Dooomsday for the Bay Fund
04-11-2012, 09:34 PM
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Dooomsday for the Bay Fund
No Agreement Nets Doomsday Budget For Md.
Governor Asked To Convene Special Session To Rework Budget
http://www.wbaltv.com/politics/30869465/detail.html
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- It wasn't supposed to happen this way.
Gov. Martin O'Malley signed the state's budget into law Tuesday -- but the plan doesn't represent what many lawmakers wanted.
The governor may have accomplished much of the priorities on his 2012 legislative agenda, but the feat was overshadowed by talk of a special legislation session to re-work a so-called "doomsday budget" that calls for $500 million in cuts to take effect by July 1.
Cool but cordial, two of the most powerful legislators in Annapolis kept their distance Tuesday, the day following the session's last day. The governor characterized the budget outcome as a low point of his experience in Annapolis.
"The Legislature failed to enact an operating budget that was anything like the plan that the House came up with, and it was pretty far away from the plan that I submitted to the Legislature, which is really a damn shame," O'Malley said.
What Does The Doomsday Budget Cut?
The doomsday budget eliminates 500 state positions, and for state employees who keep their jobs, they'll have to pay higher health insurance premiums and they will not receive cost-of-living increases.
The doomsday budget also calls for 8 percent across-the-board cuts in agency spending, eliminates local law enforcement grants, reduces higher education and community college funding by 10 percent and eliminates Geographic Cost of Education Index grants that help level the cost of education.
Early last month, 11 News reported the following cuts faced under the doomsday budget.
- Slash education funding by $204.9 million
- Reduce state agency operating expenses by 8 percent and cut 500 state jobs; state workers left on the job would not get a cost-of-living increase
- Eliminate $128.8 million shared among poorer school districts
- Baltimore City loses $6.9 million state funding pledged by the governor to mitigate the cost of shifting teacher pensions
- Discontinue Sellinger Grants and scholarships provided through members of the House and Senate. Higher education faces cuts of $185.6 million
- Eliminate the Stem Cell Research Fund
- Eliminate the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund
- Eliminate police aid and local law enforcement grants
How Did We Get Here?
Facing a $1 billion budget deficit, lawmakers had options. The governor, the Senate and the House all presented differing plans, but only one could become law. Lawmakers also passed the doomsday budget in case they couldn't reach an agreement by the midnight Monday deadline.
How this happened is a tale of two scenarios: In the last hour before the midnight deadline, the Senate voted 37-10 to adopt a compromise budget conferees hammered out Monday evening, but the Senate didn't send the budget along with its revenue package to the House.
"We had an agreement. The clock ran out on us," Senate President Mike Miller said.
The agreement was the House would pass an expanded gambling bill that would allow voters to decide whether to allow a casino in Prince George's County. House leaders pledged to take a vote, but only after they tackled the budget.
"I learned one thing when I played sports, if you don't have the ball, you can't score a touchdown. If you don't have the revenue package, you can't make a vote on it," House Speaker Michael Busch said.
Miller favors a special session to rework the budget. Gubernatorial aides said O'Malley wants an agreement first.
When asked why O'Malley didn't discuss the possibility of a special session, O'Malley pushed the microphones away, saying, "No, I didn't." He then started signing bills.
Franchot Also Unhappy, Blames Senate President
Meanwhile, the governor isn't the only politician expressing his displeasure with the Legislature.
Speaking to WBAL Radio, Comptroller Peter Franchot laid blame squarely at the feet of Senate President Mike Miller, saying it's time for him to go.
"God bless him, he's been Senate president for 26 years, and it's time for him to step aside. He's a fanatic for gambling, and it's getting in the way of protecting Maryland families," Franchot said.
The comptroller accused Miller of holding the budget talks hostage in order to push through the slots parlor plan in Prince George's County, his home district.
Miller said he has no intention of resigning.
The First Cut Is The Deepest
The doomsday budget's impact will be felt especially hard in Baltimore City, which will lose $60 million in grants unless lawmakers rework the budget during a special session before July 1. The cuts mean local law enforcement, library aid and education money is lost.
In addition to losing $60 million in grants, the city also lost $2.5 million for the expansion of the Baltimore Convention Center and an increase in bond capacity for school construction -- sticking points that the delegation used to lend its support of the Prince George's County casino location. The delegation had threatened to withhold its 18 votes if those items were not agreed to, but ultimately, that came through.
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This is just B.S.
Governor Asked To Convene Special Session To Rework Budget
http://www.wbaltv.com/politics/30869465/detail.html
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- It wasn't supposed to happen this way.
Gov. Martin O'Malley signed the state's budget into law Tuesday -- but the plan doesn't represent what many lawmakers wanted.
The governor may have accomplished much of the priorities on his 2012 legislative agenda, but the feat was overshadowed by talk of a special legislation session to re-work a so-called "doomsday budget" that calls for $500 million in cuts to take effect by July 1.
