20071102 Heated Testimony, No Consensus on O'Malley's Tax Measures

Heated Testimony, No Consensus on O'Malley's Tax Measures

Friday, November 2, 2007

I just re-read a summation of the week that was in Annapolis by Washington Posts writers Philip Rucker and Ovetta Wiggins and among many good articles on the Maryland General Assembly’s Special Session, they did a fairly good job of capturing the “there –there.”

As I wrote in The Tentacle last week, “Trick or Treat”:

However, as much as the governor's excellent grassroots campaign, especially with the Maryland Municipal League and the Maryland Association of Counties is admirable, there are continued concerns that he has taken for granted his flashy cavalry - the Democrat members of the General Assembly.

Political theorists will suggest that the grassroots will prevail upon the Maryland legislators. However, Maryland Democrat legislators are more often that not in a league of there own and not as accessible to their constituents as textbook political theory may suggest.

And therein lies the rub. Lightweight political pundits will simplistically suggest that the overwhelming Democrat majority will take a dive for the governor; but this is the party of Will Rodgers ("I am not a member of any organized political party. I'm a Democrat."). The Dems in Annapolis are notorious for acting like feudal lords - and are ultimately not that unified or organized.

After all, it was Mr. Rodgers who quipped, "Democrats never agree on anything, that's why they're Democrats. If they agreed with each other, they would be Republicans."

Heated Testimony, No Consensus on O'Malley's Tax Measures

By Philip Rucker and Ovetta Wiggins

Washington Post Staff Writers, Friday, November 2, 2007; B05

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's plan to close an expected budget shortfall evoked passionate responses from constituencies from across the state yesterday, underscoring the challenge lawmakers face in reaching consensus as they move into the fifth day of a special session.

Legislators heard a stream of testimony from lobbyists, local officials and citizens on increasing the sales tax and overhauling the personal income tax structure, two of the more controversial measures introduced by O'Malley (D) to eliminate a projected deficit of at least $1.5 billion.

Hearings also were held on legislation to reduce the property tax and double the tobacco tax, as well as the governor's initiative to extend health care insurance to 100,000 uninsured adults.

In a hearing on O'Malley's income tax proposal -- which would raise taxes on the state's wealthiest residents while providing a modest break for others -- Montgomery County figured prominently. The governor's plan would affect the state's largest and most affluent county more than any other jurisdiction.

[…]

Karen Syrylo, a state taxation consultant and a member of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, said that O'Malley's proposal has led some business owners to voice a desire to relocate to Northern Virginia.

Read the entire article here: Heated Testimony, No Consensus on O'Malley's Tax Measures