Maryland's Governor Has All The Power
Our elected representatives are prohibited by our Constitution from adding money to the governor’s proposed budget, or shifting money in the budget to reflect different priorities. There are a couple of ways that the legislature can do an "end run" around this provision, but they are either weak or procedurally complicated.
We commented on this problem with Maryland's budget process last year:
The budget is the most important policy tool for the expression and establishment of our public priorities. It establishes the range and level of services that are provided in areas such as education, health care, public safety, human services and environmental protections.
Under the current structure, only one person–the governor–has the power to establish our priorities by adding, sustaining, or increasing funding for a program or service in the coming year’s budget.
The text above comes from our testimony (.pdf format) in 2004 on a bill proposed by Senator Patrick J. Hogan. That bill would have allowed Marylanders to vote to change our Constitution to give our elected representatives more power in the budget process. The bill passed by a 30-16 margin on March 9, 2004, but failed to achieve a Constitutional majority just two days later (bills have to pass twice in Maryland before they become enrolled).This concentration of power has consequences. Most importantly, the development of the budget is not done publicly, offering little opportunity for public input. Providing greater legislative authority in the budget process moves the establishment of our priorities from the dark of night to the light of day. It would provide Marylanders and their representatives in the legislature the opportunity to provide input into the statement of our priorities.
Increasing the opportunities for Marylanders and our representatives to participate in the budget debate is critical to effective representative democracy.
It’s geeky stuff that will never make the front page. And, it could be the most important change that we can make to ensure that the budget reflects the values and priorities of Marylanders.
The lack of legislative budget power is why the General Assembly was unable to stop the governor from removing 4,000 kids and 1,000 low-income pregnant women from the Medicaid program, despite an estimated $260 million budget surplus. It is why the legislature was unable to stop the governor from closing the office responsible for enforcing Maryland wage and child labor laws. It is why the legislature has been unable to stop the 40 percent increase in tuition at Maryland’s public colleges and universities.
It is why many of the choices that are being made do not reflect the values and priorities of the people who live here.
It is the most important bill that did not pass during my tenure here.
(See more on this in the "comments" section in the next line).
4 Comments:
Three more points:
1. This change is not about Gov. Ehrlich. We needed to make this change when Parris Glendening was governor (indeed, Sen. Hogan tried and failed then as well). We'll need to make the change when Laura or Austin Bartolomei-Hill (my kids) are governor.
2. Do not underestimate how difficult it is to achieve this change. Because the governor has so much power, they can lobby effectively to keep the change from happening. Both Gov. Glendening and Gov. Ehrlich did this, and probably several other governors over the last 90 years. Note that the bill passed by a 30-16 margin in 2004, only to fail with only a 25-20 margin two days later. Who knows what kind of deals were made to change a few minds (well, some people know, but they aren't talking about it).
Also, many insiders have an interest in keeping the status quo. It is much easier to try to influence just one person (the governor) than 188 (the legislature). Particularly when the legislature's work is in the open, and the governor's decisions are made behind closed doors.
3. Most importantly, this is a call to action for nonprofit advocates and interested residents. If there is something that you want in the budget, the governor is the person you need to be talking to. If you wait until the budget is out and focus your attention on the General Assembly, then you are too late.
Schedule that meeting TODAY (if your item for the following year's budget isn't in the budget hopper by September 1, then it isn't dead, but it is certainly on life support). Talk to the governor, the chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, budget director, agency head... whomever you can get to and tell them about the needs in your community and specifically what you want in the budget.
By MarylandPolicyBlog, at 1:56 PM
Yes, Maryland's Governor has all the power. And he yields it. Whe I wrote a letter to our local paper critical of Ehrlich bumping the legal immigrants off the roles, a hit person from the Health Dept came by to castigate me. Then today, I learn that one of my patients who was getting good care at JHH now has been thrown into this limbo and can't even afford her cardiac meds.
Ain't we sweet.
By Dr. C, at 7:32 PM
Ok... that sounds like a near ideal system to me. The legislature is free to cut the budget, but cannot add any pork to it.
How is the government deciding how to spend LESS of my money a bad thing?
By J, at 2:18 PM
It's a wonderful system because you know exactly who to point the finger at for runaway profligate spending e.g. Parris Glendening. It's an even greater system as long as there's a real fiscal conservative at the helm.
By Hadley V. Baxendale, at 6:25 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home