Baltimore County Democratic Sen. James Brochin said Monday he will join with Senate Republicans in any filibuster to defeat Gov. Martin O?Malley?s deficit-cutting tax package, but so far he is the only Democrat to publicly oppose all the tax increases.
“I was elected to represent my constituents,” said Brochin, representing a conservative Towson district. He said his e-mails and phone calls have been running 60 to 1 against tax increases. “They?re just about as taxed as they can afford to be taxed,” Brochin said.
His district includes many households earning $200,000 to $250,000 a year, but “they?re not rich,” he said. Households in that bracket would see their state income taxes go up 25 percent under the governor?s plan.
Brochin said he was opposed to the special session that started last week because “our budget is balanced until July 2008,” and the fiscal 2009 deficit is not as large as O?Malley has been claiming.
Democratic Senate President Thomas Mike Miller said he assumed Brochin?s stand was “mostly for show.”
“You?ve got to have core values to be in this business,” Miller said. “It?s certainly a mistake on his part. The tax increases are going to pass.” Miller suggested Brochin might want to become a Republican.
“When did we become the party that raises taxes?” Brochin asked, saying the national Democratic Party was more aligned with working families than the state party.
Senate Republican Leader David Brinkley said Miller will “be able to find the votes,” for the tax increases. “If there?s a filibuster vote, that vote will be the tax vote,” said Brinkley, whose caucus opposes any tax increases.
It takes 29 votes in the 47-member Senate to cut off debate, meaning 19 senators can keep a filibuster going, blocking action on the tax bills.
There are 14 Republicans, so the GOP needs the help of five Democrats to keep the talk going.
Miller said the Senate would first take up further cuts in mandated spending before it considers tax increases Wednesday. “That might be the only thing we can agree on,” Brinkley said.
