Politics & Government
Sen. Jennings: Doomsday or Time to Pay?
Sen. J.B. Jennings said Maryland can balance its budget through cuts and not through a series of tax increases that are being proposed in Annapolis.
Recently, I wrote about “,” sharing all of the ways our governor wants to tax you throughout your day. Aside from the White House in 2016, his sights are set on your wallet from the moment you wake up till the minute you rest.
I was overwhelmed by the positive response from you to this “day-in-the-life” way of looking at taxes, but also received feedback asking what I propose as an alternative. In other words, you rightly demand that fiscally conservative legislators like me don’t just vote against these taxes; we must also provide a remedy to avoid them.
I want you to know that every year, the conservative caucus in the Maryland General Assembly proposes an “alternative budget.”
Every year, we create a solution to pass a reasonable, balanced budget with responsible spending cuts by eliminating waste and reducing government to its rightfully limited role in taxpayers’ lives.
And every year, this budget is squashed by liberal legislators who can’t wait to nickel and dime the rest of the state so they can take home big chunks of money to their districts, counties, and pet causes.
This year, the fiscal situation is so bad that the Budget and Taxation Committee is seriously considering a “doomsday budget.” Basically, this plan is what the budget would look like with no revenue increases: no new taxes.
It’s hard to believe that a budget with no new taxes is so epically unheard-of that Maryland’s leadership thinks it deserves the moniker “doomsday.” I’m pretty sure you would agree with me that to be considered as Armageddon-like as “doomsday,” a budget would have to wreak a lot more havoc than not increasing marriage license fees or not subsidizing an off-shore wind farm.
This so-called doomsday budget that I support would save $794.9 million with no new tax increases. It includes cuts across the board, in many service areas, dispersing a fair diet pill to many of Maryland's bloated budget items.
You can see for yourself, and I welcome you to review the details of each cut in-depth here.
Please let me know your thoughts on Maryland’s budget situation.
As always, I am proud to represent you.