How did this happen? Are Marylander’s so out of touch with the realities of our fiscal situation that they yield the authority to maintain a fiscal system of checks and balances to the Maryland legislature? What is the point of having a Governor, if any fiscal decision he/she makes can be overridden by the Legislature? How do we as taxpayers rein in a Legislature that can now take money from needed and crucial programs to fund pet projects in their respective jurisdictions? Question 2 passed (sports betting) and that is supposed to fund education. Well with the passage of Question 1, the money from sports betting can be moved away from education and into another avenue. Frustration exists where you have so many people funding the aspirations and thirst for power of career politicians.
HOW does this affect Maryland State Retirees who are fighting to restore their drug coverage? Well if we are successful in this litigation, the General Assembly can take the money from RX program and use that money to fund another program. Before the Governor could stop it with his veto if there was not a majority to override his veto. Now the Governor can’t stop it at all. Wait a minute, moving money away from the RX program to fund another program is what they did in 2011, 2019 and 2020. I guess they just made it legal because the voters of Maryland said that’s okay. The voters of Maryland said we do not need checks and balances, we do not want a constitutional government at this time. We want to run Maryland like the Russian Politburo** as we slowly move towards a more socialistic and communistic society.
This Amendment was passed in violation of the Open Meetings Act making it impossible for citizens to express their opinion against it since the doors to Annapolis was closed when the vote was taken. This was the best time to grab this type of power. A power that is so anti the principles that founded this nation.
NEW FLASH – Maryland has become a communist state where all fiscal policy matters are run by one body who have consolidated their power so that neither the Governor, nor the taxpayers have a voice in how their government is run or how their tax dollars are spent. Our activities are restricted, our appearance in public is mandated, and social gatherings over a certain number are banned making what some might have called ridiculous – a reality. Communism is here
**The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (or Politburo) was the highest policy-making authority within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Ken Fitch
*Question 1 - The proposed amendment authorizes the General Assembly, in enacting a balanced budget bill for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter, to increase, diminish, or add items, provided that the General Assembly may not exceed the total proposed budget as submitted by the Governor.