Mayor, Governor, Work To Close City Schools Multi-Million Dollar Budget Gap

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City Schools will likely avoid teacher layoffs and be able to close much of their massive financial shortfall, after the governor promised more than $20 million dollars on Sunday.

RELATED: Governor Hogan Proposes $28M For Schools For State Budget, $23M For City Schools

The appropriations chair estimates that the city will be able to close the budget gap by $80 million dollars, but questions persist on whether city schools will find themselves in this same position next year.

Governor Hogan gave the thumbs up, after signing a new supplemental budget that includes $23.7 million dollars in new state funds for financially troubled city schools.

This is welcome news to parents.

"If they lay off teachers our kids are not learning and they need an education," says a parent.

Still, the $23.7 million in funds doesn't fully close the nearly $130 million dollar budget gap.

"It made us all nervous," says appropriations committee chair, Delegate Maggie McIntosh.

She says state lawmakers are providing tens of millions more, which should avoid a catastrophe.

"I think we can get close enough to avoid massive layoffs of teachers. I'm very sure of that."

The governor previously told WJZ, that he wouldn't give schools a blank check.

"They can't just keep saying give us more money, give us more money, but we're not going to fix the problems," Hogan says.

His promised millions come with a catch: Baltimore City Public Schools must submit to a comprehensive audit of their finances.

"So we all agree with that language. It's an external, outside audit," says Del. McIntosh.

"Yes, we require more. We've got greater problems in Baltimore," says Mayor Catherine Pugh.

The mayor had pleaded for more money for weeks.

On Monday, the mayor thanked Governor Hogan for his weekend announcement about City Schools funding, and released the following statement:

"First, I want to thank Governor Hogan for including $23.7 million in supplemental funds to help us address the Baltimore City Public Schools' structural deficit. I also want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the city legislative delegation, led by Appropriations Chair Maggie McIntosh, for its continued efforts on behalf of Baltimore's children and families.

All parties involved recognize the importance of prioritizing our children's access to a quality education and partnering with Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises to give her the tools and resources to help our children thrive.

I look forward to the ongoing work of the Kirwan Commission so we can ensure a sustainable solution to the school system's funding difficulties."

This week, Mayor Pugh may propose cutting more than $5 million dollars from the police department budget to give to city schools.

Some still question whether more casino money should go to city schools, and worry about the structural deficit, whether schools will be in the same pinch next year.

"We have done some really hard work this year, getting them to a point where the schools will be as intact as they can be," says Del. McIntosh.

The state is expected to provide some relief for pension payments and also absorb the cost of transporting students on MTA buses.

Baltimore City Schools get more funding per student than almost any school system in the state, at almost $12,000 per pupils.

In his budget proposal, the governor also approved about $5 million dollars to supplement budgets of 10 other counties.

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