Job Growth Threatened in Maryland

This year’s “Roll Call” recorded some of the most drastic decreases in the pro-business vote since Maryland Business for Responsive Government began tracking the state legislature 26 years ago. The trend is clear: The business divide is widening in Maryland. The warning signs are there for anyone concerned about jobs.

Roll Call enables the business community to hold senators and delegates accountable for their votes. It also takes a long term view of the consequences of state government actions that halt job growth.

We need to look at where we are going. There are unfortunate parallels between the 2011 session and four years ago. In 2007, Roll Call warned of the “perfect storm”: pension obligations, Transportation Trust Fund raids and budget demands.

Sound familiar?

In 2007, the General Assembly met in special session to solve the state’s budget deficit. Instead, the legislature imposed a record $1.4 billion sales, corporate and income tax hike. That session was also noted for the ill-fated computer services tax later repealed when reality set in that the modern economy enables companies to move elsewhere. Top elected officials said these tax increases were needed to get control of the budget. That did not happen.

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by Marvin Mandel and Ellen Sauerbrey

The authors are the co-chairs of Maryland Business for Responsive Government, a bipartisan organization that works to improve the state’s business climate. They may be reached at info@mbrg.org.