Cool but cordial, two of the most powerful legislators in Annapolis kept their distance Tuesday, the day following the session's last day. The governor characterized the budget outcome as a low point of his experience in Annapolis.
"The Legislature failed to enact an operating budget that was anything like the plan that the House came up with, and it was pretty far away from the plan that I submitted to the Legislature, which is really a damn shame," O'Malley said.
What Does The Doomsday Budget Cut?
The doomsday budget eliminates 500 state positions, and for state employees who keep their jobs, they'll have to pay higher health insurance premiums and they will not receive cost-of-living increases.
The doomsday budget also calls for 8 percent across-the-board cuts in agency spending, eliminates local law enforcement grants, reduces higher education and community college funding by 10 percent and eliminates Geographic Cost of Education Index grants that help level the cost of education.
Early last month, 11 News reported the following cuts faced under the doomsday budget.
- Slash education funding by $204.9 million
- Reduce state agency operating expenses by 8 percent and cut 500 state jobs; state workers left on the job would not get a cost-of-living increase
- Eliminate $128.8 million shared among poorer school districts
- Baltimore City loses $6.9 million state funding pledged by the governor to mitigate the cost of shifting teacher pensions
- Discontinue Sellinger Grants and scholarships provided through members of the House and Senate. Higher education faces cuts of $185.6 million
- Eliminate the Stem Cell Research Fund
- Eliminate the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund
- Eliminate police aid and local law enforcement grants
How Did We Get Here?
Facing a $1 billion budget deficit, lawmakers had options. The governor, the Senate and the House all presented differing plans, but only one could become law. Lawmakers also passed the doomsday budget in case they couldn't reach an agreement by the midnight Monday deadline.
How this happened is a tale of two scenarios: In the last hour before the midnight deadline, the Senate voted 37-10 to adopt a compromise budget conferees hammered out Monday evening, but the Senate didn't send the budget along with its revenue package to the House.
"We had an agreement. The clock ran out on us," Senate President Mike Miller said.
The agreement was the House would pass an expanded gambling bill that would allow voters to decide whether to allow a casino in Prince George's County. House leaders pledged to take a vote, but only after they tackled the budget.
"I learned one thing when I played sports, if you don't have the ball, you can't score a touchdown. If you don't have the revenue package, you can't make a vote on it," House Speaker Michael Busch said.
Miller favors a special session to rework the budget. Gubernatorial aides said O'Malley wants an agreement first.
When asked why O'Malley didn't discuss the possibility of a special session, O'Malley pushed the microphones away, saying, "No, I didn't." He then started signing bills.
Franchot Also Unhappy, Blames Senate President
Meanwhile, the governor isn't the only politician expressing his displeasure with the Legislature.
Speaking to WBAL Radio, Comptroller Peter Franchot laid blame squarely at the feet of Senate President Mike Miller, saying it's time for him to go.
"God bless him, he's been Senate president for 26 years, and it's time for him to step aside. He's a fanatic for gambling, and it's getting in the way of protecting Maryland families," Franchot said.
The comptroller accused Miller of holding the budget talks hostage in order to push through the slots parlor plan in Prince George's County, his home district.
Miller said he has no intention of resigning.
The First Cut Is The Deepest
The doomsday budget's impact will be felt especially hard in Baltimore City, which will lose $60 million in grants unless lawmakers rework the budget during a special session before July 1. The cuts mean local law enforcement, library aid and education money is lost.
In addition to losing $60 million in grants, the city also lost $2.5 million for the expansion of the Baltimore Convention Center and an increase in bond capacity for school construction -- sticking points that the delegation used to lend its support of the Prince George's County casino location. The delegation had threatened to withhold its 18 votes if those items were not agreed to, but ultimately, that came through.
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This is just B.S.
04-11-2012, 10:38 PM
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Not to sound harsh but this actually sounds great. It's about time that government gets smaller. if the money is not coming in, it can't go out no matter what for. We have been pouring money into programs since before most of us were born and the government just blows it or is horribly inefficient.
What's funny is that the program you mention is a "trust" fund. How can it be empty? How can it be gone? Its because that is total b.s. Our governments keep nothing in trust for us.
Hopefully they will get a grip on all this and can focus on useful programs down te road.
What's funny is that the program you mention is a "trust" fund. How can it be empty? How can it be gone? Its because that is total b.s. Our governments keep nothing in trust for us.
Hopefully they will get a grip on all this and can focus on useful programs down te road.
Last edited by GTOFFSHORE; 04-11-2012 at 10:41 PM. Reason: ..
04-11-2012, 11:06 PM
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That's what I'm pissed about (I agree with the rest). It's not supposed to be touched but they have been siphoning it off for the general fund for years now.
04-12-2012, 06:47 PM
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this has long been the problem of big government. you pay taxes, say road tax on fuel, and all the money goes to a general fund that they use to build a new park in the senators neigborhood and then they complain they need more money and taxes so they can fix the roads your fuel tax was supposed to fix.
