Maryland's Fiefdom: taxes, taxes and more taxes

Maryland’s Fiefdom: taxes, taxes and more taxes

Maryland’s legislature is cleverly weaving a package of new taxes to support its entitlement engine, before it runs out of cash. In order to sell these new levies the Governor and his minions have contrived a plan of minor budget cuts to placate the fierce opposition he expects. Gasoline prices continue to soar yet the Governor does not think this burden is enough. His solution, add more fees to this life blood of the economy. Income taxes in Maryland are among the country’s highest, no problem let’s make them the highest. With home foreclosures at record levels O’Malley says we can do better. Let us go forth and decrease the mortgage deduction, displacing even more families. Unable to pay your exorbitantly high state taxes O’Malley has the answer: you can’t renew your driver’s license nor register your auto until you pay up. It gets worse cable, telephone and any other electronic devices may see a set of devious fees attached. Of course you heard that internet sales within the borders of Maryland will be assessed levies. Maryland’s chieftain is eyeing higher offices, what better way to achieve them but on the dime of this state’s private sector and its citizens. For those of you who graduated high school but retained a second grade reading level press releases from legislative committees and the Governor’s office are awash with verbiage noting these maneuvers will keep Maryland financially sound. Mr. Governor you can contort your language like the best acrobatic but the slime slips through. Take a red pencil and cut your budget by 10 to 20 percent. Means test everyone on the take. Stop giving new arrivals entitlements as soon as they cross state lines. Stop the double dipping done by thousands of civil servants. Reduce pension benefits for those still in the workforce because there may be none to payout in the end. Listen to a fellow left wing governor, Andrew Cuomo, who had a Eureka moment stating that New York does not have the cash to fund the huge entitlement establishment pushed by his fellow democrats. How far behind New York is Maryland financially? From this vantage point Maryland is right on its heels. To move up the food chain the Governor needs to display financial discipline, but I forgot he depends on the entitlement crowd for votes. When will sense and sensibility ever return to Annapolis? Perhaps never! Mark Davis, author of Demons of Democracy. The book that explained why we should not put a lawyer in the White House nor any of the state houses. platomd@gmail.com