Bohanan says committee is working hard to cut

spending; state will not raise taxes

ANNAPOLIS — This past Tuesday the General Assembly’s Spending Affordability Committee met in preparation for the start of the next session of the legislature, which starts next month.

Del. John Bohanan (D. Lexington Park) is the co-chairman of the panel which includes members from both the House and the Senate.

Bohanan told ST. MARY’S TODAY following this week’s session that the General Assembly has been working hard to make cuts in the state’s budget, with this week’s furloughs of state employees designed to save $34 million just the beginning of efforts to balance the budget.

In a special session of the General Assembly 13 months ago, Maryland raised taxes by more than $1 billion.

"It is not an option to raise taxes again," said Bohanan, "this is the time for cuts and that is what the state is going to do."
The mission of the Committee is defined as follows:

"The Committee’s primary responsibility is to recommend to the Governor and General Assembly a level of spending for the State operating budget that is reflective of the current and prospective condition of the State economy."

The committee approved a 0.7 percent increase in spending over last year’s roughly $14 billion operating budget. The suggestion was made by Warren G. Deschenaux, the General Assembly’s chief budget analyst.

The increase in spending was the smallest in the 35 year history of the Committee. The committee also recommended cutting 1,000 of the 3,340 vacant state positions. Roughly 523 of the positions are still being funded.

Republicans urged the committee to increase the number to 2,000 and criticized Governor O’Malley for furloughing employees rather than cutting vacant positions.