Delegation says county stands to lose $1 million in special
session
Carroll County's Delegation to
Annapolis said this past week that the county would be
better off under the state's "doomsday" budget, and stands to lose
some $1 million in state funding in a special session of the Maryland General
Assembly.
In a May 3 meeting with the Board of County Commissioners in
Westminster — one day before Gov.
Martin O'Malley announced a special session to convene May 14 — members of the
delegation said the "doomsday" budget actually represents one that
they feel is more fiscally responsible ... and winds up better for the county.
"I challenge that moniker ... it's not a doomsday
budget," said Sen.
David Brinkley (R-Dist. 4). "Frankly, the
budget still goes up by $700 million, and I think the citizens are expecting us
to live within our means as they are having to do so."
Legislators said even with cuts under the
"doomsday" budget, Carroll County would actually be better off under
that scenario than if a special session happened.
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Update: see also
by Kevin Dayhoff
This is the time of the year when many citizens turn their
attention to the budget processes of
Carroll County government and its eight
municipalities. No matter where you live in Carroll County, money matters.
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2012 Meets "1984"
Amid rancorous opposition from Republicans and rising
discontentment among segments of the ruling Democrats, the curtain rose Monday
for an attempt at a carefully choreographed special – 431th – session of the
Maryland General Assembly opera.
It was on May 4 that Gov. Martin O’Malley announced that the
legislature would get together for a couple of days to raise taxes and enact
more laws, rules and regulations in Maryland.
Paradoxically, Jim Joyner wrote in
www.ExploreCarroll.com on May 6
that the Carroll County delegation observed that “the county would be better
off under the state's ‘doomsday’ budget, and stands to lose some $1 million in
state funding in a special session of the Maryland General Assembly…
“‘I challenge that moniker ... it's not a doomsday budget,’
said Sen. David Brinkley (R., Carroll/Frederick). ‘Frankly, the budget still
goes up by $700 million, and I think the citizens are expecting us to live
within our means as they are having to do so.’ ”…
http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=5111
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Related:
Bryan Sears - Patch: Busch, O'Malley Call For Budget
Compromise
Busch, O'Malley Call For Budget Compromise
Gov. Martin O'Malley and House Speaker Michael Busch called
on the Senate to compromise on a state budget in time for the General Assembly
to end its session at midnight.
"The one constitutional obligation we have is to pass a
balanced budget," said Busch, adding that House members assigned to the
conference committee were prepared to complete negotiations.
"Because one chamber has an obsession with a certain
issue, that they do not want to concur on the budget until that issue is resolved
does not initiate any responsible stand for us not to deal with the budget that
is in front of us," said Busch, speaking of a Senate effort to expand
gambling to include table games and a sixth casino location in Prince George's
County.
"They have 11 hours to comply and get the bill through
the Senate and to the House or we do not meet our constitutional
obligation," said Busch.
"This budget should have been passed three days
ago," Busch said.
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How do you recap a baseball game that's still in extra
innings? How do you pick winners and losers when there's no final score yet?
Right now, the House and Senate teams are tied at the top of
the 10th with House Speaker Mike Busch pitching to Senate President Mike Miller
who's behind, 0 and 2, with two outs and nobody on. Gov. Martin O'Malley is
doing TV interviews in the press box where, asked which team he's backing,
replies, “Who's playing?”
In this high-profile, high-stakes showdown the smart money
says Miller blinks first. Not because he can't take the heat (which has reached
the boiling point), but because the only thing more precious to Mike Miller
than gambling legislation is protecting his position as president of the
Senate.
The heat on Miller has grown merciless: the media, labor
unions, the state employees, Busch, O'Malley, Comptroller Peter Franchot, etc.,
all blame Miller for triggering the so-called doomsday spending cuts by holding
an income tax bill hostage until he gets his gambling bill (a new P.G. County
gaming casino and table games for all six gambling venues).
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Leaders want second gathering to focus on gaming
by Danielle E. Gaines, Staff Writer Friday, April 27, 2012
As the clock struck midnight on Sine Die, many Annapolis
insiders were struck by the number of significant bills, most notably the
budget, that failed to pass both chambers.
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