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Here's insight into the corrupt
and heavy-handed nature of Maryland's democrat party controlled gummint
. Will the taxes be abated? Not a chance, but a cursory read of
this article demonstrates the scofflaw attitude that
prevails. Several years ago, after it became apparent that voters
would not okay tax measures to build the Raven's football stadium, we
awoke one morning to discover that Gov. Schaeffer and his Annapolis
mafia had simply decreed them in the dead of night. I know what
you're saying, "But Rodge, you get the gummint you vote for."
Nope, not even that is a sure thing in Maryland.
| “ | Carroll judge lets new taxes proceed
ANNAPOLIS — A package of taxes and fees passed during the recent
General Assembly special session took effect yesterday after a Carroll
County judge declined to impose a stay while a lawsuit challenging the
validity of the session makes its way through the courts.
Smokers yesterday started paying $1 more per pack of cigarettes, while
taxes increased for car buyers, corporations and high-wage earners. A
penny increase in the state sales tax is to take effect tomorrow.
Republican legislative leaders are still awaiting the outcome of a long-shot legal case that could overturn the tax increases.
Irwin Kramer, the lawyer representing five Republican lawmakers and a
Carroll County businessman who brought the lawsuit, is scheduled to
depose the key witness (chief clerk of the House
of Delegates, Mary Monahan had been in hiding) in the case this morning in Annapolis.
Mr.
Kramer has taken the unusual step of requesting a judge be present when
he deposes chief clerk of the House of Delegates, Mary Monahan, because
he thinks lawyers with the state Attorney General's Office will try to
block questions during the deposition.
"I know when I ask the first question they are going to say, 'Don't answer that,' " he said yesterday.
The case, based on an obscure provision of the state constitution that lawmakers may have (oh, they did)
violated during the frenzied session in November, has turned on charges
that someone may have doctored the House Journal in an attempt to
conceal the constitutional misstep.
But even if Carroll County Circuit Court Judge Thomas F. Stansfield
rules in favor of the plaintiffs and finds that the Senate adjourned
without the proper authority, it is far from certain whether he will
invalidate the tax increases and the slot-machine gambling referendum
approved during the session.
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