OCEAN CITY, Md., (October 19, 2007) – Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown delivered the opening keynote address today at the 140th Annual Maryland State Teachers Association this morning in Ocean City, Md.
“We are proud and honored to call Maryland’s educators our friends,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “Because of their partnership with the O’Malley/Brown Administration, we successfully increased funding for K-12 education by $580 million and invested $400 million in school construction in this year’s legislative session.”
During the 20-minute speech, Brown outlined the administration’s budget solution package and asked for the teachers’ support and help. Maryland currently faces a $1.7 billion budget deficit. Earlier this week, Governor Martin O’Malley signed an Executive Order convening a special session of the Maryland General Assembly to begin on October 29. If a solution is put off until January when the regular session convenes, Brown said, the deficit could grow by an additional $600 million.
“We recognize that some may have their concerns about any one piece of the governor’s comprehensive plan, but we are asking our partners for a better Maryland to look at the entire package,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “Under this plan, Maryland will increase funding for public education by $119 million next year, we will fund the Geographic Cost of Education Index, and we will maintain our competitive edge with our neighbors for the best and the brightest teachers.”
Brown gave the keynote address last night at the Western Maryland Central Labor Council AFL-CIO 50th Anniversary Celebration and is scheduled to address the Maryland Municipal League this afternoon in Greenbelt.
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