Legislators agreed with Gov. Martin O?Malley?s characterization of his first budget as “fiscally conservative” but were generally supportive of his restrained approach to spending in the coming year.
“The governor has a handle on things,” said Senate President Thomas Mike Miller. “It?s more a business persons budget. He?s looking to downsize government.”
House Majority Leader Kumar Barve, D-Montgomery, said the proposed state spending plan goes up only 2.5 percent, compared to the 12 percent increase budgeted by Gov. Robert Ehrlich this year. Saving money is one of O?Malley?s primary solutions for fixing the small budget shortfall this year, Barve said.
“I don?t think there are any surprises,” said House Speaker Michael Busch. “I think he needs to take a look at the needs long-term,” Busch said, but “he?s done a good job” on the budget he had just six weeks to develop.
Sen. Patrick Hogan, D-Montgomery, vice chair of the Budget and Taxation Committee, said he was “very pleased” the O?Malley plan is “slightly under the spending affordability limits,” a ceiling governors do not always honor.
“It sounds like it meets most of his campaign commitments,” Hogan said. But “there isn?t a bunch of money for new initiatives.”
“He?s taken a slow measured approach and I think that?s wise,” said House Republican Leader Anthony O?Donnell, Calvert. “It?s kind of a continuity budget.”
“The rainy day fund is going to help give him some flexibility for this year,” said Appropriations Committee Chairman Norman Conway, D-Salisbury. O?Malley uses $967 million from that fund to help balance the budget.
“He?s not going to spend as much and that spending line is important as we get into the structural deficit,” Conway said.
Senate Budget Committee Ulysses Currie, D-Prince George?s, also approved of the use of the rainy day fund. “The governor is reluctant to talk about revenues. He?s reluctant to walk in the first day out of the box and raise taxes. He?s more concerned with about efficiency” and finding savings.
“He?ll find some money, but he won?t find a lot of money,” Currie said.
Staff writer Stephanie Tracy contributed to this story.
