By Adam Pagnucco.
Earlier today, I wrote about last night’s rally at which MCPS leadership, the county PTA and school district labor unions demanded that the county executive and the county council fully fund the school board’s requested FY26 operating budget. (Bethesda Today and MCM also reported on the rally.)
WUSA9, the D.C. region’s CBS TV channel, ran the video below about the rally. Anchor Lorenzo Hall began his report by saying, “The school board approved a budget plan for next year. They made some painful cuts knowing that money is tight. Now they’re asking the county council to spare students and staff any more cuts.”
This is one of the most inaccurate stories I have ever seen in local media about MCPS and the county government.
Here are the facts. Back in December, MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor requested a $296 million operating budget increase, one of the largest increases in MCPS history adjusted for inflation. Taylor openly admitted that this was a huge ask but argues, along with labor, that it is justified.
Since when is a “BIG” request a “painful cut?”
The school board then added a net $37 million to Taylor’s recommended budget. Most of this addition is due to a proposal by Governor Wes Moore to shift additional teacher pension costs to local governments. So now MCPS is requesting a $333 million increase. How on Earth does that amount to “painful cuts?”
This headline is absolutely atrocious.
Furthermore, neither the county executive nor the county council has acted on MCPS’s budget request. The executive is due to forward his recommended budget to the council next month. The council will approve its budget in May.
How can there be cuts when there has not been any cutting?
I’m not blaming Lorenzo Hall. As an anchor, he reads the script he is given. But this is a huge fail. WUSA9 could issue a correction but its report has already been seen by viewers. How many of them think that county leaders are cutting MCPS?
This spring’s budget discussions will be contentious. MCPS has legitimate needs and the county executive is now considering a property tax increase to meet them (along with the rest of the government). That flies in the face of a weakening economy caused by federal spending and job reductions. Media accuracy will be necessary to help residents understand what is going on as big decisions will be made.
The local press must do a better job than this.