Gov. Larry Hogan and Comptroller Peter Franchot were fuming Wednesday that the General Assembly has barred school systems from spending state tax money on portable air conditioners.The General Assembly also put an end to the annual "beg-a-thon," in which local school superintendents appear before the Board of Public Works to ask for more construction money. Hogan said the provisions were major reasons he decided not to sign the capital budget bill, where lawmakers made both changes. The bill will become law without his signature."It's one of the most absurd and ridiculous things I've ever seen the legislature do," Hogan said. The provisions were adopted by a House-Senate conference committee that met last week to resolve differences between the two chambers' versions of the state's annual budget for construction projects.Franchot complained that neither measure was aired in hearings during the legislature's 90-day session and weren't in earlier versions of the bill. He suggested that the move was made secretly and was a shot at him and Hogan."

I think it's a bizarre use of the conference committee," Franchot said. "I don't know who put that language in. Nobody's raised their hand and said, 'I did it.'"Del. Adrienne Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat who chairs the House capital budget subcommittee, said lawmakers felt that Baltimore City and Baltimore County were making sufficient progress on adding central air conditioning, so it wasn't necessary to spend state tax dollars on portable units that won't last.We're looking at being the best stewards of public money," Jones said.Jones rejected any suggestion that the decision was made in secret. "These are open meetings. Doors are open, anyone can come," said Jones, who led the House negotiators.While conference committee meetings are open to the public, it can be difficult to determine when and where they will be held. Neither Jones nor Sen. James E. "Ed" DeGrange Sr., her Senate counterpart, knew where the language they adopted originated.For several years, Franchot has pressed local school systems — particularly those in Baltimore city and county — to speed the installation of air conditioning in public school classrooms.

Hogan has joined the comptroller in pushing for the installation of portable window units as a quicker solution.cost of replacing central ac unitBut the school systems in the city and county have preferred to spend their money on central air conditioning.my ac unit won't coolWhile that takes more time and money to install, school officials contend it is a better use of taxpayers' dollars in the long term.home central air conditioner partsFranchot said the legislature's action does a disservice to Maryland families."What about the 40,000 children in Baltimore City and Baltimore County who sit in sweltering hotboxes without air conditioning?" he said.The Board of Public Works did not require money be spent on portable air conditioners but voted in January to scrap a policy that prevented state money from being spent on portable units in classrooms.

The legislature's budget provision undoes that action.Baltimore County did not plan to use state money for portable air-conditioning units, even after the policy was changed, said Ellen Kobler, a spokeswoman for County Executive Kevin Kamenetz.The best way to remedy hot classrooms is to install central air conditioning during major renovation projects, Kobler said. The county aims to have central air conditioning in all schools by 2019.At the beginning of the school year, 48 schools in Baltimore County did not have air conditioning.Baltimore City school officials did not respond to a request for comment. The city school system has been studying the feasibility of installing portable air conditioners, which officials have estimated would cost about $17 million.DeGrange, an Anne Arundel County Democrat, noted that jurisdictions are free to use their own money to buy window units if they choose — as his county has done.Franchot and Hogan also objected to a provision that says local school officials can't appeal decisions from the Interagency Committee on School Construction to the Board of Public Works on how to allocate state construction money.

The appeal process has been dubbed the "beg-a-thon" because it usually involves a full day in January when local school superintendents and other officials go before the three board members to implore them to fund their projects.Last month, the Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland wrote a letter to House Speaker Michael E. Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller calling the process "unnecessary and redundant.""Our experience has been that the members of the BPW often do not question the construction projects but use the time as a forum to advance political agendas such as financial literacy, declining enrollment, communications to parents, post-Labor Day starts, charter school approvals, and other instructional or operational issues," the letter said.The superintendents specifically excluded Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp — but not Franchot or Hogan — from their criticism. Kopp, they said, asks "appropriate questions."Franchot said the superintendents object to the "transparency and accountability" of the process.

He said members would still be able to quiz superintendents when they appear before the board on other school-related items.DeGrange said the beg-a-thon was an "outdated" event. "It was just a ridiculous process," he said.Edit ArticleHow to Install a Portable Air Conditioner Two Methods:Venting a Portable Air Conditioner through a WindowVenting a Portable Air Conditioner When a Window is Not AvailableCommunity Q&A Portable air conditioners are a convenient alternative to window-mounted air conditioners because they are quick and easy to install, and can be moved from room to room. Portable air conditioners work by chilling warm room air using refrigerants, and exhausting the hot air that is a by-product of this process out of the room through a hose. [1] In order for your air conditioner to work, you must ensure that this hot air is successfully vented out of the room, preferably through a window to the outside. [2] This guide will teach you how to properly install and vent a portable, single-hose air conditioner through a window, and offer alternative suggestions if a window is not available.

Read the instructions that came with your portable air conditioner carefully. Choose a location for your portable air conditioner. Place the air conditioner near both a window and an electrical outlet. Ensure that the air conditioner will not be a tripping hazard, and that the airflow will not be obstructed by furniture, plants, etc. Determine if the window adapter kit will work with your window. Almost all portable air conditioners come with a window adaptor kit that will work, however in some cases the kit is missing or not right for the window, and you will have to improvise a bit. For the unit to function well, the gaps between the window adapter for the vent hose and the sides of the window must be sealed off. Measure your window opening to determine if the window adapter kit can be expanded or trimmed to fit correctly. If the window adapter kit that came with your portable unit is missing or does not adequately fit your window, take careful measurements of the opening you need to accommodate and have a piece of Plexiglas cut to size at your local hardware store.

You can also use a piece of plywood, or even cardboard, to fill the gap. These options are less attractive, but will work in a pinch. Connect the exhaust hose that came with the portable air conditioner to the air conditioning unit. This may be a single hose with connectors already attached, or you may have to first attach an exhaust connector to the unit, and then attach the hose to the connector. Follow the directions that came with your unit. Connect the window connection bracket or adapter to the other end of the exhaust hose, if it is not already attached. Run the exhaust hose to the window, and place the window connection bracket or adapter into the open window. Secure the exhaust hose window connection in place. Adjust the included window kit sliders or panels until they completely fill the gap between the window connection bracket and the sides of the window. If you are using a piece of Plexiglas, simply slide it in the windowsill next to (or above) the exhaust hose window connection, and hold it in place until the window is closed.

Close the window so that it fits snugly against the exhaust hose window connection, and holds everything firmly in place. In some cases, it may be necessary to use duct tape to seal the gaps around the exhaust hose window connection, and hold the window kit firmly in place. Plug in your air conditioner. Vent the air conditioner through a sliding glass door. Vent the air conditioner through the ceiling. In office environments where outside windows are not present or accessible, portable air conditioners can be vented through a drop ceiling. Commercial ceiling vent kits can be purchased online or from your local HVAC retailer. There are a number of potential risks and inefficiencies involved with this procedure, so be sure to check with your building's maintenance personnel before proceeding. It is also possible to vent a portable air conditioner into an attic, however to avoid property damage or inadvertently heating up other parts of the house, it is advisable to get professional advice from an HVAC specialist before proceeding.