From the office of state Senator J.B. Jennings:
This week, the Governor and legislative leadership passed $260 million in new taxes over the strong objection of fiscal conservatives like you and me.
The “special session” was a perfectly orchestrated farce. It was nothing but a show, with the outcome predetermined by those who rather spend-and-tax than save and prosper.
I could not be more disappointed that so many of my colleagues, under the battle cry of the Governor, tried to make it sound as though education, healthcare, and law enforcement were in jeopardy without these new tax increases.
The truth of the matter is that there are hundreds of lesser programs, grants, and bloated positions totaling hundreds of millions of dollars that could be cut well before having to touch education, healthcare, or law enforcement.
There are massive projects, such as multi-hundred-million-dollar studies for new Metro lines, that could have been delayed for one year to keep us within budget. But of course, the liberal leadership here in Annapolis didn’t want to mention that.
Instead, they went right for the throat. They claimed that our children’s future, our compassion the poor and sick, and our public safety were at stake.
That was a complete lie.
I am incredibly disappointed, and hope the voters remember this in 2014 when state legislative seats and the Governor’s Mansion are up for grabs.
Many of you have reached out to ask me what you can do to help.
Please write letters-to-the-editor. Call in to local talk radio. Volunteer for the www.MDPetitions.com movement to fight in-state tuition for illegal immigrants on the ballot this November.
And please continue to share your ideas and insights. I am beginning to research and craft legislation now for the January 2013 legislative session, and welcome your input.
As always, I am proud to represent you.
Sincerely,
Senator J.B. Jennings
O’malley and his henchmen. Not much different than the commies.
Not only was it a farce but the next one(s)will be too.We can’t leave poor Mike Miller whining until next year so we have to have another special session just for him (@ $ 20,000.00 per day). Every time the Dems get together it makes me cringe. It also makes me want to hide my money in the back yard so they can’t steal it.Oh wait,I should put it in the bank where I can get a whopping 1% interest thanks to Obama.
I was sent here in 1977 to serve at APG. I retired as a Major in 1981 and opted to become self employed after retirement. I like Maryland very much and after 20 years in the Army, living all over the world, found Maryland to be a great “stopping place.” I am fortunate to have the kind of job from which I never have to retire and planned to work until age 75, at least. Now at the age of 69 I find myself actively looking to get out of Maryland. I visited the Reno, NV area this summer and did some fact finding. As a result of being a disabled veteran, Nevada will give me my registration and license for free. There is no income tax in Nevada, so my entire Army retirement and pension income will not be subject to our onerous taxes. Real estate taxes are just about one fourth versus here. All in all that will save me approximately $25,000 per year! Let us look at that $25,000 in another way. Maryland legislaters, of the progressive persuasion, might see that as the amount it costs to operate the General Assembly for one day, a pittance. Those who understand finance however, will see this as $25,000 less with which to operate the government. In another year I will have to start taking my IRA out of the system, all of which becomes taxable upon receipt. Under my thinking not one cent of that will have to go to Maryland as well. How many of these “ultra rich folks” can Maryland afford to lose? I am not the only one who is thinking this way. The common thread among my contemporaries is that “you can not afford to retire in Maryland.”
I will be looking to live in Nevada, or another income tax free state for 183 days a year and still have the luxury of coming back to Maryland for up to 182 days to be with grand children and kids. Of course none of this is a revelation.
Poor leadership. Very simple. What amazes me is that Miller and Busch keep getting elected.
It is always funny to watch O’Malley kiss Miller’s rear at every opportunity. He, not the governor, is the most powerful person in MD politics.
Kharn,
I don’t mind watching the governor debase himself smooching Miller’s posterior. It is funnier than SNL. Martin will do whatever it takes that will benefit Martin. No limits whatever. That includes scewing over those he can screw over including the economically disadvantaged in Maryland and also the union who support him because they don’t know what else to do. (Right HCEA?) Those he can’t screw over he kisses their posterior and bribes them with your tax money.