MARYLAND - Washington has released information on how the sequester will impact each state, so WMDT took a look at how it could effect Maryland.
According to Dr. Memo Diriker, Director of Beacon at Salisbury University says sequestration is "a legal term of saying monies are going to be taken out of the budget, set aside, cut." Sequestration looks bad, but it was meant to be that way, in hopes of convincing legislators to come up with a better plan.
Dr. Diriker says the more federal assistance an area gets, the more painful the cuts, and he admits the shore qualifies for a fair amount of funding.
According to the White House, in Maryland, approximately $14.4 million in funding for primary and secondary education would be cut, putting around 200 teacher and aide jobs at risk. Approximately 30 fewer schools would receive funding. In addition, Maryland will lose approximately $9.7 million in funds for about 120 teachers, aides, and staff who help children with disabilities.
Around 770 fewer low income students in Maryland would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college and around 440 fewer students will get work-study jobs that help them pay for college.
Head Start and Early Head Start services would be eliminated for approximately 800 children in Maryland, reducing access to critical early education.
The state would also lose about $3.1 million in environmental funding meant to ensure clean water and air quality, as well as prevent pollution from pesticides and hazardous waste. Maryland could also lose another $467,000 in grants for fish and wildlife protection.
In Maryland, approximately 46,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay by around $353.7 million in total. Army: Base operation funding would be cut by about $95 million in Maryland. Air Force:Funding for Air Force operations in Maryland would be cut by about $10 million. Navy: $9 million in funding for a demolition project in Patuxent River and aircraft depot maintenance in Patuxent River could be canceled, as well as Blue Angels shows in Annapolis and Ocean City.
Maryland will lose about $317,000 in Justice Assistance Grants that support law enforcement, prosecution and courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, and crime victim and witness initiatives.
Maryland will lose about $66,000 in funding for job search assistance, referral, and placement, meaning around 9,270 fewer people will get the help and skills they need to find employment.
Up to 400 disadvantaged and vulnerable children could lose access to child care, which is also essential for working parents to hold down a job.
In Maryland around 2,050 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding for vaccinations of about $140,000.
Maryland will lose approximately $551,000 in funds to help upgrade its ability to respond to public health threats including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events. In addition, Maryland will lose about $1.6 million in grants to help prevent and treat substance abuse, resulting in around 2,500 fewer admissions to substance abuse programs. And Maryland health departments will lose about $595,000 resulting in around 14,900 fewer HIV tests.
Maryland could lose up to $124,000 in funds that provide services to victims of domestic violence, resulting in up to 500 fewer victims being served.
Maryland would lose approximately $877,000 in funds that provide meals for seniors.
But Dr. Diriker also tells WMDT citizens *can* help congress come to a decision -- not just by closely following what's going on in Washington -- but also by reaching out to your elected officials to let them know what *you* want done.
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