Ehrlich on Washington column, April 14, 2002

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Rood, Suit* 304 Lurtvervill*, Morylond 21093 3 1 5 Cannon Houm Office Building Washington, D.C 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of April 1 4, 2002 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Charge It! Mortgaging the Future in Annapolis Ninety days ago, Maryland’s political elite marched into Annapolis clamoring over the impending fiscal train wreck in Maryland. Legislators and Maryland’s fiscal services agency claimed the budget situation was out of control and the General Assembly would reign in this governor once and for all. Like most Marylanders, I tuned out the rhetoric in expectation of results. Unfortunately, when the General Assembly adjourned last Monday, the fiscal landscape was a disastrous departure from what the legislative establishment pledged to deliver. First, Governor Glendening and his allies ran roughshod through the state’s “Rainy Day Fund,” which was designed as a safety valve in the leanest of years. Last year, the governor raided this fund for $557 million, more than any other governor in the nation. This year, he stripped this fund of another $249 million. Second, the General Assembly adopted an annual $1.3 billion increase in education funding for six years. While I strongly support increased education investments, adopting billion dollar increases with money the state clearly does not have is reckless and irresponsible. The leadership added a provision that the General Assembly must annually "certify" that the funds for this increase exist. This is a phony election-year gimmick, one which lawmakers probably could not pass today. Third, the legislature offered no legitimate plan for footing the education bill in the long term (a cigarette tax hike only covers one year.) I believe Maryland could meet this need by responsibly installing slot machines at race tracks and dedicating the proceeds to education. In Delaware, more than $8 billion have been wagered on slots, billions of which come from Marylanders forced to cross state lines. These dollars go right into the local economy and the State’s revenues. This disparity hurts Maryland’s finances, cripples our historic racing industry, and handcuffs the next governor and legislature when it comes time to pay the bills.