As a person who has spent his entire career spanning more than 40 years as a CPA, I just get angry when people describe Gov. Larry Hogan as a "businessman." And now, I just finished reading a statement in Saturday's Baltimore Sun concerning the proposed budget as follows: "The city's schools would absorb the largest cuts in education aid of any jurisdiction in the state — by percentage and total dollars." ("City, counties, advocates pore through budget for impact of cuts," Jan. 23.)
Let's see if the governor is making any business sense. It is common knowledge in the real business communities that a profitable business needs to invest money in itself to remain profitable. Take any business which tries to increase the bottom line by not spending the necessary money to maintain/improve, and you'll see a business with a very short life expectancy. Think I'm wrong? Name me one business that has succeeded that way.
Government, on any level, works the same way as a business. Spending money for education is a government investment. As a CPA, I ask myself where can education dollars be best spent to provide the greatest return of that investment? Would it be for the wealthiest areas of the state? Don't think so. I believe the children coming from those areas will do just as well irrespective of any assistance from tax dollars. In this case, I would define that investment as marginal at best.
How about the poorest areas of the state, Baltimore City for instance? Does anyone doubt that education is not the ticket to financial independence for most people? What about future benefits to Maryland? If better education leads to financial independence, doesn't it follow that financially independent individuals will contribute to the state coffers as opposed to being a drain on future taxpayers? I would think as a "businessman" the governor would want to avoid future expenses associated with burdens of society — food stamps, Medicaid, police, jails, etc.
I think it is generally accepted that politicians are interested almost exclusively in short term results; e.g., cutting spending without considering the longer term consequences of such actions. As a businessman, the time frame is greatly expanded, certainly beyond the next election. Cutting education, which particularly in Baltimore City is underfunded today, makes no business sense.
Howard Hyman, Baltimore