By Delegate Mike McDermott
October 18th, 2011
Special Session
Morning Session:
We received HB-2 and HB-3 from the Rules Committee. These two bills address redistricting for the Boards of Education districts in Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties. We thought there might be an amendment offered out of the Prince George’s Delegation but it was not forthcoming.
The Senate was moving the governor’s redistricting plan today and spent quite awhile debating the bill. Ultimately it was decided largely along party lines with Senator Muse (D-Prince Georges) being the only cross over vote against the gerrymandered map.
Evening Session:
The House reconvened at 5pm to take up the governor’s redistricting plan passed by the Senate. There are many amendments in the hopper which will be introduced tomorrow as we take up debate on all of the redistricting bills. The session only lasted a few minutes.
Tea Party Rally:
There were about 300 folks from around the state that showed up on Lawyer’s Mall for the House Tea Party Caucus Rally from 12-2pm. Speakers included Grover Norquist (American’s for Tax Reform), Ambassador Ellen Sauerbrey, Charles Lollar (President American’s for Prosperity-MD), Senator Pipkin and myself along with a host of other leaders from various tax payer organizations. Del. Mike Smigiel (House Tea Party Caucus Chairman) was the MC and moved the program along. Many in the General Assembly heard the speakers and stopped to listen in on the clear, resonating message: No gerrymandering and No tax increases. There were plenty of homemade signs with messages for the governor.
Whether it was all of the angst expressed publicly in anticipation of tax legislation during this session, or the recent Gonzales polling which revealed a strong public aversion in Maryland to any tax increases, it seems the leadership got the message…for now.
Special Session
Morning Session:
We received HB-2 and HB-3 from the Rules Committee. These two bills address redistricting for the Boards of Education districts in Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties. We thought there might be an amendment offered out of the Prince George’s Delegation but it was not forthcoming.
The Senate was moving the governor’s redistricting plan today and spent quite awhile debating the bill. Ultimately it was decided largely along party lines with Senator Muse (D-Prince Georges) being the only cross over vote against the gerrymandered map.
Evening Session:
The House reconvened at 5pm to take up the governor’s redistricting plan passed by the Senate. There are many amendments in the hopper which will be introduced tomorrow as we take up debate on all of the redistricting bills. The session only lasted a few minutes.
Tea Party Rally:
There were about 300 folks from around the state that showed up on Lawyer’s Mall for the House Tea Party Caucus Rally from 12-2pm. Speakers included Grover Norquist (American’s for Tax Reform), Ambassador Ellen Sauerbrey, Charles Lollar (President American’s for Prosperity-MD), Senator Pipkin and myself along with a host of other leaders from various tax payer organizations. Del. Mike Smigiel (House Tea Party Caucus Chairman) was the MC and moved the program along. Many in the General Assembly heard the speakers and stopped to listen in on the clear, resonating message: No gerrymandering and No tax increases. There were plenty of homemade signs with messages for the governor.
Whether it was all of the angst expressed publicly in anticipation of tax legislation during this session, or the recent Gonzales polling which revealed a strong public aversion in Maryland to any tax increases, it seems the leadership got the message…for now.
New Posts to fall below.
8 comments:
WIth all these special sessions, do you think you'll have to give up your regular job? Except for vacation, the Legislature seems to be in perpetual session for raising taxes or creating new fees.
Ask for a raise.
WHAT A WASTE OF TAX PAYERS MONEY ..These sessions which seems to be nothing more than a cover to raise some type of taxes on us...STOP and GO HOME you all in ANNAPOLIS...stop robbing u sblind
Mike MCDermont is an utter politician. He is not for the people but for his advancement in an ever-expanding government that would like nothing more than to impose more taxes and more limits on the FREE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
Mr. Cullen,
I applaud you for using your name when you sent this post. However, apparently you have never met Mike McDermott or read any of his writings. For, if you had, you'd realize you couldn't be more wrong.
Craig Theobald
Ironshire
I wish Governor O'Malley would institute the legislature schedule that Texas has - (two year sessions).
The Texas legislature holds sessions every two years as opposed to Maryland's current twice a year schedule.
If my memory serves me - I believe Maryland could save about 100 million dollars annually by going to a bi-annual schedule.
In real dollar terms it would probably yield alot more savings than that as the budget would be virtually frozen during the interim.
To Beezer
I absolutely agree with you.
FYI - Maryland used to have biennial legislative sessions up until 1947. The Maryland budget used to be biennial budgets that coincided with each (2) year session. In 1948 that all changed and Maryland went to (1) year budgets and also changed the session to annual sessions. s
Most recently - it has changed again to (2) annual sessions.
Maryland has grown way out-of-control in my humble opinion. Each special session cost Marylanders MILLIONS!
Mr. McD you stated: "Whether it was all of the angst expressed publicly in anticipation of tax legislation during this session, or the recent Gonzales polling which revealed a strong public aversion in Maryland to any tax increases, it seems the leadership got the message…for now".
Apparently O'Malley did not get the word, since he is now proposing to raise the gasoline tax to 39 cents a gallon.
Post a Comment