Marvin Mandel, Governor                       1949

This bill provides for the establishment of public school pro-
grams for certain disadvantaged children between the ages of three
and eighteen. The State Board of Education is given overall re-
sponsibility for the development and review of programs to be fi-
nanced largely with State funds and implemented by the local school
systems.

I have been advised that the cost of additional required staffing
for the State Department of Education would approximate $100,000
a year, and that, based upon the estimated number of children who
would be included in the programs, an additional $3,000,000 to $5,-
000,000 in State funds would be needed for fiscal year 1973 alone to
implement the programs once established.

There is, of course, no provision for such funds in the 1973
budget. Equally important, however, is the fact that the cost, as
estimated, would be a recurring one, and I do not believe sufficient
thought has been given to where the revenues required to fund such
an on-going program will be found. Whenever the State undertakes
to assume a program entailing such considerable expense, it must
do so in the light of other existing calls upon the State's fiscal
resources, and more adequate consideration must be given to the
source of the funding.

It is true that the bill looks toward partial funding from Title
I of the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act and other
Federal statutes; however Federal funds are not always maintained
at the level anticipated by the State. Should such funds be reduced
or not maintained at a level consistent with the needs of the pro-
gram, the State will be required to make up the deficit. The total
cost to the State in the coming years, therefore, is not truly suscepti-
ble to accurate estimation, and may well exceed the present estimates
of $3,000,000 to $5,000,000.

The generally worthwhile purpose of the bill can, I believe, be
accomplished in large part under existing law. The State Board of
Education already has ample power and authority to develop pro-
grams for disadvantaged children and to work with local systems in
their implementation. The local systems can presently apply for
federal funds to finance such programs, or assist in their financing.

For these reasons, I have decided to veto Senate Bill 603.

Sincerely,

/s/ Marvin Mandel,

Governor.

Senate Bill No. 685—State Payments on Local School Debt

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 130
(b)(2) of Article 77 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1969
Replacement Volume and 1971 Supplement), title "Public Educa-
tion," subtitle "Chapter 9. Financial FINANCE AND Reports," to
provide that the State shall share in an amount equal to 80% of
PAY the principal and interest payments due during the current
fiscal year on local debt incurred after June 30, 1967 for school
construction for which contracts had been let prior to July 1, 1967.