The 2010 session of the Maryland General Assembly has been moving at a snail’s pace. Taxpayers and others may jump for joy and shout, “Thank God!” However, the 800 pound gorilla that is still standing is the budget. The budget process is moving slowly because the Governor has proposed what is actually an election year campaign budget. It is filled with tricks and gimmicks designed to balance the numbers and survive an election year. Most of the balancing acts are achieved through one-time transfers and extends a hand to Washington, hopefully, contemplating more federal money from Santa Claus Obama. Should the President fail to find anymore of our grandchildren’s money, the Maryland budget without the federal taxpayers’ subsidy could be in serious trouble.
The Governor has failed to initiate any honest structural cuts. In the next 5 years, ...Continue Reading
From the Maryland Department of Natural Resources:
Annapolis, MD (March 10, 2010) — Governor Martin O’Malley today announced Board of Public Works (BPW) approval of a 130-acre acquisition to expand the Falling Branch Area of Rocks State Park in Harford County. The addition is largely wooded with a mix of trees and evergreen plants and includes a significant amount of land directly facing the Falling Branch stream, a tributary of Deer Creek.
“This acquisition will add opportunities for nature-based outdoor recreation such as fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, canoeing and wildlife watching for Maryland families and children,” said Governor O’Malley.
The Falling Branch Area is located five miles north of Rocks State Park and is home to Kilgore Falls, a scenic and tranquil section of Falling Branch. It is a tributary of Deer Creek tucked back into the ravines of Northern Harford County, creating Maryland’s second highest vertical drop waterfall. This non-developed, ...Continue Reading
It is truly remarkable what a difference four (4) years can make. If we could journey back to ‘2006’, Marylanders demanded a change in Annapolis. Despite a 60% approval rating of former Governor Ehrlich’s performance during his term, Marylanders elected a new Administration with a message that promised to create new jobs and cut taxes for middle-income Marylanders.
Now, four (4) years later and under the Leadership of Governor O’Malley, Maryland received a “change”. Unfortunately, Governor O’Malley has delivered a “change” – unexpected and undesirable to Marylander’s expectations. In only his first term, Governor O’Malley, in an unprecedented decision, raised the corporate income tax, personal income tax, and the sales tax.
According to Governor O’Malley, the purpose for these tax increases, were to resolve a decade long structural state deficit. It was the message ...Continue Reading
This is to advise you that Governor Martin O’Malley has ordered the United States Flag and Maryland State Flag flown at half staff on Tuesday, February 9, 2010, from sunrise to sunset. This is in memory of Sgt. David J. Smith of Frederick, Maryland, who died on January 26, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
This action is taken under the Protocol for the United States and Maryland State Flag. Any questions on the above should be directed to the Office of the Secretary of State.
The following letter was received from Patrick McGrady, a Republican candidate for the House of Delegates in District 34A.
Editor,
Governor O’Malley’s State of the State address provided me with an interesting insight into the view of government in Maryland.
There were several issues of concern in this speech, but the biggest was in the conclusion of the speech where Marvelous Martin expressed that government is the answer to the question of how to “create greater freedom,” among other things.
Government does not create freedoms. The United States Declaration of Independence says that the citizens of the United States are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…” Even our own Maryland Declaration of Rights says “We, the People of the State of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty…”.
The purpose of government is to defend the freedoms of the citizens. Every elected official, when sworn in, promises to uphold ...Continue Reading
The Governor admitted in his State of the State address that Maryland is in quite a bad fiscal position, yet he bragged that the State still has a AAA bond rating. On the surface, this seems good. But the ability to borrow money means the ability to put more financial debt onto the taxpayers and future taxpayers — our children and grandchildren — so that they can continue to push their failed fiscal agendas.
I thought the Governor’s most dangerous statement was when he said that it was government’s job to step up to the plate and help business. I haven’t spoken to any business people lately who believe they need any more “help” from the government. Quite to the contrary, they need the government to get off their backs and out of their pockets.
This is to advise you that Governor Martin O’Malley has ordered the Maryland State Flag flown at half staff on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, from sunrise to sunset. This is in memory of Charles “Mac” Mathias, Jr., a life-long public servant, a former three-term U.S. Senator, Congressman, and member of the Maryland House of Delegates, who died on January 25, 2010.
This action is taken under the Protocol for the Maryland State Flag. Any questions on the above should be directed to the Office of the Secretary of State.
Every ten years, by law of the U.S. Constitution, the National Census counts every person in every state. Governor Martin O’Malley says, “The 2010 Census is coming and we must ensure that every Marylander in every neighborhood, community, village, town, city and county in our State is counted on Census Day: April 1, 2010.” And why is this so important? Because more than $400 billion in federal funding is distributed annually to states by population. An undercount of as little as 1.7% or 100,000 of Maryland’s 5.8 million residents translates into the loss of $1 billion over the ten years until the next Census. The census count also impacts representation in Congress and local government.
Based on the last Census in 2000, Harford County currently receives $698 per person. Do the math. That’s almost $7,000 per capita over a ten year ...Continue Reading
The following letter was received from the office of Delegate Wayne Norman:
Our state is in a dire fiscal situation. That is the only way to describe our current budgetary shortfalls. The economy has hurt everyone, but the state doesn’t have a recession problem so much as a spending problem. The FY2010 budget allocated over 32 billion dollars for state programs; in FY2008 Maryland’s revenues came in under 18 1/2 billion dollars.
The state cannot expect a sudden revenue boom; just weeks after the record setting high-dollar budget passed, Governor O’Malley was forced to make millions of dollars in one-time cuts. Our state workers were put on furloughs, and services to Maryland citizens were decreased, halted, or canceled.
Now the Governor’s Salary Commission has recommended pay hikes for the leaders implementing cuts. The governor’s pay is to increase $10,000 to $160,000, in addition to the governor’s free mansion, ...Continue Reading
From the Maryland Department of Natural Resources:
Annapolis, Md. (October 21, 2009) — Governor Martin O’Malley today announced Board of Public Works approval of recreational projects in Carroll, Cecil, Garrett, Harford, Prince George’s and Washington Counties through Program Open Space and the Community Parks and Playgrounds Program.
“These are challenging times for our families and our state, but working together with our local partners, we are continuing to invest in a more sustainable future for our children, creating critical new opportunities for them to have increased access to the outdoors, safer play areas and open spaces,” said Governor O’Malley.
Harford County will receive $670,000 for the initial development of the 71.3 acre Shucks Road Regional Sports Complex. Ultimately, the complex will include 4-5 baseball diamonds, one multipurpose field, parking and site development. Low impact design techniques such as vegetated swales, open section driveways and parking areas will help to mitigate environmental impacts. Wooded ...Continue Reading
