A Shift in MD's Budget Rules of Engagement

The road map to budget solvency proposed by Senators David Brinkley and EJ Pipkin has changed the terms of debate for the remaider of the session.

Up until now, the focus has been on the Democrat's refrain of "Where will you cut?" - under the presumption that current spending is so vital that no reasonable person could propose significant reductions.

During the special hearing called by the presiding officers, Republican legislators reversed this line of reasoning and asked: "Where are you going to increase taxes?" - to sustain this level of spending in the future.

Baltimore Sun:  "Republican Sens. David Brinkley and E.J. Pipkin, then, deserve a lot of credit for the proposal they released yesterday. It sets out two goals that are hard to argue with: making progress toward eliminating long-term imbalances between state revenues and expenditures, and doing it in a way that does not lead to more tax increases. Their plan is specific, and many (though not all) of their ideas are good." click here 

The Capital: "'We allow the expenditures to catch up to the revenue stream,' Pipkin said. 'If you don't want to accept these cuts, tell us, which taxes do you want to raise?'" click here

Washington Post: "Sen. David Brinkley (R-Frederick), who offered a second proposal with Sen. E.J. Pipkin (R-Queen Anne's), was more confrontational with the nearly 50 legislators who crowded into an Annapolis hearing room. 'If you are not going to support these reductions, then tell the people where you are going to raise their taxes, because there will be no choice,' Brinkley said." click here

Perhaps the presiding officers should schedule a second special hearing so that the Democrat legislators can appear and propose the new taxes that Maryland's citizens can expect after Election Day?