The General Assembly’s budget leaders agreed Monday to accept Gov. Larry Hogan’s offer of $28 million to help the Baltimore school system and others around the state where enrollment has declined, abandoning a proposal to bail out the districts without his assistance.
The apparent resolution would help the city school system close a $130 million budget shortfall in exchange for submitting to new state auditing requirements. Other jurisdictions would receive money to help close smaller budget gaps. The deal came as a Senate and House conference committee wrapped up negotiations on the state’s $43.5 billion budget for next year.
“We’re very close. I’m loving life,” said Del. Maggie McIntosh, the Baltimore Democrat who led negotiations for the House of Delegates.
McIntosh had previously proposed freeing money for Baltimore and 10 other school systems by reducing their required contributions to their employee pension plans. She said in an interview Monday that although her “Plan B” would allow lawmakers to aid schools without the governor’s assistance, she decided it was prudent to accept his help.