Local 500's 2009 Annapolis Lobby Night

Local 500 leaders recently joined with folks from MCCPTA, MCAASP (the MCPS administrators’ union), and MCPS Retirees Association to host a joint education lobby night in Annapolis. They spoke with members of the Montgomery County Delegation to the Maryland Legislature about issues of concern to public education in the county.

Local 500 leaders and legislators discussed the threat of shifting teacher pension costs from the state to counties, and the need for the state to imburse MCPS for the accounting error that cost the system $24 million.

Sheri Dieselmann

COPE Committee

I was amazed by how approachable the legislators were. Sometimes titles can be intimidating, but once I got into a conversation, I found they’re no different than you or me. I asked them, ‘do you have children attending an MCPS school?’ And they did. I said, ‘So you understand where we’re coming from.’ The first thing they did was thanked us for coming – they were genuine.