COSTELLO CONTINUES TO PRESS ON QUADRENNIAL AUDITS

Today, the City Council’s Taxation, Finance, and Economic Development Committee held a hearing on a recently introduced resolution: Investigative Hearing – Reviewing Charter Required Agency Audits. I introduced the resolution in response to delays in the delivery of the first five of thirteen Charter-mandated agency audits. In January 2015, we held our first hearing on the status of the audits and plan for implementation. At that hearing, the Department of Finance committed to a completion date of June 30, 2015 for the first five of thirteen Charter-mandated agency audits–yet none have been completed to date. Read more

PROPOSED CHANGES TO CHARTER SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA

COUNCILMAN HENRY’s RESOLUTION:

I have signed on to co-sponsor the Resolution which Councilman Bill Henry is introducing on Monday, September 21. The resolution, Equitable Funding for City Public Charter Schools, and it calls for the City Council to urge Baltimore City Public Schools to reconsider its inequitable proposed public charter school funding formula to ensure that adequate funds are allocated to all Baltimore students in accordance with State law. The Resolution will be formally introduced at the Monday, September 21, Council Meeting, which starts at 5pm. Presumably, the Council President will refer this Resolution to the Council’s Education and Youth Committee, and then the Committee’s Chair, Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke will call for a Committee hearing for around early-October 2015. This hearing will be open to public testimony. Once announced, the specific date / time, will be listed on the City Council’s online schedule: https://baltimore.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx Read more

CRITICAL UPDATES FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

As the 2nd hearing related to the death of Freddie Gray is tomorrow, on Thursday, September 10, and is quickly approaching, I am sending this communication out with important information regarding tomorrow, including the following topics: Read more