MACo submitted written testimony in opposition to House Bill 1061, “Education – Salaries of Noncertificated Public School Employees – Minimum Living Salaries”, to the House Ways and Means Committee on March 1, 2018.

This bill would impose a huge fiscal impact on counties by mandating local jurisdictions to provide a minimum salary to noncertificated public school employees. Local school boards take many factors into consideration when deciding compensation for public school employees, and HB 1061 removes their ability to do so. Additionally, there is no state funding mechanism for this change, and the estimated increase in local expenditures exceeds $236 million by FY 2024.

From MACo Testimony:

As a rule, MACo resists state policies that result in costly or burdensome local implementation. HB 1061 would severely restrict the state and local ability to keep pace with education needs and to provide safe and healthy learning environments for Maryland’s school children. According to the bill’s fiscal note, local school system expenditures would increase statewide by $115.1 million in FY 2022 and by $236.1 million in FY 2024 – a massive fiscal cost.

Under state law, counties have no choice but to fund these costs – competing for limited local funds against education, public safety, roadway maintenance, and other essential public services. This bill would place a costly mandate on county governments to carry out new state policy.”

Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2018 legislative session here.