WBAL Radio as reported by Robert Lang and The Associated Press
By a vote of 24-23, the Maryland Senate approved an over $1.4-billion tax bill, that Governor Martin O’Malley says the state needs to eliminate a projected structural budget deficit.
The package includes a 20% increase in the sales tax rate, and a 20% increase in the vehicle excise tax rate. The bill also extends the sales tax to computer services, and video arcades.
Nine Democrats joined 14 Republicans in voting against the bill. They were John Astle of Anne Arundel County; Jim Brochin of Baltimore County; Jim DeGrange or Anne Arundel County; George Della of Baltimore City; Roy Dyson of Southern Maryland; Kathy Klausmeier of Baltimore County; Rona Kramer of Montgomery County; Norman Stone of Baltimore County; and Bobby Zirkin of Baltimore County.
To read the rest of the article: http://wbal.com/news/story.asp?articleid=65445
Personal Commentary
Although nine Democrats voted against Senate Bill 2, only four voted against the motion to limit debate — and this was the crucial vote. Only these four Democrats deserve our accolades:
Jim Brochin of Baltimore County
George Della of Baltimore City
Kathy Klausmeier of Baltimore County
Norman Stone of Baltimore County
The remaining Democrats, I suspect, were given permission by party leadership to cross party lines and vote against the bill for “political cover.†In other words, the party leadership knew they had enough votes to pass the bill, so they allowed senators from more conservative districts to vote against the bill.
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