Yesterday, following the announcement of a compromise on the budget bills, several of my conservative colleagues in the House of Delegates and I sent a letter to Governor Moore urging him to veto any bill containing increased taxes and fees.

While the mainstream media and many Republicans are happy the conflict is over, Democrats in the House of Delegates have taught the Senate, the Governor, and House Republicans a valuable lesson in confrontational politics.

Understanding confrontational politics as a negotiation tactic is important, as it involves the aggressor advancing their agenda by strategically retreating. Lenin employed this tactic, describing it as a pivotal strategy for the advancement of communism. He used the analogy of comparing the backswing of the hammer to being just as crucial as the forward thrust to drive a nail.

At the start of the legislative session, Governor Moore said he would not raise taxes. His budget, submitted in mid-January, included no new or increased taxes. Two months later, the Senate sent the House of Delegates a balanced budget without tax increases.

The Democrats in the House of Delegates, however, had other plans. Initially, they introduced a deep fake: HB1515, which was an estimated tax increase of $2.8B. HB1515 would have expanded the sales tax to include services. It basically taxed everything that moved; however, that was merely a distraction.

The Appropriations Committee then, instead of sending individual bills containing tax increases to the Senate, strategically amended the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (SB362 - BRFA) with $1.3 billion in new tax and fee increases. The BRFA balances the operating budget and must be passed to fulfill the constitutional obligation of a balanced budget. This action forced the Senate to address the issue of tax increases.

On Wednesday, a "compromise" between the House and the Senate was announced, resulting in a significant tax increase amounting to nearly $450 million in additional taxes collected from hard-working Marylanders. The tax increases are centered around an additional $1.25 per pack cigarette tax and numerous vehicle registration and transportation fees, totaling a whopping estimated $357m.

This negotiation tactic was crafty and left both sides feeling like they won. The Senate feels good about eliminating close to a billion dollars in tax increases, and the House Appropriation Committee feels good that it was able to impose its will and advance its agenda without really losing anything. But in reality, the House "ate the Senate's lunch" or rather "gored their ox." Whatever analogy you use, the situation was classic: ask for the moon and then fall back to a more so-called "reasonable" position, but in reality, they gave up nothing.

In the end, the taxpaying people of Maryland lost, now saddled with millions in increased taxes.

We are now urging Governor Moore to honor his goal and commitment of not raising taxes and fees by exercising his veto power.

*Please note: the total increase in taxes approaches $450. When the letter was drafted to the Governor, not all the details were yet released.

This session has been remarkably hectic, amidst the flurry of proposed tax hikes and other contentious matters in the General Assembly, leaving little room to touch upon some positive aspects.

I'm thrilled that a few weeks ago, the House approved my bill, HB676, which is currently under review by the Senate Finance Committee.

In my earlier email, I mentioned HB676-Right to Try for Individual Patients, which broadens the Right to Try law to include gene-specific personalized treatments that might not undergo standard clinical trials because of their personalized nature.  This bill aims to give Marylanders with rare diseases and terminal illnesses access to customized treatments, to provide some hope and options for those suffering from these terrible diseases.

I am proud to announce that every member of the Health and Government Operations Committee unanimously approved HB676 and co-sponsored the legislation.  The House of Delegates passed the bill with unanimous support on the House Floor, and I hope that the Senate will also advance the legislation.

Please read an article written by the Goldwater Institute on the bill advancing: https://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/maryland-lawmakers-unanimously-advance-right-to-try-expansion/

Largest Tax in Increase in Maryland History

On Wednesday, I offered a plan to eliminate the proposed tax increases found in SB362 - Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2024, commonly referred to as BRFA, by returning to the historic standard of a 35% ratio for Fairbox Recovery for mass transit.  Prior to 2018, mass transit riders were required to pay for 35% of the operating cost of mass transit.  Democrats removed that requirement, and today, mass transit riders pay in the single digits.  For example, taxpayers subsidized 94% of the cost of operating the Metro.  To put some dollar figures behind this, there is more money in this budget going to Washington Area Metro ($639 million) than state dollars, ($599 million) going to roads and bridges.  SB362 - is a war on drivers.  It raises the following taxes and fees:

• Changing vehicle registration fees so that large vehicles pay more: $250 million
• Enacting a corporate tax reform known as "combined reporting": $225 million
• Applying the vehicle excise tax to trade-ins: $155 million
• Increasing the vehicle excise tax from 6% to 6.5%: $100 million
• Increasing tolls: $75 million
• Adding a 75-cent fee on rides through ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft: $45 million
• Increasing fines on speed camera violations from $40- $250: $30 million

It is morally wrong and blatantly unfair to raise the cost of commuting for those driving while others are getting a free ride.  Fox 45 Baltimore did a good news story on the status of the proposal.  As well as recording some of my comments from the Floor:

https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/maryland-house-approves-budget-plan-with-tax-and-fee-increases

