From the Maryland House Republican Caucus:
House Republicans today shed light on what many have called the “Doomsday Budget” that passed last week in the final hours of the 2012 Legislative Session.
“For all the hand wringing and wailing that we’re seeing in the media, the bottom line is spending in this budget increases by nearly $700 million over last year” said House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell. “It was not a budget that we would have crafted, but it is does not demand a Special Session.”
According to the Department of Legislative Services, even with the cuts included in the “Doomsday Budget”, total state spending still increases by nearly $700 million over last year. Total state spending in FY 2012 was $34.7 billion, in FY 2013 total spending increased to $35.4 billion.
“When you look at the numbers it seems that ‘doomsday’ is certainly in the eye of the beholder,” said Delegate Kelly Schulz. “While cuts to education have been making headlines, the reality is they’re basically level-funded in FY 2013, and still receiving more than FY 2012. While interest groups like MSEA are making hysterical cries for a Special Session to increase taxes, we think after years of record education funding, the taxpayers deserve a break.”
“Our caucus offered a well thought-out plan that reduced the budget and avoided tax increases but it was solidly rejected on party lines”, said House Minority Whip Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio. “Now we have the Democratic majority’s budget that was haphazardly crafted as a coercion tool for tax hikes – it was a bluff to force their more reluctant members to vote for tax increases. This scheme backfired and now they want a do-over.”
In fact, a special session could be quite a costly “do-over” for taxpayers. When the legislature convened for a tax-raising special session in 2007, it cost taxpayers over $20,000 per day and lasted several weeks.
“With today being the Tax Day deadline, it is important to keep in mind that nearly $3 billion in new and increased taxes proposed in the 2012 Session, said Delegate Mark Fisher. “While polling showed that 96% of Marylanders felt they paid enough taxes, Governor O’Malley and the Democratic majority were still positioning themselves to take more. The fact that Maryland’s taxpayers made it through the session with very few of those taxes passing borderlines on miraculous.”
“Even in the final days of the 2012 Session Governor O’Malley was still pushing for a gas tax increase and even floated the idea of another sales tax increase, said Delegate Haddaway-Riccio. “This ‘Doomsday Budget’ is a contrived crisis to give them another bite at the tax apple. We do not need a special session that allows the tax-hungry General Assembly to make another grab for Marylander’s wallets.”
Cut the spending, cut the waste.
I think we’re at risk of ruining the meaning of the word “doomsday”. Which means when the day comes when we have to face not only cuts but substantial ones, we’re going to need to come up with a new word.
If the dems would have done their jobs and their constitutional duty instead of worrying about which way a child sits in the seat, gay marriage, illegals and Mike Miller’s gambling bill we would have had a budget.The doomsday budget is fine with me. Maryland won’t crumble in the dust if we actually have to live within our means for one year. I say no special session and throw the dems out.
So you do not believe it was the responsiblility of the republican members in the GA to participate either?
It is clear that the Democratic Party that runs the MD General Assembly has total and complete control of all aspects of the Government in the State. Therefore, the “failure” of the budget that increased by $500MM rests solely on the shoulders of the Democratic Party and their legislators.
CDEV,
As an unaffiliated voter because I have a general distaste right now for both parties, I am compelled to agree with the general concensus presented here. Maryland is a one-party state.
If my memory serves me correctly the Republican caucus did form a budget that trimmed half a billion dollars and was not “doomsday.” It was summarily rejected by the GA.
To hold Republicans responsible for anything in this state is ridiculous. This state has been run (except for the Ehrlich anomoly) by the Democrats longer than anyone can remember. The spending problems and high taxes belong exclusively to the Democratic Party’s leadership assembled in Annapolis – period.
So Patrick by stark contrast if they came up with a better budget in the special session it would be soley their accomplishment?
While I will not disagree that the vast majority of the GA is democrats the state GOP has chosen to sit on the side and become a non-entity. THeir so called alternative budget was 10 pages long and 3 are pictured above. 4 pages where simply propaganda graphics like the one above. It included the ever so general recomendation of cut 2% across the board with no suggestions on how to accomplish it.
If the MD-GOP would stop purging moderates and embrace moderate democrats they could actually accomplish something instead they focus on non-sense issues like speak english! It took them multiple years to move a bill on an elected school board for our county that “everyone” wanted!
To clarify I am also an independent voter. and believe that the whole legislature is constitutionally obligated to pass a budget not just the democrats! While a great deal of failure rests on their shoulders a real plan and real attempt to broker that plan was not attempted by the GOP members!
CDEV< Speaking English is not important? 2% across the board is self explanatory. Erlich wanted slots but the dems fought him for 4 years. The year when O' Malley got in they suddenly loved it. The dems don't like any GOP idea and will fight to stop them. I guess they are afraid to lose power even if it would help MD citizens.
A bill mandating english speaking is not important!
2% across the board sounds easy until you have to mandate what programs will be cut and then it get’s dicey.
C’mon, CDEV. This state is run by the Democrats. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. They do what they want, pass what they want and spend what they want. What we are witnessing here is an internal Democratic squabble among themselves because a few of their group aren’t getting what they want coupled with a Mike Miller toddler tantrum because he didn’t get his gambling bill. Yet. The Republicans have no influence over any of this. Doomsday budget indeed. The only thing ‘doomsday’ about it is that the Democrats didn’t get everything they wanted immediately so they are scripting this little show for all of us. Anybody who believes this nonsense needs to wake up.
My understanding is that the Republicans in the GA have told the leadership that they will not appear or participate in a special session. Of course that sounds petulant but the financial outcome and the horrendous taxes jammed down the throats of the tax payers will be strictly a democrat action. It sounds like a super plan to me. It will be mighty damned easy to fix blame at the next election in 2104.