Carroll County is hosting a public forum this evening to allow discussion about potential effects of state funding cuts and mandates on county school funding capacity. From coverage in the Carroll County Times (limited free viewings), the forum was established:

…to inform parents, education employees and other concerned community members about pension pass-back costs and possible issues concerning maintenance of effort funding, and explain how they could affect the local school system.

Gov. Martin O’Malley proposed in his budget plan that counties pay for 50 percent of the combined cost of Social Security and teachers’ retirement contributions. Pension pass-back could cost the county $7 million in its first year.

The event is co-sponsored by the Carroll County Schools and the Carroll County Education Association, a labor union organization.