Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post
Newsgroups: americast.wpost
From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com
Organization: American Cybercasting
Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com
Subject: Fleeced Fast in Annapolis=
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 92 07:35:20 EST
Message-ID: <29.1992Nov21.073520@AmeriCast.com>

Fleeced Fast in Annapolis=

 IT WASN'T PRETTY, it wasn't fair and it wasn't wise, but the
Maryland General Assembly's votes to gang up against Montgomery
and Prince George's counties with a damaging cut in state aid
were overwhelming. Gov. Schaefer, Speaker Mitchell and Senate
President Miller were hellbent to push their plan through in a
hurry. It had special appeal to lawmakers in both houses on two
counts: (1) They could convene, vote aye and get out of Annapolis
before anybody had any sensible second thoughts, and (2) they
could sock it to the wealthiest counties - and never mind how
deep the damage. But the political fallout could be costly to the
state - starting with the next session of the state legislature
in January.

 The plan that the lawmakers rubber-stamped for Gov. Schaefer at
the special session ends state payments to local governments for
the employer's portion of teachers' Social Security. There was
never any special financial reason for that formula, and in fact
there have always been good arguments for modifying or replacing
it.  That was what Montgomery and Prince George's legislators
were proposing. But hardly anyone listened. The old arrangement
was part of a long-standing if informal agreement in Annapolis
that the state would cover those Social Security payments in re-
turn for suburban support of other formulas to help the poor sec-
tions of the state. The arrangement also meant that the counties
giving education the highest priority would get the most state
aid.

 That's gone now, and the suburban governments are left to absorb
the losses - $27 million in Montgomery, $22 million in Prince
George's, $14.5 million in Anne Arundel and on down. These cuts,
coming on top of others, mean that the two largest counties will
be taking a heavy beating. Their delegations in Annapolis are
vowing retribution, threatening to make life difficult for those
seeking their votes on other financial questions next year.

There is a more constructive way for the Montgomery and Prince
George's delegations to use their votes. They should bargain for
new support for their financial needs in return for offering Bal-
timore City and Baltimore County support on such other issues as
stadiums, the Baltimore subway system and the light rail system.
They will all have to work together in the next session to cut
some of the spending excesses that Gov. Schaefer still favors.
Financial issues will continue to dominate in Annapolis - and
they will only be exacerbated if political divisions deepen.

02:20 11-21C9999-----

Copyright 1992, The Washington Post.  This story is from the
Washington Post's Capitol Edition On-Line and is not to be ar-
chived or redistributed.

For more information, send-email to American Cybercasting Cor-
poration (usa@AmeriCast.COM)