20071024 Angry O'Malley takes on doubters by Liam Farrell Maryland Gazette

Angry O'Malley takes on doubters

By LIAM FARRELL Staff Writer
Published 10/24/07

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Visibly angry and frustrated, Gov. Martin O'Malley yesterday unveiled what his fiscal 2009 budget would look like if no new revenue is raised in a special session.

Higher education, health care, and public safety programs would all take tremendous hits, and local governments would face cuts of more than $866 million.

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"There is a price for doing nothing," Mr. O'Malley said. "I do not believe that this is what the people of Maryland … will choose."

Mr. O'Malley's frustration at the news conference in Annapolis came as state Comptroller Peter Franchot publicly disputes the need for a special session.

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Mr. O'Malley has proposed an ambitious plan to address the state's deficit, including raising the sales tax, corporate tax, reforming the income tax and legalizing slot machines.

The total package would raise $6.5 billion of new tax revenue over the next five years. That number doesn't include other parts of the plan, such as increasing the gas tax and titling tax, that would not go toward the deficit and would instead augment transportation funding.

Read Mr. Farrell’s entire article here: Angry O'Malley takes on doubters