Time is running out!

On June 2, the Cecil County Council will vote on the FY 2016 budget. If you haven’t contacted the council members yet to ask them to support adequate funding of public education, please do so now.

If you aren’t sure what to say, here’s an email you can copy and paste.

Or you can borrow something from the the letter I sent to the editor of the Cecil Whig (below):

Letter to the Editor: Originally posted on 4/8/15

Moore’s budget bucks status quo

Last month, Cecil County Executive Tari Moore presented a budget for fiscal year 2016 that blazes a trail for a new era for Cecil County.

She stood up to the status quo that has contributed to the economic and social issues that have dogged our county and recognized that fiscal restraint had become a barrier to prosperity and growth.

A key part of her proposed budget was the recognition that strong schools with adequate plans for consistent, long-term funding are critical to a thriving economy. This is a significant development because in recent years funding for public education has been a favorite target for county officials and outspoken interest groups.

At recent public forums, we’ve heard local businesses explain how they rely on the schools to supply a steady workforce of educated employees and consider the school system to be a critical factor for new employees they recruit from outside the county. At other times, economists have explained the considerable returns seen in the county’s economy from its investment in public education. And it’s an established fact that school quality greatly influences the home-buying decision and contributes to higher resale values.

Despite mountains of data that public education drives local economic activity, there are still groups pushing against adequate funding.

The Cecil County Council will host a public hearing on the topic on May 12 at 7 p.m. at Elkton High School. If you support public education, please attend the hearing or contact the council in advance of their budget vote on June 2.