Today, Delegate Wayne Norman (Republican, Harford Co./Dist. 35A) announced that he will donate the equivalent of eight days of his Delegate’s salary to the Arc Northern Chesapeake Region, a nonprofit based in Harford County that assists individuals with developmental disabilities.
On Thursday, House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller asked State legislators to voluntarily give up eight days’ pay in response to the Governor Martin O’Malley’s decision to furlough most State employees.
“While I certainly agree that all Maryland legislators should join in solidarity with the State’s workforce by participating in the furlough program, I have decided not to donate a portion of my salary to the State Treasury. Instead, I will give that money to a deserving charity based in Harford County,” said Delegate Norman.
“During this deep recession, many charitable organizations are struggling. And I believe a charity like the Arc will spend this money much more wisely than the O’Malley Administration.”
In December 2008, Delegate Norman donated the equivalent of five-days’ pay to the Aegis Empty Stocking Fund following Governor O’Malley’s first furlough of State employees.
I’m not impressed. Giving to a charity (and taking a tax deduction for it) is not an option for executive branch employees of the state. The whole point of the furloughs (as misguided and inept as the current administration is) is to save THE STATE money, not to redistribute state dollars as the employees see fit.
Del. Norman should give the money back to the State, and be an even louder voice at the MGA session for long-term fiscal restraint, and a true balanced budget. Depending on Federal stimulus aid, furloughs and accounting tricks is NOT a long-term solution.
I agree with Norman — keep the money in Harford County. O’Malley could have cut funding for Disparity Grants ($121M according to the Sun) to Baltimore City and P.G. County, or he could have reduced the Geographic Cost of Education Index (hundreds of millions more), which sends money to Baltimore City, P.G. and Montgomery Counties. He chose not to. Like most counties, Harford County residents give more to the State then what we get returned to us through government services. It’s O’Malley’s mess, and he’s making suburban/rural counties pick up the tab.
What happens to the State employee’s when they are on furlough…….. their pay checks are less. Bottom line money not coming out of the State Treasury. The same thing should happen to the House and Senate members as well. Their pay checks should reflect the reduced amount. This is simply a way for them to get a tax deduction while not doing anything to help with the fiscal problem of the State.
While it is admirable for Mr. Norman to donate to the Aegis empty stocking fund and the ARC, the furloughs would not be necessary had Mr. Norman and his colleagues voted to spend our tax dollars responsibly in the first place.
While Maryland families and small businesses are hurting and need real tax relief, our “republican” delegates in district 35A have been on a reckless spending spree with our money. Delegates Norman and Stifler voted to spend over $83 million on land acquisition for the state- when the state already owns over 22% of the land in MD- and that doesn’t even include roads and right-of-ways, according to Dee Hodges of Maryland Taxpayer’s Association.
While our savings were plummeting, unemployment was rising, and home foreclosures increasing this year, Delegates Norman and Stifler voted to spend $5 million on tobacco transition programs, $1.5 million to the Lyric Opera House, $350,000 to fund skate parks in PG and Montgomery Counties, and $50,000 to a dance instruction company in Takoma Park.
The Capital Budget of 2009 netted over $1.1 BILLION in NEW DEBT.
We can blame Martin O’Malley all we want, but things won’t get better until we get rid of all the public officials- governor AND delegates who are far too willing to squander our tax dollars when Marylanders need their money most. Don’t just take a politician’s word- look at their voting record.
http://mlis.state.md.us/2009rs/chapters_noln/Ch_485_hb0102E.pdf
Jason Gallion and I will be challenging these two delegates in the 2010 election. We are looking forward to exposing the records of these delegates, and offering the voters of District 35A a FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE alternative to represent them in Annapolis.
David: FYI-I was one of a handful in Annapolis who voted against the Governor’s budget. With our recent financial shortfall I am very comfortable having voted against that financial monster. The capitol budget is different. If you look at it carefully you will see that it included over eight (8) MILLION dollars for Harford County for a fire training facility and for a hospice center. This is a very real, and very much neeeded, benefit for the county. Volunteer fire service could not continue to provide for our safety without this money.
You should know that long term spending programs are the problem, especially when the Democrats increase taxes to “balance the budget” and then raise annual spending by even more than they are taking from the taxpayer.
Better fiscal planning would make these furloughs unnecessary; I will support the state workers who have to suffer from their bosses poor planning, but I will not keep feeding the problem.
The problem with your statement is that yes, you voted against the operating budget, but you voted YEA on the Capital budget involving the acquisition of land.
That’s what David was talking about.
What do we get for your voting with the democrats? $8M and a lifetime of debt. Do you really think the Volunteer Fire service would fall apart without this?
The problem with your statement is that yes, you voted against the operating budget, but you voted YEA on the Capital budget involving the acquisition of land.