House Democrats seem to have veered off track. As I've mentioned in recent interviews, HB1515 appears to be a deep fake, and it seems clear that Annapolis Democrats had no intention of passing that bill. Today, as reported to the Baltimore Banner, House Democrats unveiled their budget, which includes other massive proposed tax hikes. https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/state-government/maryland-budget-taxes-disagreement-H7AVKQ6MDNGZJCEBBS26SNYOSM/

Here's what House Democrats are proposing:

• Legalizing internet gambling, also known as "iGaming": $300 million
• Changing vehicle registration fees so that large vehicles pay more: $250 million
• Enacting a corporate tax reform known as "combined reporting" on LLCs: $225 million
• Applying the vehicle excise tax to trade-ins: $155 million
• Increasing the vehicle excise tax from 6% to 6.5%: $100 million
• Increasing a vehicle registration surcharge to fund trauma centers: $85 million
• Increasing tolls: $75 million
• Adding a 75-cent fee on rides through ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft: $45 million
• Increasing fines for endangering road workers: $30 million
• Increasing registration fees for electric vehicles: $20 million
• Adding an excise tax on firearms and ammunition: $20 million

A total of $1.3 billion in new taxes is proposed to fund the costly and failing Kirwan Education policy and address the deficit in the Transportation Trust Fund caused by mass transit.

We are only a few days away from crossover and will be on the House Floor voting on legislation on Saturday. Marylanders are struggling with the high cost of everything from groceries to utility bills and can not afford these reckless financial decisions. All Delegates represent the citizens of Maryland. I highly suggest emailing and calling the ruling party Delegates and telling them you can not afford the results of their failed policies. Tell them to vote NO to any tax or fee increases.

Here is a link to the members of the General Assembly: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Members/Index/house

Free and secure elections are the cornerstone of our representative government, and we must be committed to ensuring that every American's voice is heard at the ballot box. I want to inform you of three election bills of concern that further game the system.

HB 627- Election Law - Automatic Voter Registration - State Correctional Facilities: This bill turns Maryland State Correctional Facilities into an automatic voter registration agency to register inmates to vote when released. You read that correctly, inmates, or should I say freshly released.

I offered an amendment that would do the same for the Department of Natural Resources so that automatic voter registration can be offered to anyone purchasing a hunting or fishing license. As the proponents of HB627 stated, the bill intends to ensure that all qualified individuals should be given the means to register to vote; logically, you would think that would extend to hunters and fishermen. To no one's surprise, my amendment was voted down party lines. I voted NO to the bill. https://www.youtube.com/live/Xv6Il6W3VQM?si=WZOjKlh8ucVeyWza&t=2201

HB 700 – Election Law - Election Judges - Revisions: While this bill may appear harmless in its attempt to engage young individuals in the electoral process, it sets a concerning precedent by assigning critical election judge duties to those below voting age. We must examine the prudence of entrusting the sanctity of the electoral process to those who have not reached the maturity and experience required to cast a ballot themselves. The prospect of compensated service for students without parallel emphasis on rigorous training and accountability mechanisms could inadvertently lead to a degradation of the electoral oversight integral to fair elections. The bill also imposes an unfunded mandate on local governments. I voted NO to the bill.

HB 641 – Election Law - Curbside Voting: HB 641 proposes the ability of curbside voting. Without a Voter ID requirement, this bill increases potential voter fraud. I voted NO to the bill.

The integrity of our election system is the thread that binds our democracy together. We must thoroughly evaluate the potential for these bills to undermine our commitment to fair, equitable, and secure elections. We must also be steadfast in ensuring that each measure we contemplate and pass reinforces the pillar of trust between the government and its citizens.

These bills will now be heard in the Senate Education, Energy, and Environment Committee.  https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Committees/Details?cmte=eee

Please contact the committee members to express your concerns.

I want to share my published editorial in today's Baltimore Sun regarding my proposal to eliminate the automatic gas tax and increase the farebox recovery rate for mass transit. This summer, on July 1st, Maryland motorists will once again be hit with a tax hike, expected to pay an additional $30 million in gas taxes. It seems unfair to me that motorists will once again be forced to pay more at the pump. Yet, the WMATA Metro, for instance, only achieves a 6% farebox recovery rate, meaning that 94% of the transportation costs for riders are subsidized. They are subsidized by those who drive cars.

