Colleagues:
The Administration has provided us with information on the process that is followed in order for the College to obtain funding from the County. Several weeks ago members of the college community (myself, staff, BOT representatives, and students) spoke in front of the full Council on behalf of the college. Our testimony is part a major effort to help convince the County Council to support the BOT recommended budget request which is about 15 million dollars over last year’s budget. Approximately 11 million dollars of this request is needed to cover contractually negotiated increases in our salaries. The County Executive recommended that the college receive 3 million dollars over last year’s budget. It was recently reported in the Gazette that the full Council is recommending the college’s funding include an 11 million dollar increase over last year’s budget in order to assist the college in paying for contractually negotiated pay raises and keep the tuition increase for our students at a reasonable level. The BOT recently voted to increase student tuition by $3.00 for in county residents, $6.00 for in-state residents, and $9.00 for out of state residents.
The County Council will now attempt to meet the needs of all of the county funded agencies by reconciling the entire county budget and our budget is on this reconciliation list. It is very important that the full time faculty participate in the lobbying efforts that are currently underway. Attached are the names and e-mail addresses of the County Council President and the Chair of the Education Committee. Please consider sending an e-mail to each stating who you are, your home address, brief information about your career at MC, the impact your work has had on the lives of our students, and a few lines about some of your memorable successful students. We have all had a positive impact on the lives of many students and now is the time to toot your horn and possibly help sway the County to provide us with the dollars we have requested.
George Leventhal
Council President
240-777-7811
Councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov
Craig Rice
Chair, Education Committee
240-777-7955
Councilmember.rice@montgomerycountymd.gov
Below are the names of all of the members of the County Council. You may also send each of them a copy of the same e-mail.
Roger Berliner (Bethesda & Potomac area) Tom Hucker (Silver Spring-Takoma Park-Burtonsville area) Sidney Katz (Rockville-Gaithersburg area) Nancy Navarro (Wheaton-Olney-Laytonsville area) Craig Rice (Germantown area) Marc Elrich (at large) Nancy Floreen (at large) George Leventhal (at large) Hans Riemer (at large)
Thank you,
Harry Z.
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