Possibly, it's the result of a maturation process. Possibly, it's because a Republican governor is poised to take office. Possibly, it's because they heard from voters during the election season last year that Harford deserves more than it's getting from Annapolis.
Whatever the reason, the Harford County contingent headed for the Maryland General Assembly this session appears to have taken a decidedly less philosophical posture in favor of the more pragmatic pursuit of tangible goals.
Del. Rick Impallaria, R-District 7, the chairman of the Harford delegation, set two goals for the coming session: reducing the toll for local people crossing the Route 40 bridge between Harford and Cecil counties and securing more money for road work in Harford County.
The goal of securing highway funding is particularly telling as it reflects a reality of government that in recent years seemed to have been lost on local legislators, who were instead focused almost solely on cutting the budget in the name of cutting taxes. While taxes are the unpleasant side of government, infrastructure, as in road construction, is one of the positive aspects of government, and it takes tax money to pay for infrastructure.
A measured approach is necessary. It is possible to fight during the budget making process – which consumes a substantial amount of time during the 90-day session in Annapolis – to keep spending, and taxes, in check. It is vital, however, to also fight to ensure Harford County receives its fair share of the taxes that do end up being collected by the state. Taxes, after all, are one of life's only two sure things; getting a share back isn't.
It remains to be seen how successful the local delegation will be when it comes to actually bringing home revenue for Harford County, but at least it appears there will be an effort to try this year.