Representatives from the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) presented today to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on the impact of FY 2010 budget reductions, Maintenance of Effort (MOE) reform, and their perspective on the Governor’s FY 2011 budget that was released yesterday. The MACo panel included MACo First Vice President and Charles County Commission President Wayne Cooper, Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt, Queen Anne’s County Public Works Director Todd Mohn, MACo Executive Director Michael Sanderson, and MACo Associate Director Andrea Mansfield.
Here’s a key segment of MACo’s written testimony –
Significant funding reductions in FY 2010 forced local governments to make very difficult decisions. These reductions have been carried over into the Governor’s FY 2011 budget. As indicated in the budget documents, most local aid programs have been “flat funded” with each jurisdiction receiving funding at roughly the final adjusted level for FY 2010.
Although funding is not at the level we would like to see in the Governor’s Budget, MACo and its members understand the fiscal challenges facing the State. However, we ask that you not misconstrue “flat funding” to mean funds to county governments have not been reduced. In fact, what “flat funding” really means is that approximately $400 million in reductions is being carried over from the prior fiscal year.
With respect to MOE, MACo expressed its concern with the current waiver process and the need for reform.
Maryland needs to come into the 21st century & have a
statewide ? on the ballot to change the way the budget is done. Why should the Governor be the only one to do the budget? Is that the way it is done in our surrounding states? Would MACO support a statewide ? on the 2010 ballot asking if the voters want to change the process for the state budget & do a 2 year budget?
Does MACO support posting the committee votes & bill votes of the General Assembly members?
I think that this is being discussed. I would like to know where to get a copy of daily votes.
MACo has not often taken positions on issues of general concern that are not directly “county government” issues — for fairly obvious reasons. I suspect some county elected officials may wish to make their voices heard on things like open government and our budget process, but to my knowledge, MACo has not been involved as an organization on any of those issues.
I notice Micheal only answered the easy question.
Something has to be done about the time that is being consumed by county governments in redoing their budgets. Is there a process where you can get a copy of how the county amount is given? How do counties know that they get their fair share of the taxes collected by the state?