ANDY HARRIS & ROSCOE BARTLETT GET A PRESS RELEASE // MD LOSES $542,000
Maryland Juice was trolling through Rep. Andy Harris' website recently, and I noticed an alarming press release. It appears that the 1st Congressional District's Tea Party member is bragging that last week he succeeded in cutting over half a million dollars from the budget of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). There's just one problem with that: NOAA is headquartered in Montgomery County, Maryland. In fact, just last December, the Montgomery County Council spent $12 million to keep NOAA in Silver Spring.
Mr. Harris was so keen to show his contempt for federal employees and the environment that he slashed money from our local economy. The computer programmers and government contractors that would've seen an additional $542,000 in economic activity will now likely see that money go elsewhere. Strangely, embattled Rep. Roscoe Bartlett voted for his Maryland GOP colleague's bill, at the same time that he is struggling to appeal to Montgomery County voters. Andy Harris' press release even brags that this was one of the few budget cuts to actually pass this month (ie: he singled out Montgomery County!):
REP. ANDY HARRIS: This was one of only three successful amendments to the appropriations bill now before the House that reduces spending.
UPDATE:We added some House roll call information below.
BACKGROUND: On Monday, Maryland Juice appeared on News Channel 8 with former Sen. David Harrington to discuss this week's special legislative session in Annapolis. We noted that House and Senate leaders had secured the votes to pass a budget and revenue package, and that they had done so prior to Monday's start of the session. As a result, we expected to see legislators avoid the "Doomsday Budget" and approve a 0.25% income tax increase on the top 16% of earners (ie: individuals making over $100,000 and couples making over $150,000).
Yesterday, a majority of Maryland lawmakers made this prediction a reality. Below we print information on how legislators voted on the three pieces of legislation discussed in the special session: 1. budget (SB 1301/HB 1801), 2. tax & revenue (SB 1302/HB 1802), 3. school bonds (SB 1303/HB 1803). We start with a quick video message from Governor Martin O'Malley regarding the income tax hike. The video below is from WBAL:
BACKGROUND: This morning, Maryland Juice had the opportunity to appear on News Channel 8's News Talk show. I appeared alongside former State Senator David Harrington (Prince George's Democrat) to talk about what outcomes to expect from Maryland's special legislative session.
As you may have heard, Maryland lawmakers failed to pass a complete budget package when they adjourned last April. The Maryland House and Senate returned to work today to try and pass a plan that would reduce the State's structural deficit, preserve education funding, and impact only the top 16% of earners with a modest 0.25% tax hike. Under the new plan, a family making $170,000 a year would see their tax bill rise a little over $20/month. We posted leaked copies of the budget plan on Friday night. Most observers expect these bills to pass without significant change, and for the legislature to be done with its business by Wednesday.
Watch my News Channel 8 conversation with former Sen. David Harrington below:
AP: Lawmakers headed back to Annapolis for a three-day special session to approve a budget deal hashed out by Gov. Martin O'Malley and House and Senate leaders....
The Democratic governor says the tax hikes are necessary to avoid cuts to education and other critical services.
O'Malley met with Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch to craft the tax plan and other measures after the Democratic-controlled legislature failed to approve a budget plan on the final day of the session.
Outside the special session, Americans for Prosperity, a Tea Party group, carried signs for hours, angry over the likelihood of major tax hikes.
However, the governor, House and Senate reached a deal to raise $250 million in taxes on the 17 percent of Maryland residents who make at least $100,000 a year alone or $150,000 jointly with a spouse.
They will also shift more of the burden for teacher pensions from the state and onto counties.
A Maryland Juice source has provided us with the proposed budget, revenue and bond items that the state legislature is taking up in a special session on Monday, May 14th. Below we provide copies of Senate & House versions of: 1) Budget Bill, 2) Revenue Bill, and 3) School Construction/Renovation Bond Bill.
