According to Governor Martin O’Malley, Charles County stands to lose nearly $19 million in annual revenue if the Maryland General Assembly prefers not to resolve the State’s $1.7 billion budget deficit by approving his budget proposal of tax increases and cuts.  The Governor recently revealed a “Cost of Delay” budget reduction plan that would eliminate the State’s deficit through severe cuts across a wide range of services and projects.

 
 

“If people understand the damage [that would be] done to our quality of life by nearly $2 billion in cuts across the board, they wouldn’t support it.”  The Governor encouraged his listeners to call their General Assembly representatives to voice their concerns about what they don’t want to lose.

During his keynote address to the Charles County Economic Summit last Tuesday, Governor O’Malley took the opportunity to garner public support for his 2008 budget proposals.  The plan is now under consideration in the General Assembly’s recent special sessions.

Board of Commissioners President Wayne Cooper (D, at-large) warned that a $19 million loss of revenue from Charles County’s annual budget is large enough to derail major local projects like the construction of the new Mary Burgess Neal Elementary in Waldorf.  He also warned that many local services would suffer.

“This is not something I do lightly,” the Governor said to Summit participants.  He also said he’s “aware of how hard you work for your money.”

The Governor described himself as a “servant-leader” and explained that he made his budget proposals because they seemed the right thing to do, not because he hoped they would be popular.

Commissioner Reuben Collins (D – District 2) added that the State “needs a revenue infusion.”  He explained that Governor O’Malley “is attempting to correct a structural deficit”. 

The Governor suggested that the State’s current budget woes were the result of two coinciding legislative movements six years ago during the Glendenning administration.  At that time, the State began a big investment in public education.  48% of the State’s revenue is now allocated to public education.  At the same time, state lawmakers also cut residents’ income tax rates. 

Governor O’Malley said that the housing boom softened the disparity between Maryland’s revenue and expenditures, but couldn’t hide the imbalance indefinitely. 

Commissioner Gary Hodge (D – District 4?) applauds the Governor for working on an “issue that’s been languishing for years without hurting those least able to afford it”.  Hodge told media representatives at the Summit t