O'Malley crams too much into special session
I don't know whether the notion of "railroading" bills through the legislature originated in Maryland, but it might have. In the early 1800s General Assembly leaders pushed through enormous taxpayer subsidies for the nascent B&O Railroad before most legislators had any idea what was happening. Now the part-time legislature looks like it has too much on its plate for the special session called by Gov. O'Malley for next week.
Not only is there a revenue package with many moving parts (state real estate taxes down; some income taxes up, some down; sales tax up; sales tax expanded). Now O'Malley wants to increase health coverage at the same time. That's way too much for a two-week session. Legislatures are supposed to be a about deliberation and debate. This session looks like it'll be about rubber stamps. There's a lot of pre-cooking going on. (If you're keeping count, that's three incompatible metaphors in two paragraphs: transportation, clerical and culinary.) I've heard few Democrats express skepticism about any of O'Malley's tax plan, which is not a good thing. There is very little talk of cutting spending where possible. What House Minority Leader Anthony J. O'Donnell, a Southern Maryland Republican, told The Sun last week sounds about right: "Only a fraction of the entire legislative body will make these decisions."
Comments
And next year during their re-election bids, the members who vote for these increases will say they didn't really know what they were voting for because they didn't have time to read the bills, examine the impacts, etc. They'll still vote for them, of course, but they'll have their excuses why!
Posted by: Mar | October 26, 2007 12:48 PM
It is government by imperilism 101!
How can we raise taxes without seeing the entire budget!
Be afraid, be very afraid.
Nothing left to do but to flee this state!
Posted by: jay | October 26, 2007 12:55 PM
Gee Jay do you think the Sun Editorial board, your fellow columnist and Sun opinionators (can't call them reporters, reporters report.)
When was the last time you or a Baltimore O'Malley opinionator wrote anything that was critical (or even disagreeable) about the Governor.
There's the challenge on the ground before you Jay. Pick it up. I double dog dare you!
Posted by: Anonymous | October 26, 2007 3:08 PM
The governor and the legislative "leaders" refuse to reduce spending. In the last Assembly $500 million dollars of savings were proposed without cutting programs. All of this was missed and now the governor is attempting to railroad taxpayers. His moves on business tax issues will hurt our state in the long run.
Posted by: Andy Berdy | October 26, 2007 3:33 PM
The best parts of this is that the taxes are called "revenue enhancements" therefore the delegates and senators can claim they aren't voting for taxes, just mild "enhancements." The slots they'll cram down the throats of some poor community will simply be called Video Lottery Terminals and not "slots." I can't wait for my next performance review where I'll ask for a "revenue enhancement" due to my "structural deficit” I hope my boss is as gullible as the people of Maryland who put up this sort of “leadership.”
Posted by: Mike S. | October 26, 2007 5:11 PM
Clearly the plan should have had more cuts, not just for fiscal reasons but for political ones as well. The tax increases would have come off a lot more credible if they were balanced with cuts. How can the only cuts be not filling some open positions and holding the rate of inflation on Thornton?
Posted by: Robert | October 26, 2007 5:42 PM
u gotta luv that radio ad thats running..quote of the year.."hey honey, who's going to pay for those tax increases if ours are going down? Oh, the rich and Corps...that ok then." HA! This is a preview of Hillaryecon in 2009 with MOM as VP working the Congress with his good looks, rolled up sleeves and Move on bs ads. What a great state!
Posted by: You got what u voted for | October 26, 2007 10:53 PM
Jay is right, O'Mally is trying to railroad through all his taxes and spending before anyone has a chance to think about it. The economy is slowing, with new car/truck sales down 14% in September. WE DO NOT NEED A SALES TAX INCREASE. I would not vote for slots unless Rosecroft is included and Baltimore will lose thousands of jobs because it is not included.
Posted by: John keen | October 26, 2007 11:32 PM
Mr. O'Malley has no concern for the people of Maryland. He is proposing increases in taxes while people are being battered with horrendous energy increases! I would imagine that increases in corporate taxes would also be passed along to the people of Maryland in the cost for goods and services. I do not understand his rationale in that he has not talked about cutting costs. Do we really have a $1.7 billion deficit?I do not trust the numbers; especially,since this deficit loomed suddenly. Thanks.
Posted by: Nora | October 26, 2007 11:50 PM
With gas prices high, BGE through the roof, and property taxes in Baltimore out of control, it's a perfect time for O'Malley to raise our taxes! Anyone else want to take money out of my pocket? Hopefully someone can start charging us for the air we breath. Maybe that can get the lawmakers a raise. But please don't get us slots, that would cause crime in our city.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 28, 2007 10:45 PM