The schedule for the hearings on these bills is as follows:
House Budget & School Bond Bill - MON 5/14 at 1:00 PM - Room 120, 6 Bladen Street, Annapolis
House Revenue Bill - MON 5/14 at 2:00 PM - Room 130, 6 Bladen Street, Annapolis
Senate Budget, Revenue & School Bond Bills - MON 5/14 at 11:00 AM - 3 West, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis
Here's a random blend of political tidbits from the current news cycle, starting with an analysis of potential fallout from Maryland's current budget standoff:
JUICE #1: SENATE PREZ MIKE MILLER HARMS DEMOCRATIC BRAND - The Baltimore Sun's Annie Linskey recently published a lengthy write-up of the finger-pointing in the aftermath of Maryland's stalled budget negotiations. She printed speculation about the potential harm that a protracted budget battle could have on the reputations of political leaders, but most of the blame still seems to be hovering over Senate President Mike Miller. It seems clear that he is a poor brand-manager for the modern Democratic Party, and his ward boss political tactics are sullying the efforts of others. See an excerpt fromThe Sun's piece below:
Maryland Juice just caught two interviews on WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi show regarding Maryland's budget debacle this week. The first, taped today, was with Senator Rich Madaleno - a Montgomery County member of the Senate's Budget & Tax Committee. The second segment features Gov. Martin O'Malley and was taped yesterday. Notably, our prior coverage indicated that gambling issues appeared to be a sticking point between House and Senate negotiators. In the videos below, Sen. Madaleno and Gov. O'Malley present their takes on the budget meltdown:
A source within Montgomery County's government reports that MCGEO -- the union representing thousands of county government employees -- is generating a large number of emails to county politicians today: "FYI. The email below was just sent out and the emails are already flooding into the council."
The trigger for MCGEO's advocacy campaign is a proposal from County Executive Ike Leggett to give defense contractor Lockheed Martin nearly one million dollars a year in tax cuts. In an email blast today, the government workers condemn Leggett's proposal and ask members to write to county officials. They also invite readers to attend a protest this Thursday at the County Council that is being organized by a local #Occupy group. Notably, the Council is holding public hearings on the budget this week. Maryland Juice prints MCGEO's email blast and the #Occupy invitation below:
April 11, 2012
Oppose Corporate Welfare to Lockheed Martin!
Mr. Leggett is at it again.
The County Executive has proposed a corporate welfare package totalling $5 MILLION dollars - giving a$900,000 grant to corporate giant Lockheed Martin, no strings attached! Read more here.
Two years ago, the Montgomery County Council tried to pass a bill that would forgive $450,000 in hotel taxes to Lockheed. Because of community outrage, the Council tabled the bill and the proposal failed!
This latest attempt at coddling an ultra-rich corporation without regard to the County's taxpayers who end up paying the freight is downright outrageous!
MCGEO is testifying against this ridiculous example of corporate welfare on tomorrow at 1:30pm when the County Council will take up Mr. Leggett’s budget.
It isoutrageousto offer this super-rich corporation agift of almost a million dollarswhen Montgomery County is cutting all kinds of services and is asking the average taxpayer to pay more.
Most of Lockheed's revenue comes from contracts with the federal government.In 2008, $36 billion of their sales came from federal contracts and $29 billion from the Pentagon.One expert calculated thateach taxpaying household contributes roughly $260 in the “Lockheed tax.”
Occupy Montgomery County is organizing a protest outside the Council offices, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville. Join the protest outside, from 6 to 8 p.m.
MEDIA ADVISORY for
Thursday April 12, 2012
Occupy Montgomery County To Protest
Tax Giveaway To Lockheed Martin
As schools are forced to trim budgets, county considers cutting taxes for war profiteer
ROCKVILLE, MD – Occupy Montgomery County, a group of residents who have joined together to build community and amplify voices of the 99% in America’s 12th richest county, are protesting a proposed tax giveaway to Lockheed Martin in the 2013 county budget.
