Earlier this week Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposal to slash $280 million from the state's current budget was approved by the Board of Estimate. These cuts are the first installment in $700 million from the state's $14 billion budget. Still more cuts will be announced before Labor Day.
In this current round of cuts, just 39 state jobs that are currently be filled were being eliminated in the state's 70,000 person workforce. That is less than six one hundreths of one percent or 0.0006.
Nearly $40 million in cuts are slated for the University of Maryland System. While it is too late to change tuition for the Fall semester, according to the Baltimore Sun, University System Chancellor William E. Kirwan says an increase for the semester that begins in January is "definitely possible." The Chancellor is not ready to say how large a tuition increase may be coming.
The Governor also announced this week that he is soliciting ideas for additional spending cuts. Controlling spending has has never been one of Governor O'Malley's strengths, so he can use all the help you can give him. You can offer your ideas online at http://www.governor.maryland.gov/budgetcuts.asp.
I encourage Marylanders to take full advantage of this opportunity. Let me kick things off with my own suggested cuts.
Every year each State Senator gives away $138,000 in higher education scholarship funds and each delegate gives out $34,000. The criteria about who get these scholarships is very loose, so as a result the schlarships tend to go to the children of the politically connected. In total, these legislative scholarships cost the State of Maryland twelve million dollars per year.
Earlier this year Senator Allan Kittleman introduced SB 758 to eliminate the senatorial and delegate scholarship program. If you are the least bit surprised that this was not given warm reception, you probably are not paying very close attention to what happens in Annapolis.
Yet our state faces tough financial choices, just as Maryland families are facing the same. In fact, many Maryland families are making far deeper cuts proportionally in their own budgets than the state is doing. Politically connected families should not get a tuition free ride if average Maryland families are facing tuition increases. So now is the time to end for senate and delegate scholarships.
Let the Governor know and the legislature know it is time for this reform and while you are at, tell Senator Kittleman at allan.kittleman@senate.state.md.us that you agree with him.
Mark Uncapher, Chairman
mark@uncapher.net
MCGOP CONVENTION!