From the office of Del. Rick Impallaria:
As the 2010 General Assembly session comes to a close, first let me say that it has been an honor to represent you and be your voice of common sense in the House of Delegates.
The past eight years have been quite an eye-opener for me. I originally believed that the General Assembly as a body worked to protect and defend the citizens of the State of Maryland. What I have learned is that in reality they are working to have more control, power, and oversight into our everyday lives, and are more proficient in creating problems than in solving them.
Even though session ends tonight at midnight, we can already name some winners and losers. Let’s start with the WINNERS.
FELONS, including murders, rapists, and child molesters, whose voting rights have been restored and defended
GANGS, who have a strong voice in Annapolis protecting their rights to operate their criminal organizations
ILLEGAL ALIENS, who once again have been given funding by the State of Maryland. All legislation to crack down on them has been blocked.
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES, which will receive government subsidies at the expense of the ratepayers for their economically unproven methods of creating energy
TRIAL LAWYERS AND THE UNIONS have been given increased power and authority over business interests.
Now some of the LOSERS.
THE CHESAPEAKE BAY. Funding from the flush tax, which was intended to improve Bay quality, has been stolen to balance the budget, and no meaningful legislation to prevent runoff from major cities like Baltimore from polluting the Bay has been passed.
LAW ENFORCEMENT, which will see funding cuts, and who have had more regulations placed on them in order to defend and help the criminal element
BOTH LARGE AND SMALL BUSINESS, who, rather than being aided in creating jobs, are being hit with even more regulation, making it harder for them to operate and create jobs in the State
CHILDREN, who are always touted by the leadership of the majority party as coming first, but when it comes to protecting them from predators, they rank last in the General Assembly
VETERANS. Financially hard-pressed VFW’s and American Legion Posts depended on gambling machines for operating funds. These machines were peremptorily removed by county governments. Bills which would have permitted them to use them were killed. Funding bills for them were also killed.
THOSE WHO SUPPORT TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT GAY MARRIAGE. Both sides of the issue are losers, because the General Assembly has refused to act in this matter, denying the electorate their say.
And finally THE TAXPAYERS OF THE STATE, who once again will have to give their hard-earned money and savings to fund this year’s budget.
A word about the budget. The powers-that-be promoted how they have reduced this year’s budget by $12 million from the previous year. But after the cameras and the media left, they immediately stuck the $12 million back in. It is part of the continuing shenanigans which go on in Annapolis.
Over the past eight years I have voted against the budget seven times. Having a family and a business, I clearly understood that the citizens of Maryland could not afford the continuing expansion of the budget. I knew seven years ago that the economy could not grow fast enough to sustain their spending.
At the end of the day, this year’s budget will be the same as last year’s, which needed cutting them. The major difference is that this budget is now being funded by raiding numerous special funds and by one-time federal dollars. There were a total of 56 funds raided, some of which are: Highway User Revenue, Bay Restoration Fund, University System of Maryland, Injured Workers’ Insurance Fund, Waterway Improvement Fund, Injured Workers’ Insurance Fund (State Liability Reserve), Ocean Beach Replenishment Fund (Local), Board of Physicians Fund, Injured Workers’ Insurance Fund (State Administrative Costs), and the Board of Nursing Fund. This means that next year whoever is Governor will have a tough job because the special funds will be gone and the federal money will be nonexistent.
In short, all this will result in higher taxes, so to vote for this budget was clearly a vote to raise taxes next year. That is why I voted against it.
I wish that I could bring you good news. Fortunately there is an election this year, and the citizens will have the opportunity to make some changes. Being a fiscal conservative in Annapolis is like being Custer at Little Big Horn.
Rick Impallaria
Delegate, District 7
Baltimore and Harford Counties
Rick.Impallaria@house.state.md.us
Ok, so you voted against the budget. What else did you accomplish? All I see is your criticism of the legislative body to which you belong. What did YOU DO? You don’t seem to mention.
To borrow a few of your own words, how did you work to protect and defend the citizens of the State of Maryland?
Nothing that is why he will not be reelected!
He voted against a bad budget. That is his primary weapon against corruption and irresponsibility. That is how he tried to defend the people of Maryland. He did his job.
Complaining about 4th of July parades and crusading for things that are not state responsibilities are not his job and not what I elected him for. HE GOES!
REALLY?
Just a few examples to counter balance.
SEX OFFENDERS
Violent and repeat sex offenders receive fewer good-behavior credits in prison and are subject to lifetime supervision upon release. The state’s publicly available sex offender registry is to include more information and minimum prison sentences for some child molesters have been tripled to 15 years. Senate Bill 622, toughening penalties for adults over 18 who molest children 13 and younger.
