The House of Delegates approved a $17.5 billion state budget bill yesterday that would give lawmakers the option of accepting or refusing Gov. Parris N. Glendening's proposed tobacco tax increase.
A majority of House Republicans joined all but one Democrat in passing the Glendening budget on a 127-12 vote. The bill, which would cut $173 million from the governor's proposed budget, moves to the Senate.
Del. Howard P. Rawlings, the House Appropriations Committee chairman, said the budget is balanced whether or not they approve the governor's proposed $1-a-pack cigarette tax increase.
If lawmakers approve the first 50-cent installment of the tobacco tax increase, the state would be able to afford at least $155 million for a grab-bag of initiatives -- including increased spending on higher education and an accelerated effort to ensure that public school teachers are certified.
Rawlings said the second 50-cent installment could provide funds for additional projects -- including House Speaker Casper R. Taylor Jr.'s plan to provide economic development aid to distressed counties and Baltimore.
Del. Robert L. Flanagan, the House minority whip, accused Glendening of proposing a "bait and switch" budget by failing to deliver on campaign promises of an accelerated income tax decrease. The Howard County Republican appealed to opponents of the tobacco tax to vote against the bill.
"If you vote for this budget, you might as well give up on the tobacco tax, because they'll get it. That's how it works down here," Flanagan warned. He added that the budget would put the state on the path to a 28 percent increase in its debt burden over the next four years.
The Republican leadership found few followers as delegates focused on the governor's generous spending on education and other popular programs.
The House made a series of cuts to hold the budget to the 5.9 percent increase allowed by the General Assembly's Spending Affordability Committee.
Among the larger cuts in the bill were:
A $45 million reduction in money allocated for Medicaid payments.
A $19 million reduction in state employee raises, achieved by phasing in the governor's proposed $1,275 general salary increase.
An $8 million cut in retirement contributions for state troopers.
A $6.3 million cut in the money the administration requested for rewarding state employees who receive superior performance ratings.
A $6.3 million cut in the judiciary's budget, reflecting lingering tensions between lawmakers and judges over delays in Baltimore's Circuit Court system. The judiciary avoided deeper cuts by giving in to legislative leaders' demands that they take steps to reduce the backlog.
The House bill also includes a bar on spending money to build a proposed Public Safety Training Center anywhere but at the Springfield Hospital Center site in Sykesville.
That provision faces resistance in the Senate, where it is opposed by Sen. Barbara A. Hoffman, a Baltimore Democrat who is chairwoman of the Budget and Taxation Committee.
Pub Date: 3/20/99