The action on the budget and tax hikes was all over but the shouting by Republicans as the House of Delegates approved a final spending plan, shifting half of pension costs to the counties, and raising state income taxes on people making over $100,000 per year.
Twenty-two different Republican delegates rose during the three-hour debate to decry the budget action.
“When we left session [April 9], the budget was balanced,” said House Minority Whip Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, echoing a common theme. “I say enough is enough.”
Almost all Republicans voted against the budget that passed in April.
But Democratic leaders said the pension shifts, fund swaps and tax increases were needed to protect the state’s investments in K-12 education, universities, health care and public safety.
The tax hikes amounted to $6.25 a week ($325 per year) for a married couple making $250,000, said House Majority Leader Kumar Barve. He said he and his wife would be paying an additional $4.88 per week and “I am willing to pay that price” to maintain state programs.
10 Democrats vote against budget, 18 against tax hikes
In the end, the Budget Reconciliation and Act passed 86-51, with 10 Democrats joining 41 Republicans in opposing the plan that changes funding formulas and allocation of revenues. The 10 Democrats included those from more conservative swing districts and Montgomery County liberals who objected to the pension shift that would hurt their county.
The 10 Democrats were: Tiffany Alston, Prince George’s; Charles Barkley, Jim Gilchrist, Ariana Kelly, Ben Kramer, Heather Mizeur and Kirill Reznik, all of Montgomery County; Sonny Minnick and Mike Weir, Baltimore County; Johnny Wood, St. Mary’s, and David Rudolph, Cecil.
Only one Republican supported the budget measure, Del. Wendell Beitzel, Garrett, who serves on the Appropriations Committee.
The debate was far shorter and the vote even closer on the State and Local Revenue and Financing Act, which passed 77-60, just six more votes than needed for it for a constitutional majority.
CORRECTED: Eighteen Democrats joined all 42 Republicans present to vote against $300 million in tax hikes. The 18 Democrats were: Tiffany Alston, Prince George’s; Charles Barkley, Jim Gilchrist, Ana Sol Gutierrez, Ariana Kelly, Ben Kramer, Heather Mizeur, Kirill Reznik, all of Montgomery County; Pam Beidle and Ted Sophocleus, Anne Arundel; Eric Bromwell, Steve DeBoy, Sonny Minnick, Johnny Olszewski, and Mike Weir, Baltimore County; John Bohanan and Johnny Wood, St. Mary’s; Mary-Dulany James, Harford; and Kevin Kelly, Allegany.
By Len Lazarick
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Lainey Harrison says
Repeated bites at the apple. How about another session to take another bite? I didnt even get bit – I dont earn enough, but these special sessions just make me mad. Do your job right the first time or get out and let someone else do the job. SHIFTING burdens to counties DOES NOT SAVE THE STATE OF MARYLAND ONE SINGLE CENT. Shifting is not saving. Shifting teacher pensions to counties who have NO say in funding those pensions is merely robbing Peter to pay Paul and getting John to rob Paul for me. Funds swaps equate to degradation of public trust. We let you have that money for purpose A, nothing else. We did not say “use it for whatever you want”. How can we trust public officials when they keep doing crap like this? I am very disappointed in my party leadership. This may be the final straw for my registered voter status. The State’s investment in public education is indeed being undermined by the shifting pensions. If they FUNDED the pensions when they were supposed to…… but no, just more robbing Peter to pay Paul. They are protecting their investment in public safety with this? How? Please someone explain to me how my public safety county employed husband is beneffiting here? Shifting pensions is cutting county budgets and guess who gets to be forced out of their current health insurance coverages into an HMO? All Queen Anne county employees except BOE employees. Public safety was saved by this? I am not seeing it. Health care benefitted? Whose? Certainly not mine. But lets not get me started on my wonderful QAC Commission. Last year they told us they were reining in the BOE so as to NOT pit one class of county employee against another class of county employee. This year that is out the window. Teachers will get raises of one sort of name or another. All other county employees will be told NO Raises, steps, colas, pay for performance, or any other name and they will lose the one thing most of them care the most about, their health insurance. Nope, no pitting one class against another there! But English is our official language, so if you cant speak it, read it, write it, then just get out!
Joan Berwick says
I am proud to say I teach and live in Queen Anne’s County. I sincerely doubt there will be any raise for any teacher this year, but certainly am not privy to that information at this time. Still, everything I am hearing points to none. That means next year I will earn several thousands less than I did last year. Add on top of that an increase in my contribution to health care coverage, which I am told is expected to occur, and I will make even less. Furthermore, I, and many of my fellow teachers, are enrolled in an HMO.
Dedicated Teacher says
Lainey Harrison, please allow me to correct your irresponsible and erroneous proclamations. The dedicated staff of the Queen Anne’s county public school system took six furlough days last year. We are making financial sacrifices that impact our families, yet we continue to offer the same level of high quality instructional to our students, despite the demoralizing action of having our salary decreased. It is the love of our profession, our belief in the power of education to transform lives and break the cycle of poverty that has fueled us while our pockets were being emptied. We are committed to the children of this county and many of our teachers are products of this school system.
Obviously, we did not choose this career path to make a fortune. You can not find a group of more altruistics employees in the state. The impacts that the budget cuts will have on education reach much farther than just the current payroll. How will QAC attract and retain qualified teachers when we make substantially less than our neighboring counties.
How will we continue to attract families to our area if the reputation of our school system declines? While I agree with you that we are robbing Peter to pay Paul, you are gravely mistaken when you claim that teacher’s are somehow benefited from this scenario. We are all losing and the ones that stand to lose the most are our children.
editor says
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rds1955 says
It’s funny… “How will we attract and retain qualified teachers….”
It’s the same argument being offered in “EVERY” county….
“How will we continue to attract families to our area if the reputation of our school system declines”
the community of Chestertown has stated basically the same thing because the local hospital system is declining…
Granted, Teachers may not get financially wealthy or rich in their chosen field, but they have one big advantage over most
county/municipal employees….They have both a college degree and union representation when they start…
“It is the love of our profession, our belief in the power of education to transform lives and break the cycle of poverty that has fueled us…”
Apparently this hasn’t worked out so well either, cause no one haven’t been able to transform the politicians and break the cycle of Greed and Stupidity that has fueled Annapolis for years…
THE PROBLEM is bad financial management and tax policy…The majority of the Politicians simply do not know what it means to “Live within our Means”… And now every public employee in the state is going to suffer because of it…
(btw…are you aware there is talk of “Another” Special session being called again in Annapolis in June or July to see how much more money can be “developed” with added Gambling resources and activities through out certain areas of the State?…) When is enough, Enough ???