Thank you very much for the opportunity to testify at this hearing. My name is Lyle Seigel. I have lived in the great state of Maryland for over 30 years. Currently I own property in Columbia, MD. In addition, I am representing the nonpartisan Maryland Taxpayers Association. Citizens of Maryland are getting increasingly crushed by taxes, fees, assessments, levies and piggybacks. We need a Maryland Constitutional Amendment to create a Taxpayers Bill Of Rights, or TABOR, similar to the very successful Taxpayers Bill of Rights passed by Colorado voters back in 1992. One of the handouts in my testimony explains TABOR and summarizes the four parts, which Maryland must adopt soon, in the name of responsible financial control, to prevent future years of budget crisis and taxpayer hardship.

The proposed TABOR amendment to the Maryland Constitution would require

• Voter approval for state and local tax hikes, and
• Impose flexible spending limits on Maryland state and local governments.
• Surpluses would be returned to taxpayers unless Maryland voters let governments keep excess revenues.
• State spending could grow no more than population plus inflation allowing governments to provide core services to more people and to maintain their purchasing power.

The next handout compares Actual vs MD Taxpayers Bill Of Rights 2004 and 2005 budgets. It clearly shows savings over $407 million starting in 2005 if TABOR is passed.

Another document is a study of Colorado TABOR called A Decade of TABOR by public policy specialist Fred Holden from which I'll quote two powerful summary lines:

• "The TABOR surplus rebate mechanism returned to taxpayers some $3.25 billion over five years, fiscal 1997 to 2001, amounting to about $800 per capita - $3,200 for an average family of four."
• "TABOR is a success. It passed its own test to reasonably contain growth of Colorado government, taxing and spending."

Maryland is a great state with many great assets. However, Maryland must adopt the Taxpayers Bill of Rights to prevent unnecessary taxation and to promote fiscal responsibility. Taxes must not be increased without voter approval, and Maryland government must be allowed to grow only based on population growth and inflation. Finally, budget surpluses must be returned to taxpayers unless we vote otherwise. Taxes are not produced by the government - they are donated from hard-working citizens of Maryland. To paraphrase a popular song:

I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again

Thank you.