2010 Budget

Three out of every four years we hear about the budget shortfalls in Maryland. This year, as is every fourth year, is the exception. Why? It’s an election year! It is no coincidence that the very first thing Governor O’Malley did, once in office, was to pass "the largest tax increase in Maryland history." The reason was not because he was desperate for the revenue, but because he hoped the voters would forget all about it before the 2010 election. The Governor has used the same strategy since he was Mayor of Baltimore. He proposes a tax increase to cover a spending increase, and when the public opposes it, he shows them the budget shortfall and says, “We’ll have to cut Police, Firefighters and Teachers or raise taxes!” In 2007, the Governor told us we faced a crisis! He told us that we were facing a “structural shortfall.” Well, here is the big secret about that shortfall: there was no shortfall! The Governor proposed a 12 percent increase in spending in 2007. Had the Governor only increased spending by four percent, the budget would have been balanced. In the last four years that the Governor has been in office, Maryland has increased spending by $10.1 BILLION! To increase spending, while 243,323 (8%) of Marylanders are unemployed, is utterly irresponsible of our elected officials! The Governor has forced furlough days on state employees with the threat of layoffs. What the Governor fails to mention is that in four years he has eliminated 3,200 state positions. You do not revive the economy by single-handedly putting 3,200 Marylanders on the unemployment line!

The Governor is planning to use three methods to balance the budget in an attempt to save the elected Democratic leadership in November:

• 1. He has added $389 million in federal stimulus money to the budget. The problem with this is that this is money we have not yet received and money the White House has specifically told Annapolis not to count on. I am pretty sure my wife would be upset if I told her to pay the mortgage based on money that someone said they might send me!
• 2. He is planning to use line item budget transfers, meaning transferring money from one part of the budget to another section of the budget. He is essentially sticking a piece of chewing gum into a hole on the hull of a boat and hoping it holds until after the election.
• 3. He is going to borrow $350 million from a state income tax reserve account. Just as with his time as Mayor, he will be borrowing from a rainy day account that will never be repaid!

The Governor's budget is nothing but smoke and mirrors in an attempt to remain in office. There are several places where spending should be cut, including the Governor's purchasing of unusable land from a campaign supporter for 40 percent above what it appraised for. However, cutting five percent in funding from all 24 of Maryland’s School Boards is unacceptable! We need leadership in Annapolis that is willing to do the right thing for Maryland. There are too many career politicians who are more worried about their careers instead of what they have been elected to do! I applaud Delegate McDonough and the minority of the General Assembly members who are willing to step up and do what is right for the people of Maryland even in an election year! Unfortunately, they are in the minority, which is why I need your support to help me, help them, help Maryland!

John Paff
Republican Candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates, District 34A