My article was written before the recent news that the long-delayed Purple Line, now $3.6 billion over budget, will require an additional $425 million. In my view, the heavy reliance on subsidies for mass transit is straining our state's transportation budget and is unjustly burdensome for those Marylanders facing escalating fuel taxes. https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/03/05/steering-maryland-away-from-automatic-gas-tax-hikes-guest-commentary/

On Monday morning, I received numerous text messages alerting me to the "T-bone and Heather " radio show, which, at the time, discussed disruptive student behavior at our public schools. Since Annapolis updated the behavior discipline guidelines, dealing with disruptive student behavior has been a persistent challenge. HB615 stands out as one of the most disconnected and insensitive bills I've encountered in years. This bill prohibits the punishment of students for disruptive and threatening behavior in both K-12 schools and colleges. (Link to the bill)

You might ask yourself, how in the world, in today's chaotic education setting, do Democratic politicians think this would be a good idea?

Yesterday, I offered an amendment to HB615. The amendment said that any student violating the behavior subsection shall be prohibited from participating in or attending extracurricular activities for a year.

The amendment had no criminal component but was designed to be another tool to provide for some consequences and accountability for those students who engage in disruptive behavior. I am pleased to mention that the amendment aligned with the position supported by MABE (Maryland Association of Boards of Education) about the bill. MABE is the association that represents all locally elected school boards in the state of Maryland.

The amendment set off a firey half-hour debate in the House. Once again, the committee had difficulty explaining the bill's benefits and why they contended that the amendment was unjustified. When faced with trouble and their backs to the wall, the floor leaders predictably ran to their safe haven talking point of claiming racism. As unbelievable as it sounds, the committee said that this simple, non-criminal amendment would contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline and claimed racism. The message is that it is now racist to insist on proper civil behavior and penalties in schools.

Watch the video yourself: https://youtu.be/QKR9U0MqCJk

The amendment was voted down mostly down party lines, with one Democrat voting with me and with another Democrat running off the floor, skipping the vote. The bill now moves to the third reader and is set to pass the House and move to the Senate tomorrow.

We are just over the halfway point of the 2024 Legislative Session.  This session has been jam-packed as a record amount of over 3,400 legislative bills have been filed.  Halfway through the session, the House of Delegates passed 111 bills, but only 7 were Republican initiatives.  All Republican legislation that passed has been minor bills, ranging from requiring motorcycle passengers' feet to reach the foot pegs to renaming fish.  In the coming weeks, I hope more meaningful Republican legislation is considered.

I believe the middle-class Marylanders took a beating in Annapolis last week.  The ruling party, with the help of a handful of misguided Republicans, passed significant legislation that will impact your healthcare, education, transportation, and the small business community.

HB198 - Funding Allocation to WMTA - While significant transportation projects have been cut around the state, House Bill 198 gives $237 million to the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMTA).  That is a 34% increase and a crazy amount of money since only 9% of Maryland residents utilize mass transit.

A recent statewide poll from Gonzales reconfirms that 64% of Marylanders want our state government to focus on fixing roads and bridges.  Yet, the Transportation Trust Fund is facing a nearly $3.8 billion shortfall, primarily because of mass transit.  As you can imagine, I voted No; however, the bill passed and is now in the Senate.

HB558 - Changes in Educational Curriculum - House Bill 558, as amended, makes gender identity and sexual orientation its stand-alone curriculum and disallows parents to opt out their children.  The absence of parental notice or control over such a sensitive area of education represents a substantial departure from established norms of family engagement in schooling.  I voted No; however, the bill passed and is now in the Senate.  You can watch my floor speech here: https://youtu.be/_KXj5UeJ4r8

HB785 - Insurance Purchase Without Legal Residency - The passage of House Bill 785 permits nearly 400,000 undocumented immigrants in Maryland access to purchase health insurance through the Maryland Exchange.  While expanding healthcare access is a noble goal, this legislation has profound consequences.  Proof of residency is usually needed in Maryland for services, but this law doesn't require it, possibly leading to fraud.  The primary issue for me is the concern over future access to healthcare providers.  This legislation could add hundreds of thousands of new people to the insurance rolls.  In contrast, we have not added a single doctor to provide healthcare at a time when we are experiencing a shortage of healthcare providers.  I voted No; however, the bill passed and is now in the Senate.

The entire floor debate on HB558 and HB785 can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/live/oixNqXVTgRE?si=y8WM1vKsamzdveQU&t=1718

HB368 - Legal Action Against Public Accommodation Businesses - Finally, House Bill 368 expands legal action against places of public accommodations.  It encourages lawsuits by awarding punitive fines to the complainant, potentially leading to social justice groups targeting businesses for personal financial gain.

This bill essentially paves the way for financial exploitation, and I voted No; however, the bill passed and is now in the Senate.

Conclusion - I am committed to representing your interests, protecting our shared values, and ensuring a fair and transparent legislative process.  Thank you for entrusting me with this responsibility.  Please do not hesitate to contact my office with any concerns or suggestions.