Testimony Before the Howard County Council
on
Howard County FY2005 Budget Concerns
April 22, 2004
Lyle Seigel on Behalf of the Maryland Taxpayers Association

Testimony submitted by: Lyle Seigel
Owns property: Columbia, MD
Email: leseigel@hotmail.com
work: 301-625-6618

On behalf of Maryland Taxpayers Association - http://www.mdtaxes.org

Date: 04/22/04 Time: 7:30 pm Re: Howard County FY2005 Budget Concerns

Thank you very much for this opportunity to testify on the Howard County 2005 budget. My name is Lyle Seigel. I own property in Columbia, MD on which I pay taxes to Howard County. In addition, I am representing the nonpartisan Maryland Taxpayers Association. The Maryland Taxpayers Association is working hard to pass a Maryland 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 explains TABOR and summarizes the four parts. We want Howard County to adopt the Taxpayers Bill of Rights in the name of responsible financial control.

I would like to briefly quote from County Executive Robey's April 16, 2004 letter to Chairman Guzzone.

"… a $40 million increase in new revenue from last year's income tax increase."
"… a minimal overall increase of 7.4% in the general fund."
"… an amount that is $41.8 million or 7.41% more than last year."
"… a 7.73% increase over last year."
"… the Board of Education will receive a total of $41 million new dollars."
"… a 30% increase in water and sewer rates."
"… maintain the current reduced level of service for public transportation with an additional $1.7 million and Recreation and Parks will be able to open its new parks later in the year with the addition of 5 new employees."
"... a 2% cost of living adjustment to our base effective July 1, 2004 and an additional 1% adjustment on June 30, 2005."

It is clear there is no end in sight to increasing taxes and fees in Howard County if the status quo is allowed to continue. It is ludicrous and irresponsible for all of these tax and fee increases and unnecessary spending to occur when Maryland is faced with crisis-level statewide budget shortfalls for the foreseeable future.

Another handout is a study of Colorado TABOR called A Decade of TABOR by public policy specialist Fred Holden from which I'll quote two impressive 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, and Howard County is a great county, with many great assets. However, both Howard County and Maryland must adopt the Taxpayers Bill of Rights to prevent unnecessary taxation and to promote fiscal responsibility. Taxes and fees and levies and piggybacks must not be increased at risk of breaking the financial back of hard-working citizens.

I would like to end with a quote from statesman and political thinker Edmund Burke:

"All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing."

Thank you.