Montgomery County (Md.) district says it can't afford raises

The chief ofMontgomery County (Md.) schools has told principals that the system cannot afford scheduled pay raises for the coming budget year. School Superintendent Jerry D. Weast says labor contracts will have to be renegotiated, and Board of Education President Nancy Navarro says planned raises of 5.3 percent for teachers are probably unrealistic when the county faces a projected $250 million shortfall for fiscal 2010. To read The Washington Post article, click here.