School Board Members Support Higher Taxes (Question F)

(Posted 23 Oct 2008)

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School board voices support for phone tax; But members disagree over slots; discussions focus on whether initiatives would benefit education.
Gazette, 23 Oct 2008 (King ).

The Prince George's County school board unanimously approved a resolution Oct. 16 to support the telecommunications tax increase to bring additional revenue to the school system but could not agree on a position for the controversial slots referendum that will be on the Nov. 4 ballot in Maryland.
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Board member Heather Iliff (Dist. 2) and board vice-chairman Ron L. Watson (At-Large) did not attend the meeting.
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So, the members voting for higher taxes were:

• Rosalind A. Johnson (Dist. 1)
  
• Pat J. Fletcher (Dist. 3)
  
• Linda Thornton Thomas (Dist. 4)
  
• R. Owen Johnson Jr. (Dist. 5)
  
• Donna Hathaway Beck (At-large)
  
• Verjeana M. Jacobs (At-large)
  
• Amber P. Waller (At-large)
  
• student board member Edward Burroughs III
  

Comment:  The proposed tax increase is expected to generate about $17 million.  It will pay for little under half of the cost of the new school system headquarters recently approved by the board.  And it will leave Prince George's County with the highest telephone tax rate in the state and among the very highest in the whole country.

Earlier: 

• Can you afford higher phone bills? (17 Oct 2008)
  
• Telephone tax increase (Question F) will hurt both the people least able to pay and small, local businesses (14 Oct 2008)
  

School Board wants more money

(Posted 8 Nov 2007)

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School leaders make request: Fully fund our public schools.
Gazette, 8 Nov 2007 (Letter).

We strongly support full funding of the ‘‘Thornton” Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act and oppose the proposals to cut education funding in the next year’s state budget.

We ask that you contact your delegates and senators in the General Assembly to urge their support for full funding for the Bridge To Excellence Act. Remind your elected officials of their constitutional duty to provide the funding amount mandated in the Thornton law. Let your voice be heard that any package of proposals considered by the General Assembly should include:
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Prince George’s County school board members R. Owen Johnson Jr., Verjeana M. Jacobs, Donna Hathaway Beck, Pat J. Fletcher, Heather Iliff, Rosalind A. Johnson, Linda Thornton Thomas, Amber P. Waller, Ron L. Watson,Haywood L. Perry III (studentmember) and schools Superintendent John E. Deasy