The Montgomery County Council is holding public hearings this week on County Executive Ike Leggett’s 2013 budget proposal. Among Leggett’s proposals is a recommendation to grant Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin a controversial $900,000 tax grant. The county council has rejected such giveaways for the company in the past. And the newly formed Occupy Montgomery County will be taking action to make sure they do the same this year.
The following is a statement from the group:
“A company that in 2010 derived fully 84 percent of its profit from taxpayer dollars has absolutely no business siphoning much-needed resources from the people of Montgomery County. At a time when teachers are being laid off and schoolchildren are being stuffed into overcrowded classrooms, Lockheed Martin needs to pay its fair share. They can certainly afford to: the company paid its CEO $21.9 million and spent another $15.9 million on lobbying. The question is this: will our elected county officials invest in war profiteering merchants of death? Or a future for our children? We intend to make sure they make the right choice.”
WHERE: 100 Maryland Ave, Stella B. Werner Council Office Building, Rockville, MD
BACKGROUND: Maryland Juice read two statements from politicians today that confirm gambling is a central issue in Maryland's budget debate. Personally, the issue doesn't motivate me very much in either direction, but I am very disturbed to see so much legislative effort go into promoting an obviously regressive revenue source. Did folks really hold up the budget to bring more gambling into Maryland? If so,am I the only one that finds this to be shameful?
Earlier today we reported that Maryland will be facing a doomsday budget scenario with millions of dollars in education cuts -- that is, unless Governor Martin O'Malley intervenes and calls for a special session. Now, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is calling for a special session and is supporting the gambling measures. Below we print an excerpt from Baltimore Business Journal coverage of the Mayor's remarks, followed by a statement from Delegate Melony Griffith. Ms. Griffith is the Chair of the Prince George's Delegation and highlights a few of the sticking points from yesterday's chaotic legislative proceedings. She also confirms that gambling has been a sticking point in negotiations. Hat tip: Real Prince George's blog.
BALTIMORE BUSINESS JOURNAL: Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake wants lawmakers to return for a special session to pass a bill adding games like poker and blackjack at Maryland’s casinos, and deal with other key pieces of legislation, a spokeswoman for the mayor said Tuesday.
A hotly contested casino-expansion bill was left in limbo after the House and Senate couldn’t agree on a plan to add a sixth casino in the state before the session ended Monday. The Senate passed legislation that would add a sixth casino in Prince George’s County, either at the National Harbor resort or at Penn National Gaming’s Rosecroft Raceway harness track, and add table games at all the state’s casinos.
The House favored adding a sixth casino at National Harbor that would be slots-only while adding table games at the other five casinos in the state, including one planned for Baltimore....
“We don’t even know if there is going to be a special session at this point,” said Raquel Guillory, a spokesman for Gov. Martin O’Malley....
Since lawmakers couldn’t agree on a budget before the session ended, a “doomsday budget” will go into effect starting July 1. It will eliminate 500 state jobs and cut spending by $512.2 million....
Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman said April 3 the ability to offer table games would mean 500 additional jobs at the proposed 3,750-machine slots parlor on Russell Street, south of M&T Bank Stadium....
Brennan, the mayoral spokesman, said that in addition to a casino-expansion bill, Rawlings-Blake wants a special session to also take up legislation passing a new state budget and hiking the state’s gas tax to raise money for needed road improvements.
DELEGATE MELONY GRIFFITH: Members are awaiting word whether the legislature will re-convene in a special session or face a “Doomsday Budget” following last night’s uncertain end to the 90-day 2012 Maryland General Assembly Session, Delegation Chair Delegate Melony G. Griffith said.
“We are disappointed that our work requires the possibility of more time to resolve these key pieces of legislation,” Griffith said. “I know we all would have preferred to resolve this by the deadline.”
Amid debates over whether to allow casino gaming in Prince George’s County and negotiations over how to fund the state’s budget going down to midnight, the delegation was divided this session. Members met in March to be briefed on one of several late gaming proposals, Senate Bill 892, but no formal position was taken.
