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| Maryland panel lifts ban on portable air-conditioners for schools | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Maryland’s Board of Public Works on Wednesday lifted a ban on using the state’s school-renovation funds to purchase window air-conditioning units for classrooms. | |
| The rule was designed to promote energy efficiency, but it came under scrutiny at the start of the school year when children and teachers in Baltimore County found themselves sweltering in classrooms. About one-third of the jurisdiction’s schools had no cooling units. | |
| Comptroller Peter Franchot (D), one of three members of the board, described the situation as “our Flint,” referring to problems with lead-tainted drinking water in that Michigan city. He said students, teachers and school employees were subjected to “conditions that few of us would even expose our animals to.” | |
| Gov. Larry Hogan (R), another member of the board, said the unanimous vote to lift the ban “provides an immediate solution to a terrible problem.” | |
| After addressing its regular agenda, the panel moved on to an annual ritual known as the “Begathon,” in which state education and political leaders plead their case for money to build and renovate schools. | |
| The requests continue for hours on end, this year with hundreds of millions of dollars in school-construction funding at stake. | |
| [Hogan proposes $42.3 billion budget that includes modest tax relief] | |
| In the past, lawmakers have criticized the event as a colossal waste of time, with large local delegations making the trek to the State House only to wait outside the governor’s office for an extended period just to be heard for 10 minutes. | In the past, lawmakers have criticized the event as a colossal waste of time, with large local delegations making the trek to the State House only to wait outside the governor’s office for an extended period just to be heard for 10 minutes. |
| Former governor William Donald Schaefer (D) had a reputation for bawling out school superintendents and city leaders during the meetings. | Former governor William Donald Schaefer (D) had a reputation for bawling out school superintendents and city leaders during the meetings. |
| Another former chief executive, Martin O’Malley (D), described the events as “mind-numbing” and pushed to limit the 2008 participants to education leaders. | Another former chief executive, Martin O’Malley (D), described the events as “mind-numbing” and pushed to limit the 2008 participants to education leaders. |
| Franchot pushed back that year, inviting all county executives and city leaders to join the hearing in order to make the process as “open and participatory as possible.” | Franchot pushed back that year, inviting all county executives and city leaders to join the hearing in order to make the process as “open and participatory as possible.” |
| Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) said as far back as 2007 that the “Begathon” had outlived any valid purpose it might have served at one time. | Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) said as far back as 2007 that the “Begathon” had outlived any valid purpose it might have served at one time. |
| Nonetheless, the gathering takes place again this year. | |