Lots of politicians running for election shade their positions to seem friendlier to whatever group they are addressing, but don't count Democratic state Sen. James N. Robey among them.
The former county executive and police chief told a county business group Wednesday that he doesn't favor repealing the 2007 state sales tax increase Republicans are campaigning against. He also reminded them that as county executive, he raised local income taxes despite predictions of doom.
If the sales tax is reduced, Robey said, the state would see revenue drop by $600 million. "Cut, cut, cut, cut," the former county executive said. "We want the best schools and 47 inches of snow removed" quickly, he added, and those services cost money. The tax increase brought the rate from 5 percent to 6 percent.
Robey also brought up the 30 percent income tax increase he pushed through in 2003.
"I was told I'd ruined Howard County forever, and you were all going to leave the state. Thank God you didn't," he said. "If you want to go to states where there's a 4 or 5 percent sales tax, I don't think you'd want to raise your kids there. I don't support [sales tax increase] repeal," he said.
Robey contends he is pro-business and that he and other Democrats have helped build Howard County's quality of life to the point that high-income people want to live and work in the county.
Kyle Lorton, a W.R. Grace and Co. sales executive who is Robey's Republican opponent, stuck to Republican orthodoxy before the county Chamber of Commerce breakfast forum Tuesday at the Columbia Sheraton hotel, advocating lower taxes, less regulation and a better business climate.
Lorton said he's for repealing the sales tax increase. "It would stimulate [consumer] spending," he said.
Discussing the state budget, Lorton said he'd work to rein in state spending by pushing for a 2 percent across-the-board budget cut for every state agency. He said he could find those savings by auditing all state spending, freezing state hiring except for vital positions and cutting health care costs. Robey, he said, "voted for new taxes."
Robey replied that he'd run two businesses in his life: the county Police Department, where he had to live within a budget under Republican County Executive Charles I. Ecker during the early 1990s recession, and the local government as county executive for eight years.
"I raised the income tax. What do you want to cut? Schools? Public safety?"
Robey's stance was in stark contrast to Republican Dels. Gail H. Bates and Warren E. Miller, who said they are champions of business interests in Annapolis and often vote against bills backed by the Democratic majority.
"I've worked very hard to keep the state out of your business," Miller told the group. "We vote against bills," Bates said, "The [ Gov. Martin O'Malley] administration believes you are cash cows."
Democrats Jon Weinstein and Maryann Maher, who oppose Bates and Miller, tried to walk a centrist line.
Weinstein promoted the idea of a business summit with state comptroller Peter Franchot to reform some of Maryland's laws, while Maher said she'd favor holding the line on business taxes while supporting schools and more infrastructure projects. "I am a friend to business," she said.
Senate Majority Leader Edward J. Kasemeyer skipped any rhetoric to talk about the realities.
He said the General Assembly cut virtually any increase in higher education spending last spring; that's the kind of cut, he said, that over time will bring state revenue into line with spending. Although the state pension system isn't fully funded, he said pension plans rarely are and the fund has enough money to pay full pensions until 2060 without any changes. On average, he said, teachers get a $17,000-a-year pension, while other state employees get about $12,000 a year.
"It doesn't seem exactly fair to me," Kasemeyer said, that the state must pay for all those pensions while the local governments control how much those workers earn, and thus how large their pensions will be.
Rick Martel, Kasemeyer's Republican opponent, said he'd like to switch future state workers to 401(k) style defined contribution retirement plans and away from the current defined benefit pension plan. Kasemeyer noted the Maryland Chamber of Commerce has endorsed him for re-election, even though he doesn't vote their way on every issue. "There has to be a balance, he said.
Martel compared Maryland's business climate to the nightmarish scene in the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" when George Bailey, contemplating suicide on a snowy bridge, sees his town's future if his family bank fails.
"Maryland and Maryland business has become Pottersville," Martel said.
Ulman joins District 13 slate
Meanwhile the District 13 alliance of Democratic incumbents that includes Robey, and Dels. Frank Turner, Shane Pendergrass and Guy Guzzone has formally expanded according to state campaign finance records, to include county executive Ken Ulman and Democratic county council members Jennifer Terrasa and Calvin Ball.
Colin O'Dea, Ulman's campaign manager, said the executive joined the team "because we want to work together to effectively communicate our message to voters. Republicans expect that means more sharing of Ulman's big campaign fund to help other Democrats in the campaign's last days. Opposing the Democrats are Lorton, Loretta Gaffney, Jeff Robinson and Ed Priola for House of Delegates. Dennis R. Schrader is running against Terrasa and Reginald Avery is the Republican against Ball.
Ehrlich gives a pep talk
About 200 Republicans attending a party picnic in Glenwood on Oct. 17 got a pep talk from gubernatorial candidate Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., who stopped by for about an hour. It was a session of red-meat political rhetoric for the party faithful.
"Don't you hate it when I say that [ Speaker of the House] Nancy Pelosi comes from Maryland?" Ehrlich asked the crowd. "She's got a new job in 16 days — minority leader," he said, predicting a Republican takeover of the House of Representatives. Pelosi grew up in Baltimore, the youngest child of former congressman and Baltimore Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro Jr.
Ehrlich and other elected Republicans tried to pump up the crowd's enthusiasm, urging them to go all out to secure a GOP victory for Ehrlich, and for General Assembly candidates.
Martel, who is trying to unseat Kasemeyer in District 12, said the political waters might seem calm on the surface in Maryland, like those of a deep quarry. But under the surface, he said a strong political current of change is running. He wants to be elected, he said, "so when Bob Ehrlich vetoes that ambush tax that's coming, we can sustain that veto," he finished to cheers.
Warren Miller injected a note of political reality, however. "The Democrats are scared but we all have more to do. They are out right now knocking on doors," he said. "Don't buy into this hype that Republicans are going to have a landslide in Maryland. It is not that easy."
Fellow Del. Gail H. Bates was more blunt. "This is not the time to sit on our butts," she said. "This is critical. Don't believe the lies that O'Malley is telling. You can usually tell the lies," she quipped, "because his lips are moving."
Ehrlich brushed off The Washington Post's endorsement of O'Malley's re-election, saying it was not surprising. Reminded that the Post endorsed Ehrlich four years ago, he joked, "Their track record for picking winners isn't good."