PURPLE LINE Counties rally in support of light rail project. A-6
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SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNT Y DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T
Thursday, February 12, 2015
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Prince George’s scrambles to fill $47M deficit
Schools facing $38M shortfall
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Council wants furloughs taken off table
Staff reductions could be considered n
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
See SCHOOLS, Page A-7
BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE
Heaven Sent Cupcakery owner Deborah Culbertson (left) of Lanham and assistant baker, Raisa Miles, of Bowie pose Monday with a selection of Valentine’s Day-themed cupcakes at the Bowie store.
Valentine’s Day expected to sweeten business in Bowie Having holiday fall on Saturday should be extra boon, owners say n
BY
EMILIE SHAUGHNESSY STAFF WRITER
Bob and Theresa Thompson of Bowie will be spending Valentine’s Day at a candle-lit restaurant in historic Old Town Bowie with live jazz music playing in the background — but the couple won’t see much of each other. The husband and wife team own the Old Bowie Town Grille
and say they expect Saturday to be one of their busiest nights this year. “Most of our dining in the evening is done downstairs, but for Valentine’s Day, it will be on both floors. We’ll have [a band] on our upper level, candlelight dining in the evening, and we usually hand out flowers — usually carnations — to the ladies,” said Bob Thompson, who opened the restaurant with his wife in 2006. Many of Bowie’s local businesses are gearing up for this weekend’s holiday — which is typically the second highest revenue generator next to
Mothers’ Day for most restaurants and florists, local retailers say. Deborah Culbertson, owner of Heaven Sent Cupcakery in the Bowie Town Center food court, has decked out her storefront with heart- and lovethemed decorations, and said she is planning a special cupcake creation for Valentine’s Day. “It’s a heart-shaped box with about 15 mini cupcakes, chocolate and vanilla, with chocolate-covered strawberries,” Culbertson said. “People
See SWEET, Page A-7
‘You can be a good person doing small actions’ For Black History Month, students focus on more than popular contributions
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BY
ALICE POPOVICI STAFF WRITER
DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE
(From left) Jordyn Lytle, Madisyn Howard and Steven White, all secondgraders at Brandywine Elementary School, work Feb. 6 on parts of a Black History Month mural about Matthew Gaines, a former slave.
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Brandywine Elementary School students are taking a “lesser known” approach to Black History Month lessons. Instead of studying the betterknown civil rights leaders, children are learning about doctors, politicians and athletes whose lives are not discussed as much. “We wanted to highlight African Americans in history who aren’t necessarily the typical ones we talk about ... to give
them a sense that it’s not just large actions,” said secondgrade teacher Allison Treadway. “You can do good, you can be a good person doing small actions, and that’s important as well.” For example, Treadway said her students have been studying Matthew Gaines, a former slave who became a minister and a Texas senator, and improved educational opportunities for African-American children. Treadway said that she, two other teachers and the school’s principal — who have planned a monthlong celebration of Black History Month — wanted to give students a broader sense of history.
See STUDENTS, Page A-7
Prince George’s County Council members want to take employee furloughs off the table as they and the county executive’s office consider ways to make up for a nearly $47 million budget deficit. “There’s considerable opposition on the council to do furloughs,” said Council Chairman Mel Franklin (D-Dist. 9) of Upper Marlboro. “So we’re going to enter negotiations with the administration as to what response to take.” Thomas Himler, the county’s deputy chief administrative officer for budget and finance, said the county is facing a $46.6 million deficit in its current year $2.89 billion budget. Himler said the amount includes approximately $7.5 million in cuts made by former Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) before leaving office last month. The remainder of the
See COUNTY, Page A-7
State aid program draws homebuyers to Prince George’s Initiative coincides with suspension of county-level assistance n
BY
EMILIE SHAUGHNESSY STAFF WRITER
A mortgage assistance program designed to bring homebuyers to Prince George’s County already has seen around 200 applicants, doled out $3.3 million in state aid, and been called one of Maryland’s most successful mortgage assistance initiatives by housing officials. The Maryland Mortgage Program’s Triple Play program launched Nov. 20 as a state-county partnership and offers Prince George’s homebuyers down payment assistance, tax credits and interest
rate reduction. “One of the biggest challenges we find is buyers lacking the funds for down payment and closing costs,” said Desiree Callender, president of the Prince George’s County Association of REALTORS Inc. “This program offers them the opportunity to become homeowners. We are clearly in the midst of real estate recovery [in Prince George’s County]. We are poised for greatness.” Triple Play also could bring benefits for current county residents, said Ryan Paquin, Crofton branch manager of Baltimore-based First Home Mortgage. “If I’m a Prince George’s County resident, I love that this program is out there,” Paquin said. “Property values
See HOMEBUYERS, Page A-7
NEWS B-7 A-2 B-5 B-3 A-8 B-1
TEEN TRIO Bowie siblings’ group, STL3, nominated for a Stellar Award (national Gospel music award program) for Youth Project of the Year.
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shortfall includes higher than expected fringe benefit costs, higher public safety overtime costs and additional election costs than had been budgeted for, Himler said. Himler said the county identified $13 million in savings last October. “We canceled some programs, did some other things, so now it’s really the difference. We’re looking at a couple options, we’re looking at a way we can use debt service. We’re also looking at saving some money on some health care costs and we’ve talked about furloughs,” Himler said. Himler said furloughs for the county’s approximately 7,000 county employees would provide $1.4 million in savings per day, after additional costs for overtime due to lower staff are included. Ten days of furloughs, which Himler first suggested Jan. 6 at a legislative retreat in Cambridge, would net the county $14 million in savings. However, during a Monday budget meeting with the County Council, Himler said
BY JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU
BY JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU
Prince George’s County Public Schools is looking at a $38 million shortfall in state funding, but CEO Kevin Maxwell said the school system will wait until June to decide what, if any cuts need to be made. The head of the county school system indicated that staff cuts wouldn’t be out of the question. “I don’t recommend we cut anything until we know exactly what the revenue is. That process takes place in June, when the budget comes back to us,” Maxwell said Tuesday during the school board’s budget work session and public hearing. Maxwell said it is premature to make cuts in his proposed $1.83 billion budget until the state funding situation plays itself out in Annapolis over the course of the General Assembly session. “We are hopeful that we won’t have to make any cuts if something changes with the revenue,” said Chief Financial Officer Raymond Brown. Brown said the anticipated reduction comes in part from a $20 million cut to the Geographic Cost of Education Index, or GCEI, a fund-
NEWS: Fourth-grader juggling Discovery Channel show, shoe commercial and school. A-3
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