MARYLAND—As the General Assembly begins its 2014 session, legislators will deliberate proposed allocations for state aid to Worcester County totaling more than $35.8 million, a 2.1 percent increase from the roughly $35.1 million amount that was appropriated to the county for fiscal year 2014.
The amount proposed for fiscal 2015 represents $695 per county resident in state aid—slightly more than half the statewide average of $1,207 per capita.
In the overall $39 billion fiscal 2015 budget package, the Gov. Martin O’Malley administration has proposed $7,703,000 in spending for capital projects for Worcester County and $35,850,000 for operational spending for county and municipal governing, community colleges, public schools, libraries, local health grants, and retirement funding for state employees.
If the state aid was approved as proposed, it would allocate $27,924,000 in direct assistance, plus $7,926,000 for retirement, a preliminary review of the proposed budget showed.
Matthew D. Klein, capital budget manager in the Department of Legislative Services, confirmed on Jan. 27 many of the allocations found for Worcester County, but advised that those numbers could shift as the budget bills work their ways through the legislative process.
First, in the operating budget, the largest portion of the proposed allowance for direct state aid would be $19,544,000 for the 6,240 K-12 students in Worcester County public schools —a .5 percent increase from the fiscal 2014 working appropriation amount.
A $5,664,000 allowance was proposed for county and municipal government—an 8.7 percent increase from the fiscal 2014 working appropriation amount.
Local community colleges would receive $2,084 (excludes state retirement payments), if approved, for expenses, grants and special programs.
Under the budget proposal, $442,000 would be allowed for local health initiatives—a 12.3 percent increase from the fiscal 2014 working appropriation amount.
Libraries would receive the formulaic amount of $144,000 under the proposal for operating and capital expenses, as well as $266,000 for pension and retirement benefits for eligible library employees. According to a budget explanation the amount would represent a $19,000 increase from the fiscal 2014 working appropriation amount.
The budget proposal would allow for $7,926,000 in retirement payments for state employees, Klein said.
Although listed under the operating budget, there were proposals under the consolidated transportation plan for capital expenditures for the lower Eastern Shore. Those expenditures would include $6.9 million to rehabilitate the bridges on U.S. Route 13 that span over the Pocomoke River in Somerset and Worcester counties and $5.9 million for engineering and acquisition costs for a right of way on U.S. 113 in Worcester County, according to a synopsis of the fiscal 2015 operating budget.
Also, according to Klein, Worcester County will receive a $311,794 distribution from Program Open Space that can be used for land acquisition or infrastructure in local parks.
Second, the capital budget for 2015 budget initially proposed $4,245,000 in allocations for Worcester County in the form of loans from the state Department of the Environment’s Maryland Water Quality Revolving Loan Fund, in the form of $3,226,000 for miscellaneous improvements at the Fruitland Wastewater Treatment Plant and $1,019,000 to rehabilitate the Clarke Avenue Pump Station in Pocomoke City.
According to the proposal, $1 million from the Ocean City Beach Replenishment Fund would be allocated for combatting beach erosion, and $99,000 from the Waterway Improvement Project would be allocated to the Gum Point Boat Ramp off Route 589 in West Ocean City.
Department of Natural Resources Critical Maintenance Projects would provide funding to Assateague State Park for dune maintenance ($50,000) and Phase II of the shower buildings renovation project ($1,417,000). Several projects at the Pocomoke River State Park would also receive funding from the department, including $107,000 for renovating the Algonquin and Manokin Pavilions, $25,000 for improvements to the marina services loading dock area, an additional $600,000 for a separate Phase II project for the shower buildings renovation project, $50,000 to replace the dumping station at Milburn Landing, and $45,000 to upgrade the electrical system in the shop at Shad Landing.
Klein added that although county officials did not request funding through the regular school construction program, the county will receive $65,000 through the aging schools program which automatically by statute under Sec. 5-206 of the state’s Education Article.
There were no proposed allocations for community parks and playgrounds, he said.
The amount proposed for fiscal 2015 represents $695 per county resident in state aid—slightly more than half the statewide average of $1,207 per capita.
In the overall $39 billion fiscal 2015 budget package, the Gov. Martin O’Malley administration has proposed $7,703,000 in spending for capital projects for Worcester County and $35,850,000 for operational spending for county and municipal governing, community colleges, public schools, libraries, local health grants, and retirement funding for state employees.
If the state aid was approved as proposed, it would allocate $27,924,000 in direct assistance, plus $7,926,000 for retirement, a preliminary review of the proposed budget showed.
Matthew D. Klein, capital budget manager in the Department of Legislative Services, confirmed on Jan. 27 many of the allocations found for Worcester County, but advised that those numbers could shift as the budget bills work their ways through the legislative process.
First, in the operating budget, the largest portion of the proposed allowance for direct state aid would be $19,544,000 for the 6,240 K-12 students in Worcester County public schools —a .5 percent increase from the fiscal 2014 working appropriation amount.
A $5,664,000 allowance was proposed for county and municipal government—an 8.7 percent increase from the fiscal 2014 working appropriation amount.
Local community colleges would receive $2,084 (excludes state retirement payments), if approved, for expenses, grants and special programs.
Under the budget proposal, $442,000 would be allowed for local health initiatives—a 12.3 percent increase from the fiscal 2014 working appropriation amount.
Libraries would receive the formulaic amount of $144,000 under the proposal for operating and capital expenses, as well as $266,000 for pension and retirement benefits for eligible library employees. According to a budget explanation the amount would represent a $19,000 increase from the fiscal 2014 working appropriation amount.
The budget proposal would allow for $7,926,000 in retirement payments for state employees, Klein said.
Although listed under the operating budget, there were proposals under the consolidated transportation plan for capital expenditures for the lower Eastern Shore. Those expenditures would include $6.9 million to rehabilitate the bridges on U.S. Route 13 that span over the Pocomoke River in Somerset and Worcester counties and $5.9 million for engineering and acquisition costs for a right of way on U.S. 113 in Worcester County, according to a synopsis of the fiscal 2015 operating budget.
Also, according to Klein, Worcester County will receive a $311,794 distribution from Program Open Space that can be used for land acquisition or infrastructure in local parks.
Second, the capital budget for 2015 budget initially proposed $4,245,000 in allocations for Worcester County in the form of loans from the state Department of the Environment’s Maryland Water Quality Revolving Loan Fund, in the form of $3,226,000 for miscellaneous improvements at the Fruitland Wastewater Treatment Plant and $1,019,000 to rehabilitate the Clarke Avenue Pump Station in Pocomoke City.
According to the proposal, $1 million from the Ocean City Beach Replenishment Fund would be allocated for combatting beach erosion, and $99,000 from the Waterway Improvement Project would be allocated to the Gum Point Boat Ramp off Route 589 in West Ocean City.
Department of Natural Resources Critical Maintenance Projects would provide funding to Assateague State Park for dune maintenance ($50,000) and Phase II of the shower buildings renovation project ($1,417,000). Several projects at the Pocomoke River State Park would also receive funding from the department, including $107,000 for renovating the Algonquin and Manokin Pavilions, $25,000 for improvements to the marina services loading dock area, an additional $600,000 for a separate Phase II project for the shower buildings renovation project, $50,000 to replace the dumping station at Milburn Landing, and $45,000 to upgrade the electrical system in the shop at Shad Landing.
Klein added that although county officials did not request funding through the regular school construction program, the county will receive $65,000 through the aging schools program which automatically by statute under Sec. 5-206 of the state’s Education Article.
There were no proposed allocations for community parks and playgrounds, he said.