With the gaming bill stalled, the two chambers passed the state’s budget by midnight. But several key pieces of the budget concerning taxes and other revenues for the state failed to pass, including a proposal that set the amount of teacher pension costs to be shared with counties, along with revenue to local jurisdictions to smooth the transition.
It is now up to Gov. Martin O’Malley to decide whether to call a special session before the July 1 start of the fiscal year, or to allow a previous alternative “doomsday budget” with $500 million in cuts to education, colleges, grants and other state funding to take effect.
UPDATE:According to remarks that appeared in The Baltimore Sun, Governor O'Malley plans on calling a special session -- but not before House and Senate leaders have come to an actual agreement.
Chaos unfolded as we crossed past midnight last night, on what was supposed to be the last day of Maryland's 2012 legislative session. Below we highlight comments from various politicos on Twitter that were made as the drama unfolded.
Notably, the Maryland General Assembly adjourned without a complete budget package. Most observers could not remember the last time this had happened. As a result of the budget stalemate, Maryland will lapse into a "doomsday budget" with massive education cuts, unless Governor Martin O'Malley intervenes and calls for a special legislative session. Below we highlight a few points of conflict between the House and Senate, and we flag a few interesting subplots and moments from yesterday's contentious legislative session. We kick off the post with a brief summary of what went down from an article today at Maryland Reporter (excepts below):
MARYLAND REPORTER: The members of the General Assembly passed a $35.6 billion balanced budget as they were required to do by midnight Monday. But without the income tax hike they failed to enact, it is the doomsday budget that contains $512 million in additional cuts, much of it to education.
A clearly angry Gov. Martin O’Malley told reporters the General Assembly failed to protect the priorities that state voters expected them to do. But in a brief press conference, he did not announce he would call a special session, as the Senate and House leaders expect him to do.
“There was 90 days to work all this out,” O’Malley said as he walked away....
The cuts include over $200 million to K-12 education and $63 million to colleges and universities. State employees would not get a 2% cost of living increase ($33 million) and agency operating expenses would be cut 8%.
The article at Maryland Reporter also highlights some of the key points of contention between the House and the Senate:
O’Malley and House Speaker Michael Busch both blamed Senate President Mike Miller’s insistence on a gaming measure for Prince George’s County for holding up action. But others, including delegates and senators on the conference committee, said the hard philosophical positions on both sides played a role....
The gaming bill, which passed the House Ways and Means Committee Monday afternoon, never came to the House floor.
The House never brought up the tax hike that the House and Senate negotiators agreed to around 8 p.m. An unhappy group of senators had given into adamant delegates over the form of income tax hikes.
The House version raised less money than the Senate, increasing rates by .25% on individuals making more than $100,000 and lowering their exemptions....
“We did the best we could,” Miller said. He admitted that there would be many constituents that would be happy about the drastic budget cuts.
FINGER-POINTING: Throughout yesterday, Maryland Juice was hearing rumblings from folks in Annapolis about the House and Senate spats. Each side was pointing fingers at the other, and at times things got heated. Take a look at the following photo posted on Twitter by The Washington Post's Aaron Davis yesterday. The image shows members of the Maryland House testily waiting for negotiators from the Senate to resume negotiations:
The Washington Times earlier in the day had coverage that highlighted sources of friction between the House and the Senate. They confirm some of the points in the Maryland Reporter coverage and also provide specificity about some budget items:
WASHINGTON TIMES: The House and Senate are locked in a standoff on the final scheduled day of the 2012 General Assembly, as leaders of both chambers have yet to compromise on a set of tax increases as part of the state’s budget....
The chambers have agreed to raise income-tax rates and lower the value of personal exemptions on single residents making more than $100,000 and couples making more than $150,000 but are divided on whether to also lower exemption values for residents who earn below those thresholds.
The Senate wants to lower the value of personal exemptions from $3,200 to $3,000 for earners below the mark, but the House is intent on making sure that no tax increases affect residents making less than six figures a year....
