UFCW 1994 Applauds Council Action To Balance Allocations For Services & Education

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Saying that Montgomery County residents “should not have to choose between education and other vital services,” UFCW Local 1994 last week applauded the Montgomery County Council and President Valerie Ervin in not seeking a waiver under the state’s Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement. “The County is at the point where continued cuts to meet an elusive education spending target will cause permanent damage to the quality of life in our County,” said Local 1994 President Gino Renne. “You cannot sacrifice health services, libraries and recreation without negatively impacting education. It’s all part of the fabric of the community.” The MOE requires the county to sustain spending at the same per-pupil level as the previous year, or increase it, in order to qualify for state education aid. Local 1994 had earlier joined forces with the County Council to urge the legislature to revisit the MOE with the intent of developing more discretion for local jurisdictions. “Continuing to chase a larger per-pupil spending ratio ignores the opportunities to explore efficiencies and innovations that could both improve education quality and reduce spending. That’s where we need to look,” Renne said.