The Maryland State Board of Education has denied Wicomico County's request for a waiver of the state's Momentum of Effort rule. County Executive Rick Pollitt, along with the Wicomico County Council will now be forced to come up with approximately $2 million in additional cuts to the county's budget.
Council Joe Holloway (R-5) responded to the state's decision:
I'm disappointed. I was hoping that as a county, the Board, Rick Pollitt and the County Council could work as a team to solve our current fiscal dillemma. Unfortunately, Dr. Fredericksen's efforts seem to have derailed our attempts to weather the county's current financial situation.
Councilwoman Gail Bartkovich believes that the WCBOE should find a solution within their own budget:
I think that the board of education needs to find those cuts in their own budget.