228 days ago - A fter the record-shattering tax increases urged by our governor and passed during November’s special session of the General Assembly, Maryland citizens now more than ever have a right to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are spent. The state budget for 2008 is $31.5 billion. That means for you or I to casually glance through the budget would take days, and we would likely still not understand how state contracts are awarded.