End of Session Letter - 2008 

April 8, 2008

Dear Constituents:

Thank you for corresponding with me during the 2008 Maryland General Assembly session on one or more issues.  I’ve provided below a brief synopsis of some of the major initiatives of the session.

This year, I completed my second year on the House Judiciary Committee and the Family Law Subcommittee.  I also serve as the Chief Deputy Whip for the House Republican Caucus.  It is a great privilege for me to serve the citizens of the 42nd district. 
 
Special Session:  No discussion of the 2008 session would be complete without first reviewing the Special Session in November 2007 that was convened by Governor O’Malley to resolve the State’s structural deficit.  I opposed the special session from the outset because I feared that only large-scale tax increases would result.  Despite $1.3 billion in tax increases enacted during the session – the largest in Maryland history – we continue to suffer from a long-term structural deficit.  The reason is the continuing large increases in State spending.  Despite the economic downturn and the belt-tightening by our citizens, the Special Session produced a net increase in spending of $128 million.  I voted against all of the tax increases during the Special Session, and supported the alternative budget produced by the House Republican Caucus, which balanced the State budget by decreasing the rate of spending growth without raising taxes.    

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