O'Malley eyes taxes, 'gaming' [MD]

The Washington Times ^ | September 18, 2007 | Tom LoBianco

[Norman Bates]

ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O'Malley told legislative leaders yesterday he plans to raise almost $2 billion in new revenues through a mix of taxes, including sales taxes, and "gaming initiatives" to close the state's $1.5 billion budget shortfall.

Mr. O'Malley met separately with House Speaker Michael E. Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., both Democrats, to discuss the details of his plan. He is set to meet with General Assembly budget leaders this morning at the governor's mansion.

Mr. Busch confirmed the meeting and said the governor's plan also includes an increase in corporate income tax.

"It's a pretty comprehensive approach of how to do this, and it won't be an easy undertaking," he said.

Mr. O'Malley, who often derided partisan rancor in Annapolis under former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., has kept Republican leaders from the meetings.

[Norman Bates]

Unfortunately confirming what the Sun published last week. Marylanders are likely looking at a 20% sales tax increase, an expansion of the sales tax to include various services, and a corporate tax increase - all gifts from an increasingly generous governor.

[incredulous joe]

Owwwww! Owwww! I said don’t tax me, bro! Don’t tax me!

[napscoordinator]

20% - Does that mean that the sales tax goes from 5 cents to 6 cents? Or what are you talking about? In Pennsylvania it is 6 cents on what you buy. Has been that way for over 20 years. Hopefully it will stay that way.

[Norman Bates]

O’Malley is a classic example of the typical fiscally irresponsible Democrat line. In less than one year Maryland has gone from a state with a $2.2 billion surplus and a large, rebuilt rainy day fund (under a GOP gov.) to a state with a $1.5 billion deficit, a rainy day fund that is in the middle of a vanishing act, and impending sales and corporate tax increases (under a Dem gov.). I haven’t been keeping a line item card but frivolous spending is surely going through the roof. Clearly O’Malley is not one to be outdone by Ehrlich’s spending on environmental and stem cell initiatives.

[Norman Bates]

Yes, likely from 5% to 6%. But I wouldn't be shocked if they just decided to skip to 7%.

MD sales tax has been 5% for as long as I can remember (granted that is not a very long time). But I like it that way. It is low and it is also easy to calculate. Besides, raising it simply promotes more reckless spending.

[napscoordinator]

True. It does allow for more spending for the government that is for sure. I do wish though that we had a national sales tax instead of federal tax witholding. I think that would be outstanding. Charge 18 cents on everything but we get to decide what to buy.

[hophead]

Yes. 5 cents to 6 cents. Also I love the fact we have a $1.5 billion deficit and they want to raise $2 billion. Whats a half billion of taxpayer money that the state does not need?
There is nowhere to cut spending in this state because the leftists who have run the state for 30+ years saw to it that 79% of the state budget is MANDATED SPENDING. By law. They made all their favorite programs untouchable. And the State motto is, “THE FREE STATE”.

[hophead]

Here is a good site to keep up with the never ending antics of our boy governor.
http://www.omalleywatch.com/

[NoBullZone]

By the way, the legislature conveniently exempted “legal services” from the services to be taxed. I am sure that has nothing to do with most of the legislators being lawyers /s

[NoBullZone]

By the way, the legislature conveniently exempted “legal services” from the services to be taxed. I am sure that has nothing to do with most of the legislators being lawyers /s

[enots]

You might also want to check out www.marylandcorruption.com concerning O’Malley’s father-in-law. former MD. Attorney General Joseph Curran Jr. and his alleged buddies Gilbert & Mark Sapperstein, big on the Maryland gambling interest.

[hophead]

I will bookmark it. That is the same Joseph Curran who wrote the book, “A Call To Arms”. In it he said only those in law enforcement and the military should own firearms, OF ANY KIND.

[enots]

Both Curran and his son-in-law O’Malley are alleged to be personal acquaintances and or political cronies of both Gilbert and Mark Sapperstein (father & son).

Gilbert Sapperstein plead guilty to stealing an approx. $3.5 million from the Baltimore School Board, some of it on O’Malley’s watch.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I'd accept O'Malley's expansion of the sales tax into a consumption tax (effectively what he's proposing) but only in conjunction with the following:

• repealing all personal income taxes (including the county piggyback tax).
• repealing the state property tax (for both homeowners and corporations).
• repealing all corporate income taxes (which are merely passed on to various individuals, anyhow).
• repealing all state and local excises on cigarettes and alcoholic beverages (profiting from addictions).
• keeping the consumption tax rate at 5 percent.
• the consumption tax must apply to ALL goods and services, with the exception of products already taxed for transportation (a separate budget). Gasoline and, if I'm correct, tires would therefore not have the consumption tax.
• eliminating prohibitive regulations on businesses and property owners.

If I'm correct about this, Maryland's economy would boom, and people and businesses would be coming into Maryland rather than fleeing Maryland.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Forgot a couple of conditions:

• Repeal all state and local inheritance taxes
• Repeal all state and local capital gains taxes
• The repeal of all corporate income taxes includes local taxes.
• The counties and incorporated towns can figure out some way to adjust their budgets due to the lack of repealed local taxes.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

By the way, the legislature conveniently exempted “legal services” from the services to be taxed.

My plan would not exempt lawyers. I have met attorneys before, and they struck me as decent people, at least on a personal level. However, they deserve no better than the other services.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

That piece of anti-gun garbage was actually called “A Farewell to Arms.” If we’re thinking of the same document, that is. Ol’ Hemingway probably did the watusi in his grave over that one.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Man these Governors never consider cutting spending. It’s always raising taxes or “fees”.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Freak State PING!

[incredulous joe]

Curran is a doddering left-wing idiot. If there were any doubt about it, simply hang around every time he opens his mouth.

He enjoyed cultivating that whole “kindly grandfather” personna. No doubt, the citizens of this state - including your children and mine - are far less safe because of him and his moonbat policies.

Curran spent more time attacking perfectly legal enterprises, while turning a blind eye to illegal immigrants and violent criminals.

We get what we vote for in this state.

[Norman Bates]

Thanks for the link. Quite insightful.

[hophead]

You are right. I have a copy of that document in my library but it has been a while since I read it. Curran was giving it away if requested. I thought at the time it would be a great piece to add to my bookcase.

[CGTRWK]

We get what we vote for in this state.

"We" don't vote for anything. Recipients of the government handout machine vote for a continuation of their pay, or free school for their kids, or free apartment, or state contract, or whatever it is their price was... and the outnumbered rest of us pay for it.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I presume that the book would rest in the “Stuff Written by Idiots” section of your library?