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Laura Smitherman has been ensconced in the State House basement, writing about the governor, General Assembly and vagaries of Maryland politics for two years. An erstwhile business reporter, her interest in politics dates to her days in Washington when she covered Congress and national campaigns for another media outlet. She now follows a range of policy debates from slot-machine gambling to universal health care and energy regulation, while keeping an eye on the next election.
Paul West covers Washington for The Baltimore Sun, continuing a tradition that began the month the paper was born, in 1837. He hasn't been in the DC bureau that long--only since Ronald Reagan was president. He's covered Congress, the White House and presidential campaigns as the paper's national political correspondent and Washington bureau chief. He's on the lookout for news of significance to Sun readers at the other end of the B/W Parkway. That includes the activities of the state's congressional delegation and anything else that might shed some light on the inner workings of the nation's capital. 
Michael Steele
Comments
I hope you will continue with this topic and investigate if the rest of Maryland government (including all elected leaders-State Assembly, judiciary, political appointees) is prepared to take comparable pay cuts. Please report thoroughly as to the number of raises that have been self-awarded to the Assembly versus the rest of the state workforce. Also, please investigate as to why nothing in the State Police warrants budget reduction. Voters and taxpayers deserve a full reporting and accounting of where their money is being cut or spent.
Posted by: Truth Maverick | December 4, 2008 7:34 PM
Stop funding the garbage at CASA who are telling the illegal immigrants how to dodge the police. That will save a bundle of money of money right there.
STOP ALL FUNDING FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS!!
Posted by: A concerned citizen | December 5, 2008 1:59 AM
Why not just take away the matching 401k for a year and furlough the day after Christmas?
Posted by: Jeff | December 5, 2008 10:11 AM
State employees have been on a hiring freeze for quite some time now and some are doing two or more jobs. I think they should ask State Employees how to make cuts in their own agencies and I am sure they could find all types of ways if asked. You know on any job there is always some type of waste going on somewhere and we can always tighten up a little and maybe then furloughs would not be necessary.
Posted by: State Employee Family Member | December 5, 2008 11:07 AM
Taking away the 401k match for the rest of the fiscal year would save much more money than a furlough. Excellent idea! It is a better idea than loosing pay at the Holiday Season. This whole furlogh idea smacks of the Schaefer Administration - he had to do furloughs because at that time State employees did not have a 401k match.
Posted by: Retired State Employee | December 5, 2008 11:13 AM
Why should state employees be immune from the rigors of the private sector. Cut benefits, improve efficiency and eliminate unnecessary positions. Many government operations could be better designed to avoid the bureaucratic waste, especially the courts and MVA.
Posted by: Private Citizen | December 5, 2008 11:57 AM
Stop issuing Maryland driver's licenses to illegal aliens that don't need a INS card to get a driver's license in Maryland. And if the governor is going to mandate furloughs, the least he could do is give 3, 4, or 5 vacation days to the employees to offset the cut in pay. We should be sick of paying for corporate greed.
Posted by: honibugs | December 5, 2008 12:35 PM
How can the state buy 'EAST. SHORE LAND' for ducks..at 71 MILLION, tell us no money is left and say they are saving..PS Maryland is richest state in union and we pay employees in ranking 40th. We already do our part..PS MR. O Malley check all your elite agencies and check appointed positions where all the layers of unneccesary waste lie..i.e. State Police, Public Safety, Corrections....NJF
Posted by: Fred Nastri | December 5, 2008 12:44 PM
the governors office should be looked at first and cuts should be made there. the workers who earn under $40k a year should be left along and the one over $60k should give more than 5 days if they go through with it. as a citizen I think everyone tens to get screwed except for the people with all the money. they seem to end up with more money... funny how that works.
Posted by: giggles | December 5, 2008 12:53 PM
WOOP..WOOP...WOOP..
Hyperbole alert!!! Rigors? Come on now?
Posted by: Jeff | December 5, 2008 12:56 PM