NEWS from the Maryland Taxpayers Association
"The Voice of Free State Taxpayers"

More information:
Dee Hodges, 703.244.3431, president.
Richard Falknor, 540.554.2964, vice-president.
MTA, 9613-C Harford Road #527
Baltimore, MD 21234
http://www.mdtaxes.org/

Taxpayer Group to Administration and General Assembly -
DON'T RAISE TAXES, INSTEAD SLASH BAD REGULATIONS;
IDENTIFY, THEN UPGRADE CORE GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS;
LOOK AT SELLING EXCESS ASSETS, PRIVATIZING TOLL FACILITIES.

ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 14, 2003) - - - The Maryland Taxpayers Association, Inc. http://www.mdtaxes.org/ today hailed Delegate Herb McMillan and the five cosponsors of the "Maryland Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR)," HB 1154, for getting underway the long process of building a pro-growth society in the Free State.

"Many of you know Herb as the chair of the new Taxpayer Protection Caucus in the House of Delegates," said MTA chief Dee Hodges.

"But MTA also takes its hat off to Carmen Amedori, Dave Boschert, Don Dwyer, Bill Frank, Kevin Kelly, Tony McConkey, Tony O'Donnell, and Rosetta Parker, members of both parties who see farther than the ordinary legislator."

"These law makers are serious people, and they are laying reform foundations on which we can build in the next two sessions of the General Assembly" added MTA vice president Richard Falknor.

"Colorado has had more experience with the TABOR mechanism of constitutional tax and spending limits than any other state. Maryland and Virginia are just learning about this approach," he said.

"A Maryland TABOR would not likely get onto the ballot for several years. Our citizens will come to realize during the public debate, however, just how much power a full-fledged TABOR could transfer to them from the old government class," said Hodges, a Baltimore mortgage banker.

"In the meantime, we need to look at the way Maryland government does business and whether it creates a pro-growth economy," urged Falknor, a long-time Capitol Hill aide and newsletter publisher.

Both MTA officers declared that the new Administration and the General Assembly, "beguiled" by various slots proposals, have failed to put "serious energy and analysis" into streamlining Maryland government and thus taking care of the budget deficit.

Hodges and Falknor promised that - - -

"MTA will continue to be a burr under the saddle of both parties."

MTA plans to push both parties to examine

• state government's core role;
• how to build competition and thus accountability into our school system;
• how to build and rebuild infrastructure with public-private partnerships;
• what kinds of real estate holdings and major projects should Maryland keep and what kinds should Maryland sell;
• how to put the civil service on a "business basis" with "pension liberation" attracting fine talent to an admired Maryland public service;

and

• how to address the $17 billion state and local regulatory burden on the Maryland economy.

These are just are just a few of the issues that require attention now, they said.

"But raising Maryland taxes is a terrible idea in this economy, and will quickly lower the pressure to reform Maryland government," both MTA officers underscored.

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The Maryland Taxpayers Association (http://www.mdtaxes.org/) is the Free State's non-partisan, non-profit, statewide, grass-roots voice for Maryland citizens. MTA asks Maryland elected officials for their pledge not to raise taxes, and acts to make Maryland government more efficient.
"MTA: Building an opportunity society for every Marylander"