POSITIONS AND PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF EARLY CHILDHOOD. NOW, IN TRUE BOB FASHION, HE GAVE US EVEN LESS. 15 MILLION LESS. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR CPS? WELL, HERE ARE SOME POSSIBLE THINGS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. EVERY MILLION DOLLARS EQUALS ABOUT 12 TEACHERS. 12 TIMES 15 EQUALS 180 TEACHERS. THAT'S A LOT. CLASS SIZES WILL CONTINUE TO SOAR. LESS TEACHERS MEANS MORE PROGRAMS AND CLASSES CUT. PAY TO PLAY WILL RETURN. AND IT WILL MOST LIKELY BE WAY MORE THAN $100 PER SPORT, AS IT WAS BEFORE TRANSPORTATION COULD BE CUT. IT NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, BUT NOT FOR EVERYONE ELSE. SO HOW DO YOU WANT THIS TO IMPACT YOUR CONSTITUENTS? LUCKY FOR YOU, I DON'T JUST OFFER DOOM AND GLOOM, BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. THE MONEY IS THERE. IT'S BEEN THERE FOR YEARS. 2023. THE FUND BALANCE WAS 89.8 9 MILLION, 43.12 MILLION WAS SPENT. THAT LEAVES 46.77 MILLION NEVER USED. WHEN HE UNDERFUNDED US IN 2024, THE FUND BALANCE WAS 74 MILLION.
ONLY 16.24 MILLION WAS SPENT. THAT LEAVES 57.83 MILLION UNUSED. WHEN WE WERE UNDERFUNDED, 2025 FUND BALANCE WAS 58.48 MILLION AND NONE OF IT WAS USED. CURRENTLY, THERE IS A 51.61 MILLION IN THE FUND BALANCE. NOW, BEFORE THE CRITICS COME TO ATTACK ME AND SAY THAT HE SHOULDN'T SPEND DOWN THE FUND BALANCE, I'M NOT ASKING HIM TO DO THAT. THERE'S PLENTY OF MONEY TO FUND WHAT WE ARE ASKING. I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT HE REALLY DOES WANT CPS TO WIPE OUT OUR FUND BALANCE, BUT IT ONLY WORKS ONE WAY. HE REFUSES TO DO IT. HE LOVES TO SAY THAT HE IS FULLY FUNDING HSPS. NO, HE IS NOT. HE CLEARLY LOVES TO SQUIRREL THE MONEY AWAY AND NOT PROPERLY FUND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. PLEASE CHECK THE FUND BALANCE AND OUR REVENUE INCOME TO PROVIDE US WITH THE 15 MILLION THAT HE CUT US. SO THE CHILDREN DO NOT CONTINUE TO SUFFER UNDER HIS EGO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU MA'AM. THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR. PRESIDENT. THIS WILL CONCLUDE THE SPEAKERS FOR THE EVENING PUBLIC HEARING WILL CONTINUE.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13TH, 2025 AT 7 P.M. IN THESE CHAMBERS. YOU CAN PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR CALL THE OFFICE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON VIEWING AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. THIS WILL
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.