‘Beg-a-thon’ format leads to rift

O’Malley, Franchot argue over proposed changes

Friday, Jan. 25, 2008

This time, the two Democrats are dueling over who should be invited to address the Board of Public Works at the annual appeal for school construction dollars. O’Malley wants to curtail the crowds at the ‘‘beg-a-thon,” while Franchot is seeking to maintain the current format.

The disagreement is the latest in a series of conflicts between the two men over the past year, including questionable state land transactions, salaries for Franchot’s top aides, O’Malley’s decision to call a special session last fall and who they are supporting in the Democratic presidential primary.

O’Malley (D) wrote legislative leaders last week that the crush of people ‘‘tends to actually reduce the focus on the substantive issues surrounding the public school construction program and the local priorities.”

Local government officials and state lawmakers need not attend the proceedings, scheduled for next Wednesday, because their support is understood and their attendance does not influence how state aid is allocated, O’Malley wrote in the Jan. 15 letter to Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Dist. 30) of Annapolis.

Under O’Malley’s recommendation, only local superintendents and school board members would address the three-member board, which also includes Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp (D), who backs a scaled-down process. ‘‘I believe hearing directly from these officials would re-focus attention to the critical needs of local school systems,” O’Malley wrote. ‘‘School superintendents can present their cases for project funding based upon their intimate knowledge of their systems’ needs and objectives.”

However, Franchot sent a dueling letter on Tuesday to all county elected officials inviting them to attend the Jan. 30 hearing.

‘‘I strongly believe that the process of allocating funds to our public schools should be as open and participatory as possible,” he wrote. ‘‘You were elected as a representative for the people of your county and, as such, deserve the opportunity to come before the board and have your voice heard on this important matter.”

In an interview on Wednesday, Franchot said he was not intentionally trying to needle O’Malley.

‘‘I find it extraordinary that when tens of millions of school construction dollars are at risk that local officials would not be invited to attend,” he said.

O’Malley press secretary Christine Hansen had no comment on Franchot’s letter.

But Miller, who supports the condensed format, railed against Franchot on Thursday at a Maryland Government Relations’ Association breakfast and again later in an interview.

‘‘It’s a huge mistake on his part. He obviously thinks about issues and he invariably makes the wrong decision,” said Miller, adding that Franchot sent the letter ‘‘in an effort for publicity [and] to have people kowtow to him and beg him for his vote.”