With only a few days to go until the annual gathering of lawmakers in Annapolis I wish the newcomers success in changing things a little. Thanks to the last session of the General Assembly, this session starts off with the state $750 million in the hole ("O'Malley plan to close shortfall is approved," Jan. 7).
I am sure that Maryland House Speaker Michael E. Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller have already called the new lawmakers in for a chat about the way things work in Annapolis — i.e. my way or the highway.
They call it a legislative session. I call it the annual redistribution of wealth session.
How to solve this problem? Well, they are already eliminating unfilled positions, though I never understood how this saves anything since the positions are not filled. But be that as it may, this is part of the smoke and mirrors of what's called the budgetary process.
Now they either can cut three-quarters of a billion dollars in government spending or raise taxes. Any bets?
I have no answers they would want to hear. I do know that if they keep grabbing at federal dollars they will have to continue to raise taxes to cover the state's share.
I have said it before and will say it again: The 800-pound gorilla in the budget room is Medicaid. One solution could be to stop spending beyond the budget projections that lawmakers get from the so-called "nonpartisan" budget forecasters. Since no one knows what the future will bring, they are rarely right.
William M. Libercci Sr.