Maryland House, Senate adjourn without revenue plan

The Washington Times ^ | April 9, 2012 | David Hill

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

ANNAPOLIS — The General Assembly adjourned Monday night after a chaotic closing session in which members failed to pass a set of proposed tax increases or a bill to expand gambling in the state.

Lawmakers passed a balanced budget and hoped to pass accompanying bills raising income taxes and shifting teacher-pension costs onto counties, but they ran out of time before the assembly’s required midnight adjournment.

The House attempted to extend the session by passing a resolution shortly before midnight, but the Senate did not address the measure in time.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. said he was content to adjourn and said the governor should call a special session in the near future during which lawmakers could consider and potentially pass much of the pending legislation.

“The public expects us to get our work done in 90 days and we did the best we could,” said Mr. Miller, Prince George’s Democrat.

Failure of the tax and pension bills triggers $512 million in automatic budget cuts, which include cuts to education and local aid. Many of the cuts could be replaced with revenues if Gov. Martin O'Malley calls a special session.

Mr. O'Malley, a Democrat, addressed reporters during an appearance after midnight and declined to say whether he will call a special session. He was harshly critical of lawmakers for allowing the cuts to take effect.

“We failed to protect the priorities that allow our state to move forward,” he said. “That is not in keeping with what the people of our state expect from our legislature.”

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The flush tax increase did pass the GA, unfortunately

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Maryland “Freak State” PING!

[TBP]

Cut spending, then cut spending, then cut spending. No more taxes!

[sickoflibs]

Looks like MoM will call a Special ‘Tax’ Session again.

[Viking2002]

My annual Christmas pilgrimage to the family homestead up there is becoming more and more like some sort of diplomatic delegate visitation to a Cold War Eastern Bloc state. And I've found myself leaving it behind each successive year with an increasing sense of both profound sadness and frothing-at-the-mouth animal disgust.

"As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

--H.L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

[Dr.Deth]

Translation: “We pass any of this, even our Soviet Socialist Republic will vote us to the underpass where we deserve to live”

[silverleaf]

90 days was just not enough time for these clowns to raise another half billion in taxes ... but like the plague...they’ll be back

(visions of the taxpayers being beat down like that white tourist in Baltimore)

[sauropod]

‘s ok. Our local media here is flogging Lil’Marty so he’ll hold a secret session.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

They figured out how they want to spend, just haven’t figured out where the money will come from; guess they’re working on the spin as to how we will love it.