Either chamber’s proposal would produce a balanced budget, but Senate members argued larger revenue increases are needed to prevent further tax hikes in the near future....
Negotiators have resolved most other aspects of the state budget package, but talks took a more adversarial tone Monday as Senate leaders argued they have made all the compromises thus far and that the House refuses to reciprocate.
House leaders accused the Senate of intentionally holding up the budget to pressure the House into passing a gambling bill that could bring table games to the state and a casino to Prince George’s County.
THREE O'MALLEY PRESS CONFERENCES: You can see Governor O'Malley's displeasure with this situation as it grows throughout the day, by looking at three back-to-back press conferences he held. Maryland Reporter posted a video of the Governor speaking after the close of the legislative session, while the Patch published two video of Mr. O'Malley speaking to the press before the close of session. See the three videos below. We start with Governor O'Malley's comments made after the meltdown emerged. In blistering comments (see the first video), he stated:
GOVERNOR O'MALLEY: I have to tell you that sadly we did not protect the priorities of public education this session, like we should have, like we could have -- as we had the ability to do -- and we didn't protect affordable college. I'm going to talk to the Speaker, and I'm going to talk to the Senate President. There was 90 days to work all of this out.
TWITTER DRAMA: Much of the drama could be seen unfolding throughout the day on Twitter. Below, Maryland Juice provides screencaps of an array of tweets that were sent by politicos during the budget battle. Our panel of conscripted Tweeters includes Washington Post reporter Aaron Davis, Examiner reporter Ben Giles, the Real Prince George's blog, Democratic Delegates Jill Carter and Ariana Kelly, Republican Delegate Justin Ready, Democratic Senator Rich Madaleno, and Governor Martin O'Malley. View a snapshot of the craziness below:
PRINCE GEORGE'S GAMBLING TAKES SPOTLIGHT
MID-AFTERNOON HOUSE AND SENATE STANDOFF
A FAILED ATTEMPT TO EXTEND THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION
UPDATE:Thanks to the Internet-based publicity surrounding Prince George's school officials' ("PGCPS") attempts to silence student dissent over budget cuts, politicos are now weighing in on the matter. Not surprisingly, one incumbent School Board member is defending the Iron Fist tactics of PGCPS officials. The Real Prince George's County blog prints several responses:
District 4 challenger Micah Watson raises questions about whether PGCPS officials should be allowed to invade student privacy by monitoring their Twitter accounts for political dissent, and
Numerous blogs and email lists are lighting up in anger over reports that Prince George's County Public School ("PGCPS") officials are using Iron Fist tactics to silence student protestors. Hat tip to AFL-CIO Union City email list and the Real Prince George's County blog for flagging the article below. It comes to us from the website for The Black Star Project. Their website states their mission as follows:
Founded in 1996 by Phillip Jackson, The Black Star Project is committed to improving the quality of life in Black and Latino communities of Chicago and nationwide by eliminating the racial academic achievement gap
Thursday, March 1st was a National Student Day of Action in which students around the country organized demonstrations protesting education budget cuts, educational inequality, and advocating for quality and affordable education for all. Students at Northwestern High School in Prince George’s County Maryland planned a walkout and rally as part of the National Student Day of Action.
Over 300 students planned to walk out to protest unsanitary conditions in their school, enormous class sizes, cuts to the ESOL program, and denial of promised pay raises for their teachers. The students also were asking for more teacher/parent/student input in the curriculum and demanding an apology for a group of Filipino teachers who were fired and deported after not having their work visas renewed.
The Administration at Northwestern discovered the walkout plan early in the day by trolling Twitter and put the school on lockdown. Police blocked the doors and canine units waited in the school’s parking lot. They held student leaders in the Principal’s office all day, threatened them with expulsion, and at the end of the day suspended four students for 5 days requiring that when they return their parents must accompany them to classes all day.
