From the Office of Sen. Nancy Jacobs:
Recently, the Maryland Business for Responsive Government (MBRG), awarded Sen. Nancy Jacobs their coveted John Shaw award for her 92% lifetime pro-business/jobs rating. This award is presented by the MBRG “in recognition of legislative achievement on business issues that foster the free market system in Marland.”
To receive the John Shaw award, a legislator must have scored at least a 70% over the four-year period prior to the election. In the 2007-2010 cycle, only 14 of 47 Senators received the John Shaw award.
Sen. Jacobs’ 92% rating was tied for second highest lifetime in the Maryland State Senate and tied for first highest when counting only those Senators whom have served at least two full terms.
The Maryland Business for Responsible Government’s “purpose is to inform Maryland’s business community, elected officials and the general public about the political and economic environment needed to foster economic development and job creation in Maryland.
…
MBRG is a statewide, nonpartisan political research and education organization supported by corporations, trade associations, chambers of commerce and individuals.” The organization’s co-chairs are Ellen Sauerbrey and Marvin Mandel.
Senator Jacobs commented on her award:
“Fixing our economy starts by creating an environment in which small businesses can thrive and create jobs. This means reducing the tax burden on working families and small businesses, streamlining bureaucratic red-tape and supporting common-sense free market reforms.
Unfortunately, our business community has been beholden to a monopolistic anti-business agenda of the current Governor and his cohorts in the legislature. I hope to see the ranks of the MBRG Roll Call grow in 2011 and to see favorable legislation toward job creation that can lay the foundation for a strong economic future for Maryland.”
Nice job, Senator Jacobs! Keep up the good work…this county cannot survive (neither can the country, for that matter) without the small business owner! For the record, Senator Jacobs, would you, please, explain your stance on the Harford Co. Hotel Tax? Seems this is one issue the constituency needs more information on in order to understand why Harford Co. is the only Maryland county not utilizing this “funding source.” Why are you opposed?
Good job Jacobs. We need more folks who work on legislation that helps our small business community because we really are a community. We employ local kids and donate to local charities because this is our home. How did the other senators and delegates score?
Any tax hike is crazy right now interested observer! I support this tax in better times so long as we see subsequent tax cuts as a result of “new” revenue.
You just don’t get it, do you Regina?
The hotel tax is added to the bill for those who are staying in hotels, and is not impacting the workaday Harford County citizen. Every other county in the state has such a tax and a portion of the proceeds are used to help promote the county for visitors. Miss Clairol has been against the tax because of who her financial supporters are, NOT because it would be bad for the county.
Duh.
Who could think that ANY tax is appropriate right now? Sen. Jacobs doesn’t support a hotel tax because she doesn’t support ANY tax increases–especially on small businesses. I am sure hotels really don’t need the extra paperwork a new tax would generate regardless of who pays for it! Let’s concentrate on lowering expenses just like small business owners have to do when they cannot raise prices!
I’m glad to hear that you feel this way, since that must mean you will be voting to re-elect Governor O’Malley, because contrary to the drivel you have been fed by the Ehrlich campaign, there are 4,200 FEWER positions in State government than when Bob Ehrlich took office, and General Fund spending is half a Billion Dollars lower than when O’Malley took office.
Bob Ehrlich increased spending in our state by over 30% in his 4 years as governor, and increased the State budget by over 10% in his final budget alone.
So if you are looking for an elected leader who has made the tough decisions and cut spending instead of increasing spending 30% in four years like a hillbilly ho who just won the Lotto, then clearly you will vote for Gov. O’Malley.
But back to Miss Clairol. The reason Clairol Professional 12G Blondest Blonde resists the hotel tax is that her hand is so deep in her hotel patron pants she knows which way it dangles. No new taxes is simply a canard to protect the flow of campaign funds.
Plain and simple.
The first sentence should read
“I’m glad to hear that you feel this way, since that must mean you will be voting to re-elect Governor O’Malley, because contrary to the drivel you have been fed by the Ehrlich campaign, there are 4,200 FEWER positions in State government than when Bob Ehrlich LEFT office…”
Mea culpa.
Point of information – if you refer to O’Malley as ‘Governor’, you should also refer to Ehrlich as ‘Governor’. It is a title that remains with the officeholder after leaving.
Plain and simple.
I, on the other hand, have a different name that I use when referring to O’Malley, but I understand that children occasionally visit this site so I will not mention it.
Hope this helps.
OK, Phil… how’s this….
In the four years in the State House, Governor Ehrlich spent money as if he was trying to buy re-election. Governor Ehrlich increased the State budget by more than 30% over his four year term, and 10% in the final year as he headed for re-election. Never in the history of the State of Maryland has any governor other than Governor Ehrlich increased the State budget by so much in so little time.
And now Governor Ehrlich wants a second shot at blowing the State budget. At least this time he does not have former Lt. Governor Michael Steele at his side. He now has a wifey clone who was a member of the board of directors of her husband’s company that is now under possible criminal investigation. But that doesn’t matter to Governor Ehrlich, because as a good republican, Governor Ehrlich feels that playing by the rules is for the “other” guys.
Is that better, Phil?
Grammatically better, but pathetic in content. However, any supporter of Governor O’Malley has my sympathies. Please seek counseling.
Hope this helps.
DaggerDan: Your vulgar ad hominem attacks are nasty and pointless. I suggest you take your filthy mouth back where it belongs. Senator Jacobs is an honest and trustworthy person striving to serve the constituency she represents. She has explained her stance on this matter with complete candor: Where in the bill is the commitment of all revenues this tax/fee generates to the “tourism industry?” Oh, it’s not there? Well, then, what’s the point? Our locally-owned, small business owners/franchise holders cannot afford a single additional tax/fee until the economy improves…but wait, the tourism economy can’t improve without tourists! But wait, the tourists won’t come unless we advertise! But wait, how can we advertise…there’s no money! But wait, there’d be money if we imposed a new “Tax/Fee!” But wait,… awww, heck…another four hotels have had to close their doors, now where are we gonna the money to advertise? But wait,…! Quite a conundrum, isn’t it?
Typical, attacking the messenger instead of the message. Isn’t that what they teach you in GOP 101?
When you can refute the facts, then let’s talk.
Poor misinformed Interested Observer…
“Our locally-owned, small business owners/franchise holders cannot afford a single additional tax/fee until the economy improves…”
Well, these small business owners/franchise holders don’t need to afford the tax, as the tax will be paid on a daily basis by those who are renting rooms. No one is asking these hotel operators to reach in their pockets, are they? D’oh.
Now if the good Senator wants a commitment that all of the tax goes to promote tourism, then let her sponsor a bill that spells that out. Unfortunately she is from the GOP…the party of NO. It is so much easier to say “no” than to actually work across the aisle to make something happen.
Besides, it would be foolish to have 100% of the tax revenues go purely to promoting tourism, as many of the visitors are here on business at APG and other arenas of local commerce. Every tax revenue dollar that comes from people outside of Harford County that flows to the county coffers could mean that that much less needs to be raised to balance the budget, n’est-ce pas?
Finally, if four hotel were to shut down, maybe it is because some folks over-leveraged and the local market is overbuilt. It would certainly not be due to a $10 per room per night tax. Nice try, though.
And I think it is my allegedly filthy hand that you might be complaining about, not my mouth. Or maybe it’s just that you have a nasty, dirty mind and read things in a twisted and perverted phantasmagorical way due to your repressed personality disorder.
Considering how 13 of the 14 recipients are Republicans, I’m not too impressed.
Clearly a “let’s create our own standards and pat ourselves on the back” award.