The proposed budget for Charles County proposal attempts to eliminate a $4.6 million gap through a series of workforce reductions and early retirement plans as well as departmental budget reductions and use of Reserve funds.  The county will fund the Board of Education at the maintenance of effort level instead of $3.6 million over the FY 10 funding.

Charles County has continued to prioritize education and public safety funding and we’ve kept basic city services despite the very tough decisions we have to make,” said Commissioner Reuben B. Collins II (D). “This stuff is not easy. We’re making decisions that have an impact on the 145,000 people in this community.”

During Thursday’s budget adoption, Cooper defended his board’s actions by explaining that half of the $277 million capital improvement plan is for the school system.

“To say we don’t care about education is unfair. We’re doing the best we can do in the hard times we are in,” Cooper said.

Some of the financial setbacks the county has experienced in the last few years include a 50 percent cut in highway user tax revenue; a 28.2 percent drop in home assessments

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