Welcome to our weekly column in which a topic of interest, piece of news, relevant opinion, or general request for feedback is presented. We’ll offer the topic du jour and accompanying question, and you have the opportunity to respond with your thoughts.
Simply fill out the form below. A collection of each week’s responses will appear in the following week’s column.
View last week’s responses on the $2.5 Billion State Budget Surplus.
Publisher reserves the right to edit responses for clarity and publish online and/or in our print publications.
Please let us know your thoughts!
This week’s Feedback Friday topic is:
Bus Driver Shortages & Solutions
For any parent of students attending public school, the school year couldn’t have started any more stressful, as systems were overwhelmed from the outset with bus driver and labor shortages. This has extended student wait times for bus rides to and from school, re-routed buses, and been a logistical nightmare for county and state officials. Additionally, contracted drivers with the Annapolis Bus Company went on strike recently, demanding fair pay and benefits.
This week, Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman challenged AACPS Superintendent George Arlotto to develop a proposal to address and solve these problems. Arlotto responded immediately with a proposal as such, calling for a budget increase to cover $5/hour wage increases to all drivers, as well as hiring incentives to attract new drivers.
Our questions to you:
Who’s at fault for this situation? Could the labor shortage have been addressed earlier, before the school year started? Do you agree that drivers should be paid more and incentivized with bonuses and benefits?
Please share your thoughts by filling out this form.
Last week, we asked you about the $2.5 Billion State Budget Surplus! and you responded! Here is a sampling of reader responses. To read more, click here.
Use the budget surplus to reimburse taxpayers who are unable to access the public school bus system they have paid. With 2 kids unable to utilize the bus service they are entitled to use, we have had to secure the service of an AuPair to provide transportation and supervision in the absence of both working parents. Time to cut a check back to the tax payers...it's their money!
Joe Smith, Edgewater
Bicycle infrastructure is way behind in Maryland, especially with the massive increase in outdoor and bicycling activity since COVID. Please allot some of this surplus to bicycle infrastructure and multi-use natural surface trails and skills parks. Specifically, please consider finishing the South Shore Trail and assisting AA county with converting Crownsville Hospital to outdoor recreation as Steuart Pittman has announced as a top priority. Thank you!
Brad Snakenberg, Crownsville
Put the money back into the unemployment fund they decided to give away and stop charging the businesses 350% more. I inquired to the $40,000 increase in our unemployment insurance, because we (businesses) were promised the increase in Covid unemployment wouldn't affect us. The DLLR response was "Oh, no, we didn't even use 2020 calculations. You’re now paying from table F and you were paying from table A." That is supposed to be an acceptable answer? I used the PPP loan to bring back and hold on to our employees, so my company didn't even use that much unemployment.
Mark Boback, Millersville
