Up the Street
The week that was in Annapolis
Budget and Revenue Plans to be
Finalized in Conference Committees
The House and Senate have acted on
their own versions of the budget, budget reconciliation, and revenue
proposals. There are significant differences in the amount of money
generated in the competing revenue packages. The Senate package generates
roughly $500 million in new revenue, addressing both the FY13 budget deficit
and almost completely wiping out the state’s structural deficit. The
House plan generates roughly $200 million – enough to balance the FY13 budget,
but not the revenue necessary to safely assume future cuts or tax increases
could be avoided next year.
Reaching consensus on the revenue
package, SB 523, is key to the budget negotiations
in the coming days, as the agreed upon revenue goals will directly impact the
scope and length of the pension shift phase-in (included in the Budget
Reconciliation and Financing Act, SB 152), spending priorities, and/or
necessary cuts in state aid (included in the state budget, SB 150).
Three separate conference committees
have been named to reconcile the differences in the House and Senate
plans. The conferees and advisors associated with each budget-related
bill are below:
- Senate
Bill 523, State and Local Revenue and Financing Act of 2012
- Conferees: Senators Kasemeyer (Howard), Robey
(Howard), Madaleno (Montgomery), DeGrange (Anne Arundel), Jones-Rodwell
(Baltimore City); Delegates Hixson (Montgomery), Frick (Montgomery), Barve
(Montgomery), Rosenberg (Baltimore City), Bohanan (St. Mary’s)
- Advisors:
Senators McFadden
(Baltimore City), Manno (Montgomery); Delegates Jones (Baltimore County),
Branch (Baltimore City), Ross (Prince George’s)
- Senate
Bill 152, Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2012
- Conferees: Senators Kasemeyer (Howard),
Madaleno (Montgomery), DeGrange (Anne Arundel), Robey (Howard), Colburn
(Dorchester); Delegates Conway (Wicomico), Hixson (Montgomery), Jones (Baltimore
County), Griffith (Prince George’s), Hammen (Baltimore City)
- Advisors:
Senators
Jones-Rodwell (Baltimore City), McFadden (Baltimore City); Delegates Bohanan
(St. Mary’s), Clagett (Frederick), Gaines (Prince George’s), Beitzel (Garrett)
- Senate
Bill 150, Budget Bill (Fiscal Year 2013)
- Conferees: Senators Kasemeyer (Howard),
Madaleno (Montgomery), DeGrange (Anne Arundel), Robey (Howard), Colburn
(Dorchester); Delegates Conway (Wicomico), Proctor (Prince George’s), Bohanan
(St. Mary’s), Gaines (Prince George’s), Beitzel (Garrett)
- Advisors:
Senators
Jones-Rodwell (Baltimore City), McFadden (Baltimore City); Delegates James
(Harford), Haynes (Baltimore City), Guzzone (Howard)
Advisors participate in the
conference committee’s discussions, but are not eligible to vote. A majority of
members of the whole conference committee – Senate and House members – must
approve a conference committee report for it to go back to the two respective
chambers for final approval. Conference committee reports cannot be
amended and require a simple majority to be adopted.
MSEA is working with the Save Our State Coalition to
encourage leaders and members to contact budget conferees and ask them to
support a robust revenue package to ensure that state investments in education
and other vital services are protected
Late Push by the BOAST Coalition
This week marked the lobby day for
the BOAST Coalition, and it brought a round of last minute maneuvering by
private school voucher advocates to try and pass the legislation during the
final two weeks of session. MSEA sent out a FrontLine Action Alert to
urge members to contact their legislators and oppose vouchers and new corporate
tax credits, as in the proposed Partnership for Student Education and Community
Investment Tax Credit (the new name for BOAST) in HB 1216 and SB 844. Please use and share this link to contact your
legislators today.
Senate Moves Table Games
Legislation
The State Senate has approved SB 892, legislation to expand gambling in
Maryland with table games and a Prince George’s County casino. The House
is scheduled to hear the bill early next week. Should the legislation
pass this session, it would still have to be approved by voters on the November
2012 ballot.
MSEA opposes SB 892 because it
proposes to increase the amount of proceeds kept by video lottery license
owners from 33% to 48% at the expense of reducing the amount to be directed to
the Education Trust Fund. In November 2007, the legislation that passed
establishing video lottery facilities was titled, “Maryland Education Trust Fund
– Video Lottery Terminals.” In November 2008, the Constitutional
Amendment ballot question supported by the voters at the General Election was
titled, “Authorizing Video Lottery Terminals (Slot Machines) to Fund
Education.” To date, actual revenue collections from video lottery
facilities remain a fraction of original projections. Decreasing
distributions to the Education Trust Fund from 50% down to 35% for video
lottery facilities contradicts the purpose and perception of the intent of the
state for seeking to expand gaming. If this bill is to move, MSEA will be
working to protect the percentage and bottom line impact on state aid for
education.
Election News
Primary Day is Tuesday, April 3
If you have not already voted early,
please remember to get out to vote on Tuesday, April 3. You can find your
voting location and information about recommended candidates at the MSEA
Election Center.
Garagiola for Congress
In a battle of the Democratic
endorsements, State Senator Rob Garagiola scored a big one this week when Governor Martin O’Malley endorsed his campaign
for the Democratic nomination in the 6th Congressional
District. Public polling has Garagiola in a neck-and-neck race with John
Delaney.
Garagiola is the NEA/MSEA
recommended candidate for Congress in this hotly contested primary campaign.
Many of our local associations in the 6th district have been
conducting member-to-member outreach and have worked with the AFL-CIO labor
coalition to support Rob’s campaign. It’s not too late to volunteer to
help. Please use and share this link to sign-up for a
volunteer shift to help Rob or other recommended candidates in the final days
of the primary.