Following Up On Last Month’s Request, Council President Calls on Mayor to Commit Budget Surplus to City Schools

Following Up On Last Month’s Request, Council President Calls on Mayor to Commit Budget Surplus to City Schools

$34 Million Surplus More Than Covers Estimated School Heating & AC Need

BALTIMORE, MD (November 27, 2019) — Baltimore City Council President Brandon M. Scott called again this morning on the Mayor to commit a projected $34 million city budget surplus, leftover from the last fiscal year, to ensure Baltimore City Public Schools have adequate heating and air conditioning. Updated figures provided by the School System indicate an outstanding need of only $20.74 million for adequate HVAC equipment in public schools.

The renewed request was made in a letter sent to the Mayor’s Office on Wednesday, November 27. The original request was made on October 16. 

“As you can see, Mr. Mayor, we more than have the resources available to us to solve this problem. With just over half of the unaudited surplus, we can ensure every student goes to school in an environment that is more conducive to learning, thanks to reliable heating and air conditioning,” said Council President Scott.

“Like you, I remain fully committed to Kirwan and am excited for a more equitable funding formula for our schools. But this is not an either-or. Best practices dictate that we not fund ongoing expenses with budget surpluses,” continued the Council President. “BCPSS has been investing their capital dollars in solving this problem. They cannot do it alone, and our students cannot afford for us to wait any longer. We can solve this problem with the means available to us and should act now.”

As winter approaches this issue gains increased urgency. Between September and October of this year, 49 schools were closed because of high temperatures. Without intervention, students are expected to lose even more classroom time due to inadequate heating this winter. 

Today, the School System needs $20.74 million for nine buildings that have no identified funding source at this time. The original Baltimore City Public School Air-Conditioning Plan estimated the total cost of installing adequate heating and air conditioning at more than $54 million.

The City of Baltimore faces a projected budget surplus of $34 million, according to a Bureau of Budget and Management Research briefing to the City Council on September 26. This surplus exists after accounting for several supplemental appropriations passed by the City Council at the close of the last fiscal year.

In August, Council President Scott introduced a resolution calling on the Finance Department to prepare for the Kirwan Commission’s recommendations. Directing the Department of Finance to produce a fiscal readiness plan in anticipation of Kirwan was one of the Council President’s priorities listed in his Legislative and Policy Agenda in July. 

A hearing on Baltimore’s fiscal readiness for Kirwan will be held in the City Council’s Education and Youth Committee, chaired by Councilman Zeke Cohen, on Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 5:30pm in the “Du” Burns Council Chambers. 

Read the letter in full here.