http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-gop1016,0,5674303,print.story

Republicans criticize governor's call for special session

O'Donnell calls tax plan 'ill-conceived', says party being shut out of budget talks

Brian Witte

The Associated Press

October 16, 2007

Maryland Republicans criticized Gov. Martin O'Malley today for deciding to call a special session to push for new taxes, which Del. Anthony O'Donnell described as an "ill-conceived prescription for Maryland's fiscal illness."

Republicans also faulted O'Malley for going ahead with a trip to Ireland with less than two weeks before the special session meets Oct. 29.

"We think it is not well thought out," O'Donnell said. "We think it looks like an early grab for money from the citizens of Maryland, and this special session is going to hurt people in a lot of ways and it will be done without the context of a state budget."

O'Malley formally signed an executive order on Monday for the special session. The governor has stated he believes the session is needed to get an early start on finding new revenue to fill a $1.7 billion budget deficit.

The governor, a Democrat, has touted the broad plan of tax increases mixed with tax cuts as a way to resolve the deficit, which he attributes to a $1 billion tax cut in 1997 and a $1.5 billion increase in education spending -- all of which was decided before his time in Annapolis.

In the end, O'Malley contends his plan will result in some tax savings to 83 percent of Marylanders.

O'Malley, who has presented his budget plan around the state as a necessary series of steps to avoid serious cuts that would erode living standards in the state, has described the package as forward-looking and flexible enough for lawmakers to arrive at a consensus.

But Republicans voiced frustration today, saying they largely have been shut out of budget discussions with the governor.

"We have not been asked to participate," O'Donnell said. "Republicans have been cut out."

Rick Abbruzzese, a spokesman for the governor, said O'Malley "is more than willing to consider any specific proposals the Republican leadership puts forward."

But, he said, Republicans have been quiet on details. Abbruzzese said he believes Republicans are shutting themselves out of the debate, by withdrawing support for legalizing slot machine gambling in a special session before discussions have even started.

"They've walked away from the table," Abbruzzese said. "It's the Republican leadership that's drawing lines in the sand."

O'Donnell, for his part, said the GOP plan includes "at least as much detail as the governor's."

Republican Allan Kittleman of Howard County said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller has spoken to Senate Republicans, mostly on the slot machine component of the governor's budget plan.

O'Donnell said House Speaker Michael Busch has spoken to House Republican leaders. O'Donnell said Republicans have had "more discussion than we've had in the past" with the House leadership.

But Republican frustration with O'Malley was obvious during a meeting today with other Republicans, as both O'Donnell and Kittleman mentioned the governor's trip to Ireland this week.

O'Malley is scheduled to travel to Ireland Wednesday night to give a keynote speech to the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. He also is scheduled to participate in a lunch and dinner on Friday to honor Dr. Robert Gallo, a prominent AIDS vaccine researcher with ties to Maryland. O'Malley is scheduled to return this weekend.

O'Donnell said he hoped O'Malley would "get some schooling" from Ireland, where economists credit a slash in the corporate income tax as helping spur the Celtic Tiger economy that has brought unprecedented Irish growth. O'Malley is proposing a corporate tax increase from 7 percent to 8 percent.

"I don't think any of us here are going to Ireland when we have a budget crisis," Kittleman said.