By John Wagner
Sunday, October 19, 2008

As Gov. Martin O'Malley proposed almost $350 million in cuts to state agencies and services last week, leaders of the Maryland General Assembly said they were prepared to do their part to ease the state's budget shortfall.

Legislative leaders said they were forgoing more than $8 million budgeted for office renovations and other expenses and, in perhaps a bolder gesture of self-sacrifice for some, curtailing travel to out-of-state conferences.

Citing the state's "ever-worsening fiscal condition," the presiding officers of the House and Senate informed their members by letter that they would not approve additional travel expenses for the rest of the calendar year. Travel might also be limited next year.

"We understand that this is not an ideal situation, however we hope that you will agree that the General Assembly must do its part to reduce expenditures," wrote House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert).

Among the casualties, legislative aides said, are a mid-December "fall forum" in Atlanta hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The forum is advertised as a chance for legislators to discuss upcoming issues facing the U.S. Congress and the states. The NCSL Web site notes that "a block of rooms has been reserved at . . . a landmark downtown hotel located in the heart of . . . Atlanta, within a few blocks of shops and restaurants."

The size of past Maryland delegations to NSCL conferences has varied, with more lawmakers typically attending summer rather than fall gatherings. In 2004, when then-Del. John A. Hurson (D-Montgomery) was NSCL president, more than 50 Maryland legislators jetted to a gathering in Salt Lake City.

This year, trips by individual lawmakers to Dana Point, Calif., and New Orleans are likely to be canceled, a legislative aide indicated.

Still, the gesture is arguably more symbolic than substantive, given the magnitude of the state's budget challenges. During the last fiscal year, lawmakers spent about $170,000 on out-of-state travel.

Other budget actions announced by legislative leaders include deferring office renovations in an older portion of the House Office Building in Annapolis and reducing spending on computer equipment, maintenance and studies by consultants.

About 50 donors convened Thursday at the Chesapeake Beach home of Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) for a high-priced fundraiser benefiting Gov. Martin O'Malley (D).

With admission starting at $2,000, the event raised more than $100,000 for O'Malley's 2010 reelection campaign, according to participants. Crab cakes and tenderloin were served, and O'Malley gave a speech focused on getting through tough fiscal times.

Miller had planned to retire from the Senate after this term but announced this summer that he would seek another in 2010. He said part of his rationale was to help O'Malley get reelected.

Former Maryland lieutenant governor Michael S. Steele (R), who gave a prime-time speech at last month's Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., is being mentioned as a possible Cabinet secretary if Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) wins the presidency.

Steele was identified by Congressional Quarterly as one of three potential secretaries of Housing and Urban Development in a McCain administration.

CQ credits Steele for his work as chairman of GOPAC, a national organization that recruits Republican candidates. And the publication notes, "He's also keeping up his public profile by appearing regularly as a pundit on CNN and Fox and by giving one of the best-received speeches ('Drill, baby, drill!') at the GOP convention this summer."

Other possible HUD secretaries, according to CQ: J. Kenneth Blackwell, a former Ohio secretary of state, and Stephen Goldsmith, a former Indianapolis mayor who is board chairman of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

An interactive feature on the CQ Web site bodes well for Steele. It allows users to assemble McCain's and Obama's cabinets. As of Friday, Steele was the choice for HUD secretary of 72 percent of those making picks for McCain. The feature is available at http://innovation.cq.com.