League of Women Voters of Maryland

One of the key missions of the League of Women Voters is to promote transparency in government to enable the informed and active participation of the public in policy making. The League has also adopted positions that support a budget process that includes access to reliable, current and objective information. This bill requires the Department of Budget and Management to clearly identify cuts in current year and proposed budget year appropriations eleven specified agencies. Therefore we strongly endorse the passage of HB 109. The three volumes of operating budget books currently contain figures on total number of employees, salary amounts, a statement of expenditures and the managing for results agency strategic plan. However, using the information provided, it is extremely difficult to tell how the proposed amounts differ from previous year’s appropriations. Without clearly expressing this difference, it is difficult for advocates and legislators to know the implications of the proposed budget. The fiscal note that accompanied the 2006 version of this bill stated “the additional budgetary information required by this bill is not readily available to legislative staff. Legislative staff must contact each individual State agency for information on any changes to policy that could affect agency operations and services”. This statement shows how difficult it is, even for those working within the system, to understand the meaning of a proposed budget. The one volume Budget Highlights as traditionally published by the Governor’s office clearly describes the “good news” enhancements of the proposed budget, but seldom mentions reductions. This practice does not meet the League’s standard of providing objective information. Although the Department of Budget and Management claims that meeting the requirements of this bill would require additional staff, the fiscal note for HB 109 disputes this claim. According to the fiscal note, enacting this bill would have no dollar impact. In order to promote transparency in government, provide reliable, objective information for sound decision making, and to increase informed public participation in the political process, we urge a favorable vote on HB 109.

References

Bill: 

HB 109 State Budget - Modifications - Reporting

LWVMD Position: 

Budget Process