Restoring Integrity (And Our School System)

By Patrick Weadon

A prominent story in the February 26 edition of The Baltimore Sun noted that former Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold – recently convicted on two counts of misconduct in office - had finally been supplanted. The story entitled “In Arundel, A Breath Of Fresh Air” was right on the mark. For once, the usual collection of political hacks and job holders were bypassed in favor of a fresh face, Ms. Laura Neuman, a woman whose personal story is only surpassed by her accomplishments and integrity. Neuman is pro-business and her record as an economic development official for Howard County is impressive. However, while the people of Anne Arundel County will finally get a leader they can trust, restoring integrity to the office of the county executive will not be enough. To my mind the number-one goal for our new leader will be to provide the leadership needed to repeal the current tax cap with the aim of increasing funding for our schools.

Neuman has spent a great deal of time in Howard County. During her time there I am sure she has noticed the sparkling new high schools and facilities that are the hallmark of that area. She will not be happy to learn that the county she will run has a billion-dollar maintenance backlog and the last time this county managed to build a new high school (Broadneck), Ronald Reagan was in the White House.

Most readers of this column are aware that the Anne Arundel County School Board recently passed a 2014 operating budget that will fund the construction of a badly needed new high school for Severna Park.

The budget passed by a vote of 8-1. Amalie Brandenburg, the lone dissenter, noted she “could not vote in favor of a budget that would ultimately be rejected by the council.”

To the best of my knowledge, Brandenburg is not a professional prognosticator, but one only has to look at the history of acrimony between the school board and the council to know she is probably right. A majority of the council members are more interested in pinching pennies than giving our kids the educational system they need and deserve.

These shortsighted individuals, to paraphrase Delegate Cathy Vitale, have an aversion to taxes. What they don’t realize is that their inability to properly fund the system is resulting in our county’s being averse to the goal of securing a 21^st-century education for our children.

Neuman would do well to listen to Board Vice President Teresa Milio Birge who, in response to Brandenburg noted, "We're a wealthy county, and we need to start acting like one … We do have the resources for all of our citizens, for all of our needs, if we choose to make the decisions in this county that would provide them."

Neuman will have a mountain of challenges to deal with in her new position. The economy remains stagnant and governments on all levels are struggling to find ways to do more with less in order to maintain services.

However, great leaders are able to get people to understand the need for sacrifice. Our school system, particularly in the area of infrastructure, is in crisis. Both our county and our nation will need the next generation to be prepared to deal with the challenges of the information revolution and the global economy. In short, Neuman’s main priority should be to raise revenues with the aim of providing our children the same level of educational excellence that kids in Montgomery and Howard counties receive.