Lobbyists target Zirkin to repeal computer tax

Reason Foundation is a radical pro-car, anti-transit group that is funded in part by GM. They routinely put out "studies" filled with fuzzy math with the predetermined purpose of making places that spend money on transit look bad, and places that spend money on roads look good. Maybe VA is more efficient than MD and maybe it's not. I don't really know. But I do know that nothing Reason Foundation puts out can be taken even the slightest bit seriously. They are 100% stooges of the highway lobby and big oil.

We must do everything possible to lessen Councilman Vince Gardina's footprint on the Earth. Every time he exhales he creates an enviromental hazard. Only a fool spends thousands of dollars to save pennies.

Thats it for me ,I am moving my business to a more friendly state. 200 Good paying jobs!

They are increasing the state income tax 52.63% on 2500 taxpayers in Montgomery County. The 6.25% is 52.63% larger than 4.75%. 4.75% was the top rate before the special session. Now State Senator Garagiola and friends are trying to make it 6.25% even though about 1,000 of these taxpayers live in Garagiola's district, District 15--Potomac, Darnestown, Poolesville, Germantown, and Clarksburg.

Sounds like state layoffs to me. Way to Go!!!! Now let the pot call the kettle black!!! The pubs there are pretending to be dems. Its no wonder. One party rule. When will you crooked whiners learn? Thanks MO

Deputy Majority Leader Rob Garagiola, a Mike Miller clone, shepherded through the computer tax and was the deciding vote for it on a 24-23 vote. Now he supports an even higher income tax and a 8 cent a gallon increase in the gasoline tax. He has not produced a single communication from our district that requests that he supports these tax increases.

Why in the hell are they taking money from the transportation fund? Don't they realize we need that money for roads, etc.? What idiots!

Sometimes those decisons go hand in hand 6:20. The computer tax is bad and stupid.

Zirkin is such a sell out. He seems to fight for all the bills that get him major contributions to his campaign. First the alcohol industry and now the computor industry. He should try and do whats best for the people rather than his campaign

Reduce the sales tax back to 5%. Tax the tech firms. They use the infrastructure, therefore they can help pay for it. Google maryland government, find your reps, and tell them to reduce the sales tax to 5%.

Members of MGA only make avbout $40,000. But, millionaire members like Rona Kramer should decline that stipend and dedicate it back to the general fund.

So Rona Kramer (my State Senator) opposes all tax increases, but never met a road or development project she doesn't like? Are the new roads and schools supposed to build themselves? Guess that's to be expected from a developer's daughter.

cuts from the General Assemblies pay should more than cover it!!

If Maryland would BS with some morals, he could have saved on taxes buy uncreasing purchases and small businesses. If you can do math, law increases are not neccesary. Claim your computor as a federal deduction, business loss.

Why not cut aid to Baltimore City to make up the difference. Baltimore gets back $1 for every quarter it sends to the State. Montgomery County is the other way around. In Montgomery the County Executive has proposed the largest property tax increase in 20 years! Now they want to add another supergraduated income tax hike on top of that. Why don't they just cut to the chase and place DO NOT ENTER signs on roads leading into the county?

This issue has the familiar surreality that many misguided ideas experience--unfortunately for Marylanders, the cost of this ill-conceived and poorly informed tax proposal could have disastrous effect--because in fact, all business has become technology dependent. It's like a tax on air. Unfortunately for Marylanders, the proposal will create a decline in one of the strongest industries we have. Let's not do this thing.

As an owner of a very small IT service company, I can tell you I am watching this issue very closely and making plans to move my business one state north or south depending on the outcome of the appeal. I have a national market and this tax will put me out of an already extremely competitive market. So my choices are go out of business or move the company. So much for a state that claims to promote small business.

If memory serves me, O'Malley ran around the state trying to sell the crazy tax grab, which eevntually passed the special session, by saying that 83% of Marylanders would pay LESS tax. Well, after raising the sales tax by 20%, it seems we ALL pay more in taxes. Eventually, I'll have nothing left. All I wanna do is work, live in a decent neigborhood, maybe take a vacation each year and be healthy. I feel like the more I work to toward my goals, the harder it gets. The state needs to get off my back, and make due with what they have --- The very same way I have to. Look, I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I know that raising taxes on working people, who are facing a looming recession, will only make matters worse. Why can't the state just give me a break? Our governor is sucking the life out of us.

This clown never met a tax he didn't like. Enough is enough already. 1/3 of everything I make goes to taxes. At some point, you have to ask; What does it say about a government that takes 33% of everything it's citizens make, and still can't balance it's budget?

You know I'm beginning to think some of you don't like Governor O'Malley. Why do so many of you post such mean and hurtful things about Marty O'Malley? Governor O'Malley is so intelligent and honest and always working for the betterment of Maryland. Look at what a great job his new PSC chairman is doing. All these negative comments about Governor O'Malley are not appreciated by those of us who know and revere Him.

You know Marty,you could of Vitoed this way back when and now you're telling us you didn't like it in the first place.You're a real piece of work !!!!

They should change the computer tax to a commuter tax. Stop taxing Maryland residents and start taxing non-residents who take away Maryland jobs and don't contribute anything to the Maryland tax base. A two percent income tax on non-residents who work in Maryland should make up the difference.

l. My State Senator, Rob Garagiola, Deputy Majority Leader in the State Senate pushed passage of the computer tax with no public hearings. 2. After sending out 15 campaign mailings in 2006, not one of which mentioned support for any tax increase whatsoever. 3. Was the deciding vote FOR the computer tax on a 24-23 vote. 4. Received no communications from our district asking for a computer tax. 5. Tried months later to replace the computer tax with a gasoline tax with gas going toward $4 gal. 6. Tried to replace the computer tax with a higher income tax than the income tax ncrease he voted for in a 24-23 vote even though our district pays the most income tax of any district. 7. Voted against replacing the computer tax with unallocated funds and budget cuts. 7. Either doesn't know what he is doing or else he is the clone and step and fetchit of Senate Leader Mike Miller who has promised him campaign funds.

I have no problem with everyone paying their fair share of taxes, even the "tech firms". However, it seems there is at least one group who has managed to escape all the tax increases: Maryland's politicians. Political contributions should be taxed at a rate 1% higher than the existing state income tax rates and purchases made by political campaigns should be charged a sales tax 1% higher than the existing rate. This will allow our politicians the pride of announcing how much each of them contributed to the states treasury during their last campaign. It will also encourage politicians to keep taxes down (Maybe even cut them?), and it will more than offset the $200 million the state will lose when all the "tech firms" move out. Tax the politicians.

Thanks for the info.

Looks like malley the teflon lepreCON bought another judge.

If you read the comments here -- the majority are discouraged by the current folks in the state house and the GA. I don't see too many comments in favor of MOM and the recent tax hikes. I guess most of those in agreement with MOM just click the "I disagree" link over and over.

Drug Dealers pay sale taxes and no income tax. think about that when the wealthy Republicans are whining about that extra $58 per year.

I recently moved to maryland from Pennsylvania and my taxes increased by only $58 per year. Big deal!

I'm single. no kids. live in AA county. I can hardly afford to live here now. I can't afford a tax hike. I make $22k as year, and pay over $5k in taxes a year now. The state can not handle (budget) our mnoney now that they have. yes our money. MY money. So what do they do when they need more? Further rob the people... it's a total joke. if they can't budget the money they have now, taking more money from me won't help. they need to live on a budget. And cut spending.. cut services if you must... but do