April 10, 2007

Dear Friends:

   As the Maryland General Assembly adjourns and I head back to Eldersburg, I am happy to report that we passed a balanced budget for 2008 with no tax increases.  Carroll County received funding for numerous projects, including money for new classrooms at Freedom Elementary and Carroll Community College.

   Yet, I am frustrated, because the majority in the General Assembly acted much like a homeowner who balances his checkbook, but ignores the fact that he can’t pay the looming balloon payment on his house. Such a payment comes due for Maryland next year, when the gap between revenues and expenditures is expected to exceed $1.5 billion.

   This structural deficit can only be solved by reduced spending or increased taxes, and the buzzword in the majority party this year has been “taxes.” As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I argued and voted against all manner of taxes that were sent up as trial balloons for next year. Those proposals would have raised taxes on sales, gas, income, alcohol and tobacco. The most explosive proposal, which drew hundreds of Marylanders to the hearing, would have expanded the sales tax to all types of services—haircuts, tax preparation, health clubs and real estate transactions, among them.

   Still, some good bills passed this Session, and I voted for them:

·        Jessica’s Law. Prohibits parole for 1st- and 2nd-degree child sex offenders, requiring them to serve at least the mandatory minimum sentence prescribed by law.

·        Paper Trail for Voting.   Requires Maryland’s voting system to have a paper record.

·        Tuition Freeze. Students at the University System of Maryland campuses will not see their tuition rise next year.

·        Smoking Ban. Removes the existing exemption in the law for bars and restaurants, making smoking illegal in all workplaces beginning Feb. 1, 2008.

·        Clean Cars. Tightens emissions standards on cars sold in Maryland to cut down on mobile source emissions.  Requires greater fuel economy for vehicles to reduce dependence on gas and oil, and will reduce operating costs.

·        Open Space. Fully funded for 2008, providing much-needed money for Carroll County’s ball fields, playgrounds, parks, and woods or natural areas.

·        Alcohol Without Liquid Machines. Prohibits the use, purchase or possession of these machines, which vaporize alcoholic beverages and blend them with oxygen, creating a dangerous mix that can be life-threatening when inhaled.

·        Liquor Store Limit. This Carroll County Delegation bill codifies current practice, ensuring that we do not have a liquor store on every corner. It limits liquor licenses to one per every 5,000 residents. 

    On the negative side, dozens of bad bills flew through one or both Houses. During the previous Administration, many of these bills were stopped by Governor Bob Ehrlich’s veto pen. This year’s bad crop of legislation included the following: 

·        In-State Tuition for Illegal Immigrants. I voted against this bill, which would have taken slots away from our children to provide space for the children of illegal immigrants at Maryland’s public colleges and universities. Under this bill, which ultimately died in the Senate, U.S. citizens from other states would have paid higher tuition than that paid by children of illegal immigrants. Given the fact that the Governor has indicated his strong support for this legislation, it will be back next year for another try.

·        Ex-Felon Voting Rights. I voted against this bill, which permits convicted felons to vote after completion of their sentence, even if they were convicted of murder, rape, more than one violent crime, or treason against the United States. This bill passed.

·        Hand-over of all Maryland Electoral College votes to the nationwide winner of the popular votes in the Presidential Election. I voted against this end run around the U.S. Constitution established by our nation’s Founding Fathers. This bill passed. As a result, our votes, in effect, will no longer count unless we happen to cast them for the winner selected by the rest of the nation.

·        Shutdown of Towson University’s MBA program. I voted against this bill. In effect, this bill would have ended Towson’s new MBA program because Morgan State University claims it duplicates Morgan’s MBA program and would lead to further segregation in Baltimore-area universities. The bill died in final days of the Session.

   The Carroll County Delegation was vigilant in getting our fair share of capital budget dollars, bringing home $37 million for school, park, water and other projects. Among those state allocations are the following:

·        $1.5 million for new kindergarten classrooms at Freedom Elementary School.

·        $18 million for Carroll Community College Classroom Building No. 4.

·        $100,000 to renovate and reconstruct the Marlin K. Hoff Memorial Barn.

·        $100,000 to construct the Danele Shipley Memorial Arena in Westminster.

As always, I am grateful for your input and for the privilege of serving. Thank you.

                                                            Sincerely,

                                                      

                                                            Susan W. Krebs
                                                            Delegate, District 9B