Posted on 06/28/2007 6:57:50 AM PDT by sickoflibs
In an exercise of political theater intended to set the stage for tax increases and possibly slot machines, legislators got a grim look yesterday at how the state (democrats) could balance the budget with spending cuts alone.
The "doomsday budget" - ordered up by (democrat) legislative leaders to make the case that Maryland's expected $1.5 billion shortfall requires revenue increases - would cut state funding for public education by $500 million.
It would cut grants for police officers, force tuition increases at state universities, freeze state workers' salaries, eliminate hundreds of state jobs and close some state institutions, including the Walter P. Carter Center, a psychiatric hospital in Baltimore.
Maryland's top political leaders (democrats)agree that the doomsday budget will not come to pass, as each intends to push a variety of revenue-increasing options, ranging from a penny increase in the sales tax to an increase in the gas tax to allowing slot machines at race tracks.
It was also a reminder of the simplest equation of budget politics: Just as a surplus is an opportunity for every legislator to push a favorite program, a deficit pushes every legislator to defend favorites from elimination.
"Everybody has their own program," said Montgomery County Democrat Sheila E. Hixson, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. "You know that they're going to fight to keep that, and if we do that, you're going to increase taxes."
Some Republican legislators suggested that recent state spending increases have produced the current budget crisis, and they have previously proposed deep spending cuts instead of tax increases.
"We didn't feel, given our sense of the public's priorities, that this deficit could be solved without new revenue," O'Malley (newly elected democrat Governor) said.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
More Maryland socialism ping
The people pushing socialism have different goals than you and I. Socialism is a means to exert power over the masses. It is a economic failure. It is a failure at making life better for the masses. However, it suits the goals of the likes of Hillary Clinton quite well.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Maryland residents are reaping the rewards of their own stupidity. I realize that the Republicans tried their best, but unfortunately, you’re going to have to suffer along with the “mushy middle” that tilted left. A hit to the wallet is the only thing that will wake them up in Maryland.
On target with your analysis.
“A hit to the wallet is the only thing that will wake them up in Maryland.”
Yes! And Republicans need to fan the flames of outrage the way the rats are experts at(like how they won last November). With electric rates skyrocketing, and democrats with all types of programs to spend on and craving to raise taxes to spend, Republicans have an opportunity to point out what a mistake voters made in November.
Why don't they just eliminate the income tax (individual AND corporate) and property taxes, expand the sales tax into a consumption tax (goods AND services), and then cut the budget as much as necessary (oh, no, not enough funds, we are DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED), and voila, you have a free state again.
I wonder if either of them know any Spanish, or is that just another one of those things for the little people to learn?
Depends on which institutions. If they are institutions for insane or mentally incompetent people, closing these places down could unleash a new batch of panhandlers and other street people who simply cannot function in normal society.
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