GANGS
the Senate joined the House in approving legislation that gives prosecutors more tools in going after gangs by carving out a new crime for gang leaders and extending sentences for gang members convicted of certain crimes. Both chambers also approved a measure aimed at increasing communication between schools and the police about gang activity
SMALL BUSINESS
Employers can seek a $5,000 tax credit for each unemployed Marylander they hire. signed into law.
Cdev –
Did you vote for Del. Impallaria in the last election?
Joe
Yes I did but I won’t be this time. McDonough has also burned his bridge in my opinion!
I also have many nieghbors whith whom we hang out and talk from time to time and we have mostly come to the same conscensus and many of us voted for them before!
Cdev –
I appreciate your answer to my question.
Since I have spent time in Annapolis and Harford County with both McDonough and Impallaria my opinion of them differs from yours. These two delegates are great advocates for their constituents and work tirelessly for the people of the State of Maryland in a most inhospitable environment that is the Maryland House of Delegates.
I suggest you call McDonough and Impallaria, invite them for a cup of coffee and find out for yourself what they stand for.
Joe
I have called them and sent e-mails about issues that are important to me but not neccesarily their big issues. I get no reply I get better response from delegates who are not supposed to be representing me. I just feel that if I do not fit or gree with their positions on certin issues they are non-responsive. This bothers me!
Cdev –
I think you should give Delegates Impallaria and McDonough another call since they are both known for being very responsive to constituents…even those folks that disagree with them.
Joe
4 calls and 25 personally written e-mails on a host of issues over 4 years is it. They had their chance if they have a change of heart then I will consider voting for them after they leave office if they want to try to get back in. But they got to demonstrate it first. The sad thing was I never even got put on Pat McDonough’s or Rick Impellaria’s mass e-mail list.
Cdev –
Okay so you don’t want to call Impallaria or McDonough, I get it.
Joe
I already did His turn to call me. I don’t think I should only get responsiveness in an election year and ignored the rest of the time from my elected representitives. I will weigh the options but this will weigh heavily in my pros and cons.
Cdev –
I got it.
Joe
Add DEL. IMPALLARIA to the list of losers for the year/session
While Del. Impallaria’s assertions are over exaggerated and in some cases false all together, I applaud his constitutional stance, his fiscally conservative mind set and his strong conviction of protecting and empowering victims while impossing strong sentences on felons. In his defense, it is difficult for a republican to push any legislation in the state of Maryland when the democratic majority has used their power to block their efforts for so long.
I don’t want excuses I want results.
Cdev –
If you want positive fiscally responsible results you should work to get more conservatives elected to represent us in Annapolis.
Joe
Joe I can only worry about the 3 elected for my district for the house and one senator. Other people decide who represents them and I would not presume to tell them who to elect just like they should not tell me who I should elect.
Cdev –
Well I think you are being foolish.
Of course you can work to get fiscal conservatives elected in any district, you just can’t vote for them.
You need to grow up kind sir.
Joe
I have grown up. I think what I am expecting is not only reasonable but should be expected.
Representatives are not elected to represent the interest of people outside the district. They re elected to represent the constiuents in their district. This is part of the problem with those I mention they spend time pandering to people outside of their district while ignoring the people they are elected by. I have no problem with them helping other Marylanders but their job is to represent the views, opinions and fight for the needs of the people that live in this district. They are not doing that, in fact they are not even responding to the people in this district. Furthermore I don’t think they realize this district has changed considerably since they last ran and I am not alone in this feeling.
Cdev –
I take one of your rants at a time.
It most certainly is appropriate to get fiscal conservatives elected in as many jurisdictions as possible and that is the province of individuals and of course political parties and political action groups. You can only vote in your precinct but you can most assuredly campaign for anyone anywhere you wish.
Regarding your representatives; you say they have been unresponsive and you don’t want to call them to discuss your concerns, which is the choice you made.
So in closing I suggest you get off your high horse before you fall off.
Joe
i called they didn’t respond.
Cdev –
I get it regarding your calling Imapallaria and McDonough and have not disputed it. However, since you are anonymous on this forum there is no way for your representatives who do in fact read the Dagger can reach out to you to remedy their possible disregard of your concerns.
You have conveniently ignored my comments about campaigning for fiscal conservatives inside and outside of your voting precinct. You seem to hold the view that it is wrong for folks to go around the state to promote good candidates for the elected offices in Annapolis?
Joe
Delegate Rick Impallaria, to add to YOUR list of winners and losers:
Winners: The citizens of District 7 (if you LOSE in November)
Losers: The citizens of District 7 (if you WIN in November)
P.S. Rick, after reading your propaganda, my suspicion has been confirmed. You ARE the biggest liar in the region.