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MADAM CHAIRMAN, MY NAME IS DEE HODGES AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE MARYLAND TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION, INC. (MTA). MTA IS THE NON-PROFIT, NON-PARTISAN, VOLUNTEER GRASS-ROOTS VOICE FOR MARYLAND'S TAXPAYERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS. OUR WEBSITE IS WWW.MDTAXES.ORG AS YOU KNOW FROM MY TESTIMONY LAST YEAR, MTA STRONGLY SUPPORTS ALLOWING THE MARYLAND VOTER TO DECIDE WHETHER TO ADOPT A TAX-AND-EXPENDITURE LIMITATION AMENDMENT TO THE MARYLAND CONSTITUTION. WE CALL SUCH AN AMENDMENT A TAXPAYER BILL OF RIGHTS AND THE BASICS OF THIS AMENDMENT ARE EMBODIED IN HB1206 BEFORE YOUR PANEL THIS MORNING. I SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PARTICULAR POINT THIS MORNING. MTA HAS DISCOVERED IN WORKING WITH MANY MARYLAND BUSINESS OR COMMERCE-ORIENTED GROUPS A REGRETTABLE TENDENCY TO ACCEPT AS WRITTEN IN STONE THE SPENDING AND REGULATORY CREEP THAT CHARACTERIZES MARYLAND BUDGETS AND GOVERNMENT. WE NOTE A DEEP RELUCTANCE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO CHALLENGE THE ANNAPOLIS WAY OF GOVERNMENT. WE BELIEVE THAT MARYLAND ENTERPRISE SHOULD BRING ITS SUBSTANTIAL FORCE TO COMPEL STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS PRIVATIZATION, MODERNIZATION, PUTTING THE CIVIL SERVICE ON A BUSINESS BASIS AND ADVANCING PENSION LIBERATION, K-12 ACCOUNTABILITY TO PARENTS NOT TEACHERS UNIONS. AS CALVERT RESEARCH INSTITUTE GEORGE LIEBMANN WROTE, "THORNTON UNALTERED IS THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO EDUCATION." REGULATORY REFORM THROUGHOUT MARYLAND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS A FIRST PRIORITY. ONLY IN THIS WAY CAN MARYLAND STAY COMPETITIVE WITH NEIGHBORING STATES. |
