Slots & Taxes: What our legislators are saying (part 2)

(Posted 19 Oct 2007)

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Pressure is on the Mikes to deliver a fix.
Gazette, 19 Oct 2007 (Brody).

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The special session poses a bigger risk for legislators than for the governor, said House Economic Matters Chairman Dereck E. Davis (D-Dist. 25) of Upper Marlboro.

Failing to take action will make the chambers look ‘‘petty and dysfunctional,” he said. ‘‘At the end of the day, we have to come up with an agreement on this budget. We have no alternative.”
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Reporters Notebook: Secrets, Part I.
Gazette, 19 Oct 2007 (Tallman).

Every time we hear it called a ‘‘special” session, we think of Dana Carvey’s ‘‘Church Lady.”
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Here’s a comment from the real world, specifically Economic Matters Chairman Dereck Davis: ‘‘I don’t know why they call it ‘special.’ We do it every year now.”

Bowie senator backs O'Malley's call for special session.
Bowie Blade-News, 18 Oct 2007 (Armes).

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Sen. Doug Peters, D-Bowie, was optimistic a solution would be reached by the General Assembly by Thanksgiving, hopefully a consensus agreement among legislators.

"I support the governor's decision," Peters said. "We're currently losing $80 million per month by not addressing this deficit. We need to take action as soon as possible."
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Peters, a member of the Budget and Taxation Committee, said that although he is against legalizing slot machines, he would listen to and potentially agree to a referendum in O'Malley's proposal.
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Regarding the new proposal's potential affect on taxpayers, Peters said he was concerned for small businesses reporting their personal income, especially if the sales tax is raised. He further stated the No. 1 priority is to find a proposal that's fair and balanced for all taxpayers.

"I know this new proposal will be discussed, amended and changed," Peters said. "But someone had to put something forward so we could work on it."
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