• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
A day after Gov. Martin J. O’Malley released his Jan. 20 budget in Annapolis, leaders of the Maryland Catholic Conference expressed grave concerns about how it could hurt the poor, children in nonpublic schools and the unborn.

MCC raises grave concerns about Gov. O’Malley’s budget

January 29, 2009
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Local News, News

A day after Gov. Martin J. O’Malley released his Jan. 20 budget in Annapolis, leaders of the Maryland Catholic Conference expressed grave concerns about how it could hurt the poor, children in nonpublic schools and the unborn.

As part of a package of budget cuts designed to close a projected $2 billion shortfall, the governor slashed funding for the textbook and technology loan program for nonpublic school students – reducing last year’s allotment by 33 percent from $3.6 million to $2.4 million.

The governor also eliminated 1,000 state jobs, which the MCC worries could hurt access to important state social services by the poor.

The Baltimore Sun reported Jan. 27 that the governor planned to postpone a scheduled round of budget cuts in anticipation of $3.5 billion in funding from the federal government in the next two years.

At the same time he instituted cuts, the governor increased by $400,000, to $18.4 million, funding for stem cell research that includes controversial embryonic stem cell research.

Ellen Robertson, MCC associate director for education and family life, called it “very disappointing” that the governor so steeply reduced funding for textbooks and technology in nonpublic schools.

“The families in nonpublic schools receive very little from the state,” she said, noting that many Catholic schools are struggling with declining enrollment and increased tuition. “We obviously hate to see these kinds of cuts.”

Gov. O’Malley’s budget includes a $68.3 million increase in spending on K-12 public school education. In addition, it includes $260.3 million for public school construction and renovation and $774.3 million for public school teacher and librarian retirement pension costs.

Ms. Robertson said she will push the governor to restore the nonpublic school students’ modest funding to last year’s level through a supplemental budget.

The reduction in state jobs could hurt the poor by eliminating some administrative posts, according to Julie Varner, MCC associate director for social concerns. Ms. Varner is researching which jobs will be affected to ascertain the exact impact of the cuts.

“We’re looking at a situation where there is far greater need than the state is currently committed to meeting,” she said. “Even with the programs in place, if administrative positions aren’t there to make sure people can file applications, Marylanders may not be able to access it.”

Ms. Varner was relieved that the budget will keep an expansion of Medicaid in place, contingent on the state receiving an anticipated $350 million in the federal stimulus package.

“We want to make sure people who are in need of health coverage can access it,” she said.

In a written statement when he unveiled the budget, Gov. O’Malley said the budget is lean “by necessity.”

“We were forced to cut or level-fund many worthy programs that are important to the future of our state,” he said. “But because they are important to our state we worked hard to protect these programs and hold them harmless this year.”

The governor’s budget decreased overall general fund expenditures by 1.3 percent.

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

George P. Matysek Jr.

George Matysek, a member of the Catholic Review staff since 1997, has served as managing editor since September 2021. He previously served as a writer, senior correspondent, assistant managing editor and digital editor of the Catholic Review and the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

In his current role, he oversees news coverage of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and is a host of Catholic Review Radio.

George has won more than 100 national and regional journalism and broadcasting awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, the Catholic Press Association, the Associated Church Press and National Right to Life. He has reported from Guyana, Guatemala, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

A native Baltimorean, George is a proud graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School in Essex. He holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore and a master's degree from UMBC.

George, his wife and five children live in Rodgers Forge. He is a parishioner of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Archdiocese dispenses with meatless obligation for St. Patrick’s Day
  • Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history
  • Trainor to retire from post as Mount St. Mary’s president in 2024
  • Movie Review: ’65’
  • Sister Mary Kathleen Marie Saffa dies at 86

| Latest Local News |

Sister Joan Cooper, O.S.F., dies at 94

Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history

Sister Elizabeth Ellen Kane, O.S.F., dies at 81

| Latest World News |

Church calls for ‘international protection of holy sites’ after attack on church at Tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem

Papal message to focus on people’s right not to migrate

Medically changing person’s sex characteristics to those of opposite sex ‘not morally justified,’ say bishops

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Church calls for ‘international protection of holy sites’ after attack on church at Tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem
  • Sister Joan Cooper, O.S.F., dies at 94
  • Papal message to focus on people’s right not to migrate
  • Medically changing person’s sex characteristics to those of opposite sex ‘not morally justified,’ say bishops
  • Pope Francis is praised in U.N. talks for efforts to combat anti-Muslim prejudice
  • Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history
  • Legendary communist-era priest, Father Blachnicki, was murdered, Polish authorities confirm
  • Do not be afraid to be a witness to God’s love, pope says
  • Question Corner: Jesus became man so I could become God?

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED