Frank are you one of this folks that think a 1.5 Billion dollar budget increase is the definition of a "Doomsday Budget?" Are you also one of those folks that still think tax increases taking money out of people's personal budgets will help boost the economy? One thing is certain, you are clearly one of those people that believe anything that comes out of O'Malley's mouth so let me ask you this; if we we really are better off now than we were six years ago why do we need to raise so many taxes and fees to increase revenues?

illegals gotta eat

Cali East!!!!

Frank ,
Are you one of those FOOLS that believes a word O'Malley says ?

“for the children and their future.” To pay off, if Maryland doesn't follow Greece or California.

Maryland's Debt to GDP ratio is a whopping 12%. One of the more fiscally solid states in the entire nation.

Just an FYI.
The Republicans under GWB balooned the entire NATION's GDP from 63% to 84.5%. Of course, ol' Obama managed to push that almost 15% points within 3 years!
Obviously 'some' of that isn't his doing (continuing wars, massive economic recession caused by previous administrations horrible policies), however, it's only a portion of it. We've had unbelievable, wreckless spending in this country, combined with tax cuts we couldn't afford since the turn of the century. It's got to stop, and taxes federally need reform - and increasing. The wreckless spending includes on our military. We've got no business having a military 4 times the size of China (who's twice as large as Russia). The days of USA world police need to die.

Just wanted to point out here, that "Conservatives' are a massive misnomer, especially on the federal level.

Tim:

Perhaps you'd like to tell me exactly how high you think taxes should be?

We don't have a tax/revenue problem in this country or in MD...both governments have gigantic spending problems. Solve those, and you could lower taxes even more. You seem to be of the opinion that the money belongs to the government and it's through their goodwill that they let us keep any at all.

Richard:
We absolutely DO have a tax/revenue problem - nationally. I do not believe we have a revenue issue in the state. It hasn't stopped either Marty or Bobby before him from spending like drunken sailors the past decade.

Federally speaking though, our tax code is BROKEN. It's corrupt, and categorically unreasonable for the vast majority of people and actual small businesses in this country.
The very first thing I would do, is phase out the Bush tax cuts. You know, that thing Bush took credit for based on Clinton's work. Top 2% get it removed at end of year. Everyone else at end of 2013. No exceptions. This alone has put over 1.5 trillion onto our national debt. Yes, 10% of it. I looked up the numbers some time back.

The second thing I'd do before I cut any consequential spending - or raised any new taxes - is reform both the personal and corporate tax codes. Although I obviously don't have a cabinet of budget advisers at my disposal, I am absolutely certain we could have more revenue coming in by cleaning things up and making both sides of the code much flatter.

Only then, when I was comfortable with our actual, refined revenue stream, would I then look at the deficit and address it by this: 67% spending cuts, 33% tax increases. Until the budget was balanced.

Part 2: MIlitary

I'd also look at reducing the size of our military in HALF over the next 15 years. Yes, 50%. This nation does not have a Department of Defense. It's a Department of Offense.

Our military spending is quadruple what China spends. China is nearly twice as high as Russia. The amount of money spent on the military is completely un-necessary. It's long been time to stop playing world police, and manufacturing wars on things you can't really have wars on (like terrorism, or drugs).
Yes, you'd have higher unemployment from soldiers going into the workforce. However, it's been economically proven that unemployment dollars are some of the economically best spent because they all go back into the economy. They aren't saved/hidden. Plus, I'm a big believer in giving our soldiers jobs they are qualified for at home. it's the least we can do for forcing them to go on tours of duty, playing 'wargames' 'liberating the middle east' (yeah, how's that working for us?) and doing it simply because they love their country.
...

Unfortunately, the gas tax hasn't been raised since 92 and the cigarette tax wasn't raised either (though maybe you're talking about smokeless tobacco and little cigars - http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bs-ed-tobacco-letter-20120523,0,791130.story). Not sure what a bottle tax is. Property tax rates are local so maybe you need to just move to a county w/fewer services or worse schools if you find it to be unaffordable or unnecessary (though just because you don't use the schools doesn't mean they don't positively or negatively affect the value of what is probably your chief financial investment - your home - so remember to take that into consideration). Cheers.

If you're suggesting the governor hasn't really raised taxes I would suggest to you that they've now doubled my fees to go through the McHenry tunnel; and it'll be triple by 2014. I'll be taxed an additional $1400/annually that other won't...add additional taxes per the governor via forcing the counties to raise property taxes by shifting costs and we're talking about eventually a 3K tax burden added in one year. You can't defend the indefensible.

Karl, its a toll increase not a tax. That's been the story out of all those fine Republican States that have sold off their infrastructure and created commuting nightmares. You can drive the beltway if you dont want to pay the toll

@chet: You probably imagine that if there's no toll the road is free. I assure you, we're paying dearly for the roads in MD, toll or no toll. And the best part is, with the state building and running them, the traffic sucks everywhere. I wouldn't mind privatized roads, as long as they're really funded privately.

With the new Intercounty Connector, the taxpayers get screwed twice...we payed a portion of the money to build it...and now we get to pay a toll too...and we have to use the EZ Pass system...with which the state gets to screw us again by charging a monthly fee just to keep an account.

And if you think a toll is not a tax, well, you're beyond help. The state has obviously succeeded in fooling you into thinking only a tax is a tax...and that tolls, fees, registrations, levies, permits, licences, speeding tickets, red light tickets, etc., etc., etc., are somehow NOT taxes. Even by your sorry standards though MD is very highly TAXED.

Richard, live for a while in a state that does not pay or take care of its roads, Mississippi and North Carolina come to mind. then tell me how much you pay.

@Chet Brewer

North Carolina has great roads. Mississippi I couldn't say.

yep, great roads in NC, loved those 1 hour commutes to go 12 miles in durham with those really nice two lane roads backed up 5 miles. Those must be the NC roads youre thinking of right Hans

@Chet

You don't get out much in Maryland do you?

Do you ever find any traffic from Fredrick-to-Baltimore-to-DC? And we have plenty of toll roads, tunnels and bridges.

Oh and do you know anyone who drove to the beach this weekend?

chet: one certainty in life right now is that if govt controls the roads...traffic is guaranteed to suck. the bureaucrats have no incentive to correct it. what do you imagine happens to the guy that designed route 29 north (just south of route 32) where 3 lanes of traffic combine with an on-ramp, then immediately after that reduces to 2 lanes [basically 4 lanes merging into 2]? do you think that daily traffic jam is reflected in his annual performance review? i doubt it. in fact, i'd wager that he gets top marks every year, despite the havoc he that has been caused by this disastrous road design.

now, let a private business do something that some customers don't like...and next thing you know congress is holding hearings because an airline wants to charge for carry-on bags.

i guarantee you that if walmart had proposed a bag tax before the montgomery county govt did, the CEO of walmart would be sitting before congress answering questions from indignant congressmen about the citizens being harmed by their bag tax.

government can (and does) screw up all the time and never has to answer for it...mostly because slightly more than half the population can't form a coherent thought about freedom or liberty while at the same time feeding off the government teat.

Maryland has the goose that lays the golden egg, with so many government agencies it’s a guaranteed state income, The private sector suffers and States that don’t have this goose suffers the most. GS employees received the same salary regardless of location, GS has Grade, cost of living and steps which failed to reflect both the disparity between public sector and private sector pay as well as differences in cost of living in major metropolitan areas. Private sector and major companies only give raises based on the cost of living were the decline of jobs are. Please correct me if I’m wrong, But the Mayor may be banking on the increase of government workers Base relocation etc. The relabeling between the two causes confusion, Federal worker/state the common citizen private and public? The Private Sector: The private sector is usually composed of organizations that are privately owned and not part of the government. The Public Sector: The public sector is usually composed of organizations that are owned and operated by the government. This includes federal, provincial, state, or municipal governments, depending on where you live. Privacy legislation usually calls organizations in the public sector a public body or a public authority.

Nothing like calling the Commander in Chief a Communist on Memorial Day. God bless America and the beauty of nutjobs being allowed to say whatever they want.

jag: exactly. There's all kinds of stupid and it's growing in this country. Look no further then North Carolina of late.

It's nuts to resist higher taxes? Say, do any of you fools know the basis for the founding of this country?

If anyone's nuts I think it's the fools that keep voting for libs that keep raising our taxes.

Or those that cut them and cause depressions ?

a tax cut can cause a depression? previously i though you were a fool. now i see that you're actually an idiot.

how in the world could a tax cut cause a depression? allowing people to keep more of their own money, which they will either spend or save (both of which help an economy) cannot cause a depression.

see Bush duh ?

wilson: your grasp economics is lacking, but humorous.

tell me, do tax cuts ALWAYS cause depressions, or only sometimes?

stoopid ones do, like Bush . stoopid American politicians have believed tax cuts create revenue. It do, for the rich . like a waterfall .

@wilson

You too will become a nice little capitalist with my guidance. When government removes capital (i.e., money) from private hands it deprives businesses of investment and the economy shrinks, jobs disappear and tax revenues decrease. When capital is left in the hands of capitalists they investment it in profit making enterprises that employ people, grows the economy and because more capitalist investment begets more investment, then more taxes are paid by both the capitalist business owners and their employees.

Remember wilson government is where money goes to die.

just fact amy, not even an attempt at a comeback, just sick of the rhetoric that everyone you disagree with is a communist or socialist. By the way if he is a communist then Ronald Reagan was Josef Stalin and Dick Nixon was Leon
Trotsky

I can't believe MOM would subject himself to this "blogging" people say things online they would never say face to face I don't think this productive at all

@Frank

Rex Nutting is a nut job.

President Obama passed the stimulus under his watch and it's part of the 2009 budget. With Obama in 2009 the US spent more than 23.5% of GDP,and in 2010 - 24.1%, 2011 - 24.1% and 2012 it is estimated to be greater than 24.3%.

pay no attention to the fools in here.

of course, that means ignoring quite a few of the commenters...

good grief frank, does your brain actually work? is it possible for you to read propaganda and understand it as such? does everything have to be spoon fed to you?

OK...i'll go slow....president obama has increased spending...by...a...lot.

the...nutting...article...you...referenced (that means referred to)...is...complete...BS (that means bull poop).

Frank , Why don't you just use your real name Peter as in peter O'Malley

pls leave

Could you just delete wilson?

@Guy

We are out on this earth to bring peace and clarity to our brothers like wilson who have become possessed by the failed liberal/progressive ideology that enslaves the mind.

that was poor judgment

@wilson

You can be saved from the liberal progressive tyranny of the mind and wealth. Just channel your inner freedom of conservatism and set yourself and humanity free.

fake prince and doug have same problem, lack of good judgment. prince i understand, doug not so.

@wilson

We are here to help the liberal progressives, because inside every US leftist there is an American capitalist conservative trying to get out. We must tear the veil of failed liberal ideology away and remove the fear of economic freedom.

For only then shall the wilsons of our country be set free.

"Capitalist conservatives" have run this country into 3 market crashes/recessions in the past 25 years.

Just sayin'

@Tim

It is estimated that there were as many as 47 recessions in the United States since 1790.

Recessions and depressions are cyclical in nature but certainly can be influenced a great deal by government policy especially if you use failed Keynesian economics to fix a recession.

Free market capitalism creates economies or a marketplace for capitalists to compete within. Maybe what you don't like Tim is competition that is required of in free market capitalism and you want centralized government control and redistributive fairness?

Just saying!

Hans: Nice vague statistics. The previous stock market crashes (before this one) I refer to are in 1987 and 2000. Further this recession has been the worst since the 1930's. That's easy to determine by (most likely) any statistical metric you choose. Purely free markets is a nice concept until it ends up killing people.

I don't believe in fully redistributed wealth. The whole reason Southern Europe is ruined - for decades going further - is because of all the socialization.
Well that and they have crap for manufacturing.

I do believe in government regulation, however, because humanity and corporations are inherently corrupt and looking out for no one but themselves.

I prefer to look forward, not backward. The problem with this country is too much of it is looking backward at the dark ages, instead of forward towards a more civilized future. It's always problematic - you see it in the world around us. Left to their own devices and whims, humans are no better then other animals.
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@Tim - Stock market fluctuations are important, but not as important as a recession or depression.

It is very interesting and noteworthy that you wrote "I do believe in government regulation, however, because humanity and corporations are inherently corrupt and looking out for no one but themselves."

You think humanity and corporations are inherently corrupt, but government is not? Are you insane? At least in a free market with the rule of law you can choose and negotiate with people on the opposite side of the transaction and calculate your risk. However with government, its departments, its agencies and its bureaucrats there is rampant opportunism and corruption.

So you want more government to make things fairer and create jobs? Isn't going to happen.

until the owe'malley and his merry band of tax raisers decide to increase spending...again.

you see, it's a little game they play. first they spend like crazy, then they cry about how they have to cut police, fire and education of the children...THE CHILDREN...unless they raise taxes. so they raise taxes...and start the process again.

anyone want to wager that after spending increases this year, and the tax increases don't bring in the expected revenue...they'll be crying for more tax increases next year to prevent cuts to police, fire, and education of the children.

That was sarcasm Prince

Linda, one heck of a good comment.

He has no shot at the White House. Dems who don't realize this are fools.
He taxes way too much to be acceptable on a national scale, especially today. Socially, he'd probably be fine, but economically, as solid as Maryland has been, he'll never, ever shake the "tax and spend liberal' tag and that's not going to float nationally anytime soon.

I could see him (successfully) running for Senate in the future though.

I see O'Malley taking over Mikulski's seat in '16, if he cares to stay in public service. Very, very much doubt he's thinking White House, unless the backlash against the Tea Party/austerity is severe enough that this rhetoric begins to hold water w/those who lean Right:

"'For the last 30 years, there has been a real swing of the pendulum, an electorally successful push to rally people against government, to frame all fees and all taxes as the plague, as evil things that are done to us by evil people,' O’Malley said Friday in a lunch interview in Annapolis.

'While it might be good for whipping up a crowd, or even getting you through an election or two, it never built a bridge. It never sent a child to school. It never helped someone save a life in an emergency room,' he said."

Two truths about public administration in the US might as well be codified in law: 1. the masses want all the public services. 2. the masses don't want to pay for the services. Convincing them that this doesn't make any sense within a 30 second TV ad is just not feasible and is the reason why every president just adds to the deficit instead of balancing the fed. budget. Disagree with O'Malley if you want, but at least he's addressing the issues and isn't hiding his intention to balance the budget by paying the real cost of things. Personally, I'd find that refreshing at the federal level, but unfortunately it's just not politically realistic.

jag:

Well, the problem federally is that we honestly CAN'T have the spending we do.

We can't support the military spending we do.
We honestly can't support government run healthcare. I'm not horribly against the concept, but we just can't afford it. Improved regulation is the way to go - prevent insurance companies from screwing the small business person working for himself (both in premium costs, and unfair bias due to pre-existing conditions).

Right now it's not even debatable that people paying into medicare are getting way more, on average, then they are putting in. How many times more just varies depending on the statistic you find. Some say 3 times as much, some say 5, some say more then that.
Welfare in concept is fine, but in mathematical execution it is flawed.

Social Security would actually be FINE if the government actually left it alone. SS has been an enormous piggy bank for previous governments of BOTH parties. Heck, this social security tax holiday is just the latest horrible idea robbing our much needed SSA of much needed funds. Even with all of this pilfering of SSA funds, the agency is still solvent for another 25-40 years (year depending on who you ask/what you read).

ok, I think I'm on a tangent now. Stopping.
...

Oh, Tim, don't worry. I very much think the federal budget can be gutted in a number of categories. Unfortunately, the average voter is reluctant to cut anything. Re: defense spending, The Economist had an interesting piece about how when you educate people on the issue, the vast majority of people cut spending. Unfortunately, we're a culture that usually rewards the best soundbite or the most inflammatory rhetoric thanks to not actually bothering to educate ourselves on these issues.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2012/05/defence-spending-cuts

Maryland is almost dead last in the country in wage growth and lost the most jobs of any state last month and now has raised taxes on "the rich" making $100,000. State top tax rate is the fourth highest in the nation. Coupled with the sales tax increase two years back and the largest state tax increase 3-4 years ago. This is a measure of success?

Frank, Where do you get your Drugs ?

Frank:

Excellent sarcasm Frank.....I applaud you! Thanks for the laughter......needed it today!

Frank: Governor, is that you???

Budget cuts? Surely you jest. And contrary to you frighteningly moronic statement, spending others people's money is not a difficult job. Heck, even obama can do that!

OMG, Frank. You MUST be on the Governor's payroll. I cannot imagine any other reason for the butt-kissing of a governor who has sold the taxpayers down the river just to further his own political aspirations.

He wants to be President of the United States really bad. And his wham, bam, thank-you ma'am tactics are just plain criminal.

our social security laws have to change. my husband is totaly disabled w/ bipolal and severe gout , he ha been a steamfitter for over 40 years, he has paided his share of ssi and ssd ,so why is it so hard foe him to get his money,some of his requirments on job are steel toed boots " he cant even wear tennis shoes" can not be in a large crowds, used to be able to do the math when he was able to work . A trpical day for him is get up out of bed around 11:00am sits in chair, i fix him something to eat then he sits in chair till dinner is ready i fix his plate and back in the chair, stays up till 11:00 then he is up and down all nite .i have to pay someone to cut the grass clean gutters etc.this is a man that was up at 4 am worked all dat ranthe job site with up to 30 or 40 men , keeping time sheets ordering materal, etc,, do you get where i am comming from this is every day since last april of2011 . He is very depresde now but he will go manic if i dont give him his meds From a wife who cares and needs help .karen from edgewater

Frank is gone,Peter used to do this when he worked for jim smith .now he works for a law firm representing Frank Perdue For cover hired by his brothers friend covering up against what Marty says to enviromentalists .Get it Frank (Perdue). If it ain't Peter directly it's one of the family on some companies time.Who ELSE really even Believes O'Malley ?