By Annapolis Notebook
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Agroup of the Maryland Senate's more liberal members -- many of them from the Washington region -- are angling to have a greater say in fixing the state's budget woes. They argue that the process presents an opportunity to invest in schools, health care and the environment.
"We are concerned that too much of the recent debate has focused on the needs of the government, rather than on the needs and aspirations of our people," the senators say in a draft of a letter they plan to send to Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) this week. As of Friday afternoon, 13 of the chamber's 33 Democrats had signed on.
A smaller group, organized by Sen. Paul G. Pinsky (D-Prince George's), met last week with O'Malley to share its concerns in what both sides characterized as a positive meeting.
"We want to change the discussion," Pinsky said. "It should be about our priorities, not just filling a hole."
The hole the state is facing in next year's budget is nearly $1.5 billion, and most lawmakers say they almost certainly will need to raise taxes to help fill it. As they do, Pinsky and other lawmakers say they should make sure wealthy residents and corporations pay their fair share.
The plan should also ensure "adequate funding to meet the needs and priorities of Maryland's families," which include education, heath care, the environment and traffic, the draft says.
Besides Pinsky, those who met with O'Malley include Sen. Brian E. Frosh (D-Montgomery), Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery), Sen. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Montgomery) and Sen. James C. Rosapepe (D-Anne Arundel).
-- John Wagner
The Timeless Tony Soprano
"The Sopranos" has gone into retirement, but the recently ended hit HBO series is still lively fodder for Maryland politics.
Last week, Sen. E.J. Pipkin (R-Queen Anne's) accused the executive director of the Maryland Association of Counties of using a lobbying tactic on the state budget deficit that "resembles the type of arm-twisting used by Tony Soprano and his ilk."
The source of Pipkin's ire was an e-mail sent by the association's David Bliden to county leaders asking them to share with the governor's office examples of pain that will be felt if the state pushes off costs on the counties. Some leading lawmakers are advocating cutting state aid to localities -- which accounts for about 40 percent of the state budget -- as a way to close a looming shortfall of nearly $1.5 billion.
In his e-mail, Bliden asks that examples be sent to Josh White, the intergovernmental affairs director for Gov. Martin O'Malley (D).
"Josh is interested in coordinating a message for the Governor as he goes on road trips to the counties," Bliden wrote. "He is looking for . . . real vignettes of the county 'doomsday' budgets . . . like closing libraries, reductions in deputies, larger class size, no support for volunteers firefighters. . . . The Gov could be visiting the counties during the next weeks, which presents an opportunity to deliver."
Pipkin said the e-mail "lays out an arrogant and shameless blueprint for getting locals to back tax increases" at the state level as an alternative to cutting county aid.
Bliden said he was "perplexed" both by Pipkin's comments and by his reference to the fictional mobsters and said he has nothing for which to apologize.
"Even Tony Soprano couldn't arm twist his cronies to believe the right solution to the state's fiscal challenge is to simply shift the problem to the counties, as some propose," Bliden said. "Senator Pipkin would be better served in getting governance perspectives from 'Simpsons' reruns than 'The Sopranos.' "
-- John Wagner
Here She Is . . .
The new spokeswoman for Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold (R) is . . . drum roll, please . . . Marina Harrison, former Miss Maryland 2003 and third runner-up to Miss America.
Harrison last week was given the official title of special assistant to Leopold and will handle media relations and produce the county's weekly public access show.
Among other accomplishments, a news release noted, she is the only Maryland woman to have competed in both Miss America and Miss USA.
"I don't apologize for it. I'm proud if it," Harrison said of her pageant career, noting her other qualifications. Since graduating from college, she has worked in the Maryland education department's communications office and been a spokeswoman and a director of international affairs for the office of the Maryland secretary of state.
Her ultimate goal, she said, is one day to serve as White House press secretary.
-- William Wan
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