Cuts Like A Pen

October 15th, 2008 by Kenneth Burns

Today is the day that the Board of Public Works is expected to approve $300 million in budget trimming being proposed by Governor Martin O’Malley (D).  O’Malley also sits on the board with Comptroller Peter Franchot (D) and state Treasurer Nancy Kopp (D).

The Baltimore Sun says that O’Malley is proposing steep cuts to health care and higher education in addition to other programs.  There were plans to furlough state workers and reducing school funding, particularly to areas where the cost of education is higher, but they have been taken off the table.

State Republicans smacked O’Malley for not slowing the rate of government growth sooner.  They also criticized the governor for raising taxes and backing new spending.

The cuts are making for a busy day on the Lawyers Mall in naptown.  Not just one, but two groups are going to be there this morning before the meeting.  One group will be protesting cuts against the Development Disabilities Administration of Maryland.  Thier message, “NO MORE CUTS TO DDA.”

The other group, The Tax Foundation, will be holding a press conference with the Maryland Public Policy Institute to highlight that the free state is now in the top 5 of least friendliest business states, at number 45, a big slide from number 24.  While we are on the subject, good news for House Speaker Michael Busch (D-Dist. 30), according to a report from earlier this year by the Tax Foundation, Maryland now has the 4th highest tax burden in the country.  Bad news for us, we now have the worst personal income tax in the country, significantly lower than California.