The three key messages are:
1) Reform the income tax so that it is progressive and generates sufficient revenue.
2) Oppose slot machine gambling in Maryland.
3) Oppose proposals to cut K-12 education funding as outlined in SB1/HB1 - Budget Reconciliation Act.
In SB 1/HB 1 the Governor has proposed a reduction in mandated funding for K-12 public education. He would limit the mandated increase in each jurisdiction's funding to no more than one percent for each of the next two years.
For 35 years the League has strongly advocated that primary responsibility for funding public elementary and secondary education lies with the state. By making this reduction of $189 million in mandated state funding, the state is shirking this responsibility. Although the Governor has included a factor for increased education costs for 13 school systems and small supplemental grants for other counties, these funds do not replace full K-12 funding. Indeed, the factor for increased costs in 13 counties should be added on top of the funding now mandated in the law.
Contact your senator on the Budget and Taxation Committee and your delegates on the Ways and Means Committee and urge them to oppose these proposals to cut K-12 education funding as outlined in SB1/HB1 - Budget Reconciliation Act.
Other measures that the League supports are:
· Increasing tobacco tax by $1 per pack to fund expanded health care coverage
· Improving collection of corporate taxes– The Governor has proposed three changes: combined reporting, eliminating the “controlling interest” loophole, and increasing the corporate tax rate which will make our revenue system more fair and balanced.
· Increasing the vehicle titling tax and indexing the gas tax to the Construction Cost Index to fund the Transportation Trust Fund
· Increasing the sales tax from 5 cents on the dollar to 6 cents –Given the severity of the fiscal problem, LWVMD supports an increase in the sales tax if it is combined with measures to limit regressivity.
Expanding the sales tax to services – without specifying which services, the League is supporting this as it provides significant revenue and reflects the change in our economy.
To learn more about these measures and the League’s positions on them, visit our Testimony Section.
To find out who your legislator is and contact info go to http://mdelect.net/electedofficials/
