Worcester County, Maryland – A divided vote by the Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday has left the public school system over $1.1 million short of its funding request, putting a proposed teacher raise plan in jeopardy. The Board of Education had asked for just over $6 million to support a $4,000 raise for all teachers. Commissioners approved roughly $4.86 million, triggering a shortfall of $1.16 million. The vote passed 4-3, with Commissioners Chip Bertino, Caryn Abbott, Madison Bunting, and Ted Elder in favor, while Joe Mitrecic, Diana Purnell, and Eric Fiori opposed the budget.
Though the county authorized a $2,500 step increase for all employees, including teachers, commissioner funding is not the final say—teacher pay is set by the school board. Superintendent Louis Taylor says the decision leaves Worcester ranked last in Maryland for starting teacher salaries and threatens progress toward the $60,000 entry-level pay goal required by 2027 under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. Critics argue that underfunding education hurts recruitment and retention, while supporters of the budget say raising taxes wasn’t viable. Commission President Ted Elder said the choice came down to either funding the full school request or easing the tax burden. The majority chose the latter. The Worcester County Teachers Association will now return to negotiations with the school board to adjust the salary proposal within the reduced budget.
