Maryland Politics: Another legislator furloughs himself - Your source of news and gossip from the Mason-Dixon Line to the Potomac

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December 8, 2008

Another legislator furloughs himself

Nic Kipke, a first-term Republican delegate from Anne Arundel, just announced that he, too, will voluntarily participate in the state government furlough. He joins his delegation-mate Steve Schuh, who announced his intention to participate in the furlough this afternoon.

"I believe it is only fair that elected officials be included in the furlough plan that is being forced on our state employees. We are the people who make decisions that determine the direction of state spending and should not be immune to the consequences of our actions," Kipke said in a statement.

No word on how Kipke will handle the actual mechanics of participating in the furlough; the state constitution prohibits the government from forcing legislators to give up part of their salary, so it's not clear how he would accomplish it. Schuh said today that he'll donate part of his legislative salary to the American Red Cross of Anne Arundel County.

Posted by Andy Green at 6:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Comments

You are kidding me right. He is going to take the days off and donate the money to the Red Cross.

I guess no one sees a problem here. The purpose of the furlough is to put money into the General Fund is it not? Donate it there. They CAN NOT be forced to to give up salary, but they can voluntarilt do it. But donating it to an organization that will in the end benefit the m via tax breaks is insulting

Posted by: Mike Z | December 9, 2008 9:34 AM

These are our leaders and decision makers? Oh my!

Posted by: Mac | December 10, 2008 11:45 AM

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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 several 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.

Julie Bykowicz's first days as a political reporter, in January 2009, coincided with Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon's indictment and the start of the Maryland General Assembly's 426th legislative session. She focuses on coverage of state agencies, such as social services, juvenile justice and prisons. During the session, she wrote about the death penalty, slots parlors and speed cameras, among other hot topics. Julie began political reporting after more than seven years on The Baltimore Sun's crime desk. She lives in Baltimore and works primarily in Annapolis.

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