Monday, March 18, 2013
The Prince George's County Executive is pushing for legislation that would put him in charge of the school system's budget and more, reports NBC4.
Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker wants to take a more active role in the county’s public education system. Baker thinks he has the solution to fix the county school system, and is pushing for legislation that would give him more control over the Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) budget and superintendent hiring process, reports NBC4. "My proposal is an effort to make our schools stronger by using all the resources the County government has to offer so that our children and families have the tools they need to be successful,” said Baker in a statement, according to NBC 4. Baker told the news station that his plan would give the superintendent more autonomy and the school system more resources. Currently, PGCPS's …
Friday, March 15, 2013
County Executive Rushern Baker's $3.2 billion dollar proposed budget represents a 0.6 percent increase over Fiscal Year 2013.
Prince George’s County employees could see five-day furloughs, a reduction in workforce, and incentivized early retirement if County Executive Rushern Baker's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2014 is approved by the county council. Facing a $152 million budget gap, Baker said that this was the county’s toughest fiscal year yet. “In order to continue to move our great county forward, we had to address and begin looking at how we would focus our resources in a new and different way,” Baker said in a statement. The county executive's $3.24 billion dollar budget also increases funding to the state’s attorney’s office to support the gun and drug unit and includes money to add more than 100 new public safety employees in the police and fire …
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Graphs break down number of federal employees in each Maryland county.
The numbers here show the federal employees in Maryland by county in 2012, according to the latest figures from Eye on Washington, a DC-based lobbying firm that tracks federal employment. It compiles the data from the Office of Personnel Management, Federal Employment Statistics and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While much has been made written on how the current sequestration battle in Washington could affect the national economy, these numbers are meant to give readers a sense of the sequestration at the local level. Here in the Washington, DC region, county officials, including Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker, have urged congressional leaders to come to compromise on the sequester. No one knows for certain what the …
Monday, February 25, 2013
Local politicians sound off on possibility of massive federal spending cuts.
Nearly 450,000 public and private-sector jobs could be at risk if the enormous federal spending cuts--known as sequestration--go into effect on March 1, according to a recent article in the Washington Post. County executives Rushern L. Baker III of Prince George’s and Isiah Leggett of Montgomery joined their Howard County colleague Kenneth Ulman on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, imploring Congress to come to an agreement and avert the cuts. Patch reported on comments made by the Prince George’s, Montgomery County and Howard County executives in a release issued by all three governments. Baker likened the effects of sequestration to a virus, saying, “Sequestration would feel like a cold to most of the nation, but to [Prince George's County] and …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Two people testified at the Prince George's County Executive's first 2014 budget hearing.
Two people testified Tuesday at the first of three 2014 budget hearings hosted by Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker, III, according to Baker. "Only two testimonies tonight," Baker shared in a tweet Tuesday. "Next one is next Wed at Friendly HS at 7pm Hope more folks show up next week. Spread the word." Baker also tweeted Tuesday that the county is projecting a $152.2 million deficit. The county executive's office did not respond to an inquiry on the first budget hearing by publication time. Baker's 2014 budget hearings will give residents opportunity to provide input and share their opinions on the budget, according to a news release from Baker's office. Speakers will be under a three-minute time limit, and organizations can…
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
The charity aims to raise $30,000
A local charity will be throwing an inaugural ball to raise funds for the creation of a teen homeless shelter, according to The Gazette. “Honoring Our President Elect,” based in College Park, aims to raise $30,000 with a charity ball at the Howard Theatre at 1 p.m. on Jan. 20, with tickets set at $100 per person. Proceeds go to Sasha Bruce Youthwork, an organization that hopes to expands the beds available to homeless teens. The ball will feature guests such as County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) and Jermaine Crawford, who acted in The Wire.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Rushern L. Baker III and King County Executive Dow Constantine have agreed to wear the opposing team's jersey in public if their team is not victorious Sunday.
Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker III is confident in his Washington Redskins. So confident that—after winning his bet against Howard County Executive Ken Ulman—he's taking his football wagering across the country to King County, WA. “This is a very exciting time for Prince George’s County and hosting an NFL playoff game for the first time since 1999 means a great deal to this region and the team’s legion of fans,” Baker said. Baker's "coffee bet" is against King County Executive Dow Constantine on Sunday's NFC wildcard playoff game between the Redskins and Seattle Seahawks. What's at stake? The loser will wear the other team's jersey during a public event, and the winner will receive a case of coffee from the other city. The …
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Ken Ulman dropped by Landover Wednesday to satisfy a bet with his Prince George's County equal.
Howard County Executive Ken Ulman dropped by Landover on Wednesday to pick up roadside trash in a Redskins jersey, fulfilling the terms of a wager with Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker. The two top officials had placed a friendly bet on Sunday's matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and the Washington Redskins. Ulman, a diehard Ravens fan, lost out when Baltimore fell to the 'Skins 31-28 in overtime. Baker, ever the gracious victor, invited Ulman earlier this week to meet him at the Prince George's County Sports & Learning Complex in the shadow of FedEx Field. Though Ulman arrived sporting purple, he soon found himself clad in the burgundy-and-gold jersey of rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. After some friendly trash talk…
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
After losing to a wager Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker, Ken Ulman says he'll be picking up trash on Baker's home turf.
Howard County Executive Ken Ulman says he'll make good on a bet with County Executive Rushern Baker this week, meaning the dyed-in-the-wool Ravens fan will be picking up trash in Prince George's County while singing "Hail to the Redskins" and wearing a Washington jersey. "I'm having a tough, tough day. As you know the Ravens lost, and I lost my bet to [Baker]," Ulman said in a YouTube video released on Monday. Last week, Ulman challenged Baker to a bet that the Baltimore Ravens would beat Baker's Redskins. On Sunday, the Redskins pulled off a 31-28 dramatic come-from-behind win in overtime. In his video, Ulman asked anyone willing to lend him a Redskins jersey to tweet a picture of it to @KenUlman.
Friday, December 7, 2012
The two county executives have a lot riding on Sunday's game.
Ladies and gentlemen of the Baltimore-Washington corridor: it is on. That's the message out from Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman ahead of Sunday's Ravens-Redskins matchup at FedEx Field. The two sparred on Fox 5 Thursday night, agreeing to a friendly wager over the game. Ulman, a proud Ravens fan, had thrown down the gauntlet earlier by offering to wear the jersey of Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III if Washington wins. But if the Ravens win, Ulman proposed that Baker would have to wear a Haloti Ngata jersey and make it a "purple friday" next week in Prince George's County. Baker upped the ante even more during their on-air interview, suggesting that Ulman would have to pick up …
Barbara J Miller
1:03 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
"The position was vacated last year when former superintendent William Hite left after six years in the position ... The school system has had five different superintendents in the past ten years." Hite was not Superintendent for six years -- possibly two max. This is the problem the school system is having. We don't hire leaders with commitment to the system. They seem to just use it as a … more ›