The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

Commissioners ask delegation for changes to Westernport man's proposed schools legislation
* Resident Tom Marsh wants referendum to bring back previously closed schools
* If delegation introduces bill, commissioners want voters to be aware of costs
* McKay to discuss issue at Board of Education meeting on Tuesday

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Jan. 9 -- The Allegany County Board of Commissioners have asked local state lawmakers to ensure voters are aware of the costs of a proposed legislation that would help bring back up to eight high schools that have closed over the past 20 years.

The Allegany County Neighborhood Public Schools Act of 2011, as presented by Westernport resident Tom Marsh, pushes for a referendum to allow Allegany County residents to vote whether they want up to eight schools in the county reopened. Those schools include the now-closed high schools in Mount Savage, Flintstone and Oldtown. Marsh has waged a similar battle to keep community schools open since Bruce and Valley high schools were consolidated in 1986.

The commissioners sent a letter, dated Dec. 27, to the delegation asking that, if Senator George Edwards and Delegates Kevin Kelly, LeRoy Myers and Wendell Beitzel do move Marsh's bill forward into a referendum, they want the delegation to include language that will alert voters to the potential costs of the referendum, if approved.

Inserting a clause to alert voters to the potential costs of a bill that "may result in either a cost savings or higher taxation" is the right thing to do.

"The cost to the county as well should be determined and explained to perform such a referendum. We believe we should be fair and honest, when passing any bill. Without determining the costs of such actions, we feel would not be responsible."

Otherwise, "we are in support of the proposed legislation and ask for your support as well," the letter, signed by all three commissioners, told the delegation.

On Saturday, Commissioner Bill Valentine said there was a letter sent to the delegation but not the one referred to in the Dispatch's original inquiry to him. On Sunday, Valentine explained.

"That is a copy of a letter that we sent out," Valentine said, reversing his position from the previous night in an email. "If you read the letter, and digest what it says, we were just saying we know it caused a lot of hard feelings in the communities and local schools are important to the communities."

Valentine said he didn't want the language of a referendum - if the process went that far - to be, simply, "do you want your school back?" Everybody would vote yes."

But if the referendum language included the possibility of raising "property taxes by 60 to 70 percent and cost $200 million, chances are, the answer would be no," he said.

It is, Valentine said, "sort of like an insurance policy. That's all it is. We wanted to let the delegation know if they would decide to pass this bill, we want there to be a safeguard to the public" regarding the language of the referendum and the potential costs to taxpayers.

He also said the bill, as suggested to be modified by the commissioners, would ensure that if a new school were to be considered, those communities that lost schools in previous closures and consolidations might be possible locations.

Valentine said he doesn't think Marsh's bill "stands a snowball's chance of ever being passed."

And, contrary to what the letter reflects, Valentine said he doesn't support Marsh's proposed legislation.

"No," he said, when asked about whether he would support the bill. "I really wouldn't."