When I was elected to the Baltimore County Council in 2010, it was clear that school construction and modernization needed to be a top priority. Some of our schools were as much as 80 percent over capacity, and only a few had modern features such as air conditioning. I did not want this neglect to continue, and the day after my Inauguration, addressed the School Board about the need to deal with these issues.
We have made incredible progress since then. More than $114 million has been spent on schools in the Fifth District. Overcrowding has been worst in Towson, so that is where classroom space was prioritized—at places like Hampton and Stoneleigh Elementary Schools. In Parkville and Perry Hall, I initiated a downzoning of hundreds of acres to lighten growth. At my request and with the support of the Perry Hall Improvement Association, Superintendent Dance will start an enrollment review this fall.
County Executive Kamenetz has unveiled a budget proposal that builds upon the work we started in 2010. The plan highlights the need for a new elementary school in White Marsh and a 200-seat addition in Perry Hall, and it sets a goal of air conditioning nearly every school within the decade.
I am also pleased with the funding of five new police officers in Towson and the new turf field at Towson High School. Both have been priorities for me. Public safety and the need to improve green space are the top issues I hear about Towson’s growth, and I am happy the budget addresses these concerns.