News from Annapolis March 12, 2010
GOP Budget Rescue Plan Reduces Tax Burden, Spurs Economy
Dear Friends, With a $2 billion deficit staring them in the face, the majority party is talking deep budget cuts and finally listening to our planto balance the budget. The House Republican Caucus recently briefed majority party fiscal leaders on our comprehensive plan to balance the budget without increasing taxes after the election and without raiding transportation dollars and other special funds.
The Governor's $13 billion operating budget normally would not see huge cuts by members of his own party, but there was talk this week of slashing $500 million or more because of worries about mounting deficits. Next year, federal stimulus funds dry up, so the situation will only get worse as the state faces self-imposed spending mandates covering everything from pensions to health benefits to education.
Please read our Republican House Caucus plan to balance the budget without raising taxes. In fact, it gradually would reduce the sales tax from the current 6 percent rate to 5 percent in 2015. It calls for $725 million in budget restraint next fiscal year, freezes spending in 2012, then allows gradual increases thereafter.
For more information on this week's legislative issues, you may want to read the Legislative Wrap-Up, prepared by the state Department of Legislative Services every Friday.
Bill Could Toughen Laws for Vehicular Manslaughter
Criminally negligent car and boat drivers would receive tough new penalties under legislation that has reached a major roadblock in the General Assembly. I joined Thursday with victims' families, AAA and other co-sponsors of HB388/SB870 to urge the House Judiciary Committee to finally approve our years'-long effort to close a gaping loophole in Maryland's vehicular manslaughter laws.
Current law is very lenient on these drivers, who often escape with nothing more than a traffic ticket. This legislation has cleared the Senate unanimously in the past, but House Judiciary Chairman Joseph Vallario repeatedly has "put it in a drawer," never allowing his Committee to vote on it.
Ed and Kathy Kohls of Reisterstown attended Thursday's press conference to tell how their only child, 15-year-old Conner, was struck and killed by an out-of-state driver who was going more than 65 mph on their narrow, rural road, which has a speed limit of 30 mph. The 21-year-old driver, whose license had already been suspended three times, could only be charged with a traffic ticket due to Maryland's current law.
Click here to watch WJZ 13's coverage of the press conference.
