From Sen. J.B. Jennings:
Half a billion dollars in new tax proposals were left for dead by Sine Die on Monday night.
Sine Die is what we call the last day of Annapolis’ 90-day legislative session; in Latin, it means “without a[nother] day.”
As 11:59 p.m. wound around the clock on Monday evening, Gov. O’Malley’s grand plan to further tax gas, apps, tobacco, clothes, furniture, music downloads, shoes, Easter baskets, and everything else under the sun died.
It was an interesting scene in the Senate chamber. There was a lot of stress, a lot of last-minute desperate attempts by the Governor’s allies to push things through.
Senate leadership wanted to increase slots and table gaming revenues to balance the budget, but House Speaker Busch wanted to rely solely on tax increases. The two sides could not come together.
The clock inched closer to midnight, and those of us opposed to higher taxes eloquently kept the debate going in a filibuster. We were able to keep these taxes from being passed, which was a real victory for all taxpayers and fiscal conservatives.
Since we were successfully able to fend off half a billion in tax increases, the “doomsday” budget cuts I listed a few weeks ago will go into effect.
Now there is a chance that the Governor will call for a special session in May. The sole purpose of that session would be to raise taxes to avoid these “doomsday” program cuts. Our Governor has his sights set on higher office, and half a billion dollars in program cuts would not look good on his resume even though it is the right thing to do for Maryland.
However, you may remember that Governor O’Malley already called one special session in 2007 to raise our sales tax by 20% and enact hundreds of millions in other taxes. He probably doesn’t want to have that on his resume again, either.
To call a special session or not; that is indeed the question on the Governor’s mind today.
While he weighs his options, taxpayers can enjoy a quick sigh of relief. It may not last for long, but for the time being we have escaped the greedy hand of more government.
I will keep you posted on developments.
Yours in service,
Senator J.B. Jennings
How did we win? Taxes are still going to be collected and we are going to get the short end of the stick. This is another example of senators and delegates afraid to do their job! Then going to the voters and saying won big. Why can’t they just say that the budget did not get passed because people couldn’t come to an agreement. Stop all this talking that the taxpayers won. Yeah OK. What about where are the cuts coming from? The honorable (yea) governor wants to get to higher office and make marylanders pay for his jump. Maybe he can call everyone cowards and then retract that.
Who won??? Which Taxpayers? Oh yeah — the “wealthy” taxpayers! They get to keep more of their money and they already pay less in taxes. The rest of the citizens who are struggling to make ends meet will now forfeit any type of aid the State used to provide. God Bless those who will fall through the cracks because there is NO support by our government (remember the one: “for the people”). I’m not talking welfare state (for those of you out there ready to talk trash about my comments). Times are tough. It’s much tougher for those who are barely getting by.
Yes, Elsie, the Democrats want a higher sales tax rate and a higher gas tax and that will certainly help those that are struggling. Not. Are you for real? Indeed, God bless those that fall thru the cracks but raising regressive taxes is a slap in their face.
Elsie, why do the Dem/Libs always want to increase the tax burden on the economically dis-advantaged? And if you are really concerned about those that are struggling then why are you defending the Dem/lib desire to raise regressive taxes? And why are you defending Mike Miller’s shameful display re: the gambling bill for PG County? Certainly you know that legalized wagering negatively impacts the economically disadvantaged much more than any other group.
@Elsie writes – “the “wealthy” taxpayers! They get to keep more of their money and they already pay less in taxes.”
Do you really believe that people with higher incomes pay less in tax remittances and have lower tax rates as compared to taxpayers with lower incomes?
Tax rates for the wealthy are above those of the middle class. It’s the law, and no, the wealthy do not pay less in tax than the poor or middle class. Almost half of all working Americans pay no federal income tax, and many receive earned income tax credit money from the federal government to compensate them for the money that was deducted from their wages for social security and medicare.
I think the taxpayers did win. Half a billion in NEW taxes were stopped.The new budget, yes we do have one, will make the government live within its means.If the buffoons in the General Assembly wouldn’t have wasted so much time on gay marriage, which way a child has to sit in a child seat and Mike Millers gambling bill they might have gotten the important things done. Does anyone think Mike had the citizens of MD or his constituents in mind when he dragged out the final hrs. to get HIS gambling bill passed? Now they want a special session, that we will have to pay for,so they can do the things they should have done before. Hold on to your wallets because if this special session is anything like the one in 2007 we’re all going to be robbed blind.
The problem is that the game is now in extra innings and they are going to keep playing until the Dem/Libs get what they want which is tax increases. As soon as they have an agreement to raise taxes and Miller gets his casino then they are going to meet, ram it thru and go home in the blink of an eye. Everyone will say that it was a great victory for Maryland and all of us will pay more. That’s how it works in Maryland.
Now here is the real shame. The people who will bear most of the brunt of the increases are those that can least afford it because there is hardly a more regressive tax than sales and gas. Oh yes, the Dem/Libs are for the economically dis-advantaged among us. Why? Because the Dem/Libs can screw them over and still get their vote.
You are a simpleton. Period.
I hope the taxpayers can finally have a say in pushing a referendum on term limits for our elected officials. I am a Democrat and was outraged after watching how Bush and Miller behaved. They should do the honorable thing and resign from their positions. They are the text book example of misguided leadership.
FEDUPINMD,
You said ‘they are the textbook of misguided leadership’. Actually they are the textbook example of the Democratic Party machine in Maryland. They are speaking for you and they are acting for you. You are tainted because you have joined them and are guilty by association.
Alex, why does someone such as yourself have to make this stuff a personal attack? Lighten up. FYI, I did not vote for either of those officials since they represent Districts other than where I live.
I vote for whoever I want, and refuse party alligiance. Both parties have decent folks and both parties have losers.
So happy to be moving out of this tax happy liberal state in 2 months! Owe’Malley is who the jack@sses in PG Baltimore and Montgomery wanted and that is exactly who they got. I’ll still root for the Ravens and Orioles but I’m outta here!