That’s what David was talking about.
What do we get for your voting with the democrats? $8M and a lifetime of debt. Do you really think the Volunteer Fire service would fall apart without this?
I agree, State employees were not given the option to donate to Charities. Delegate Norman should put it towards balancing the budget like every other state worker and besides integrity is doing the right thing while no one is looking not shooting out a press release for your own benefit.
Oh, by the way I forgot to ask? Are Dave Tritt and Jason Gallion actually property owners in Harford County?
You’re right Bill, integrity is doing the right thing while no one is looking. You can’t show solidarity without…showing it. A secret donation doesn’t help anything. Delegate Norman is letting state workers know that he appreciates the pain the state’s misguidance is causing them.
It is joining them in protest of poor government, and evidence that Norman doesn’t want O’Malley to be making any more bad decisions with taxpayer dollars. The charities are hurting because of the economy; Maryland workers are hurting because of bad policy.
Daivd, I think that your post shows a lack of knowledge of the Maryland budget process. That is not unusual, most folks in the state don’t know.
The Gov. proposes the budget, the General Assembly can decrease the budget,but not increase it. When the vote is held on the budget, it is an up or down on the whole thing, not individual sections.
Mr. Norman has voted against the budget since he has been in the GA. Remember that the democRATS in PG, Montgomery, Balto City will vote the way Mr. O’Malley tells them……we need to spend more to take care of everyone.
Wayne, who is a business owner here, knows what it is to meet a payroll, pay operating expenses, pay employment taxes, buiness taxes, and all of the other costs. When costs go up he has to make cuts in other places to keep giong.
When Wayne Norman votes against the budget, he is voting for ficsal responsibility and accountability.
But Wayne Norman voted for the Capital Budget… the Capital Budget is the one that contains all the pork projects in members districts. The entire Capital Budget is just a collection of pork… it might be good for the district it’s in, but the reason it costs so much for the State is because members won’t cut other areas for fear of losing their own projects.
Barry Glassman also voted for this bill. And I can see why: $7.7 million for fire and rescue training in Harford County and $600,000 for the construction of a new hospice in Forest Hill — from bond-generated revenues.
I live in 35-A. Glassman, Stifler and Norman are conservative, but they can get things done in Annapolis. That’s a good combination.
Bond generated revenues = borrowing money to be paid back by future taxes.
Capital Budget from 2009= $1.1 billion
Harford County’s share (according to you) = $8.3 million.
That is less than 1% of the Capital Budget… is that really delivering? Is it worth it to put the taxpayer’s and our children in debt for an extra $1.1 billion just so Harford County can get less than 1%.
You’re wrong. You assume the $1.1 billion is all earmarked. It’s not — not even close. Most of the capital spending goes to school construction, farm preservation, state police, community colleges, conservation easements, libraries, etc. This money is spread throughout the state, including Harford. Out of the earmarked funds, Harford did alright.
Wow, you’re defending earmarks as being ok as long as you get your share too? That’s the problem in government, everybody needs to get their share…
In 2009, Wayne Norman received a 90% rating from Maryland Business for Responsive Government. Wayne voted against the budget and is part of the solution. Delegate Norman is a small business owner and knows fiscal responsibility, and he is bringing it to Annapolis.
He voted for speed cameras, however.
3 times.
Every Harford County delegate voted against speed cameras (even the Dems). Here’s the vote: http://mlis.state.md.us/2009rs/votes/house/1079.htm
It’s a shame that people like “X” here can post anything they want on this blog.
County has a furlough tomorrow. I won’t have the chance to donate to my favorite charity (me},unlike our steemed legislators and judiciary,(they can’t be compelled to take an unpaid day)or the teachers for that matter. I will instead be gratefull to still have a job and will make do with less, just like many other people out there. I think the unions and govt clasified employees need to just work hard and justify their salaries. Sucks for grant funded employees, they did not get a raise last year and they also take a furlough day even though the county does not pay them, their grant does. I think they did it that way to keep the union happy, you can’t have other people work while the union guys suffer at home, what a crock. It anyone needs to justify their salary, it should be the union bosses.
Even if legislators donate their salary back to the state, the Attorney General has said it counts as a federal and state tax deduction. Norman doesn’t get an advantage from giving to a charity or to the state, other than peace of mind that the money isn’t wasted.
Glassman, Stifler and Norman are doing what Harford Countians elected them to do. The larger issue is that no matter how they vote, the Democrats own Maryland and will continue to poop where they eat. Unless the Federal government completely collapses (which is not totally inconceivable)the area surrounding Washington will remain heavily Democratic and continue to drive Marylands future. The conservative rural counties will just have to be happy with the crumbs they get from Miller, Busch and MOM. Always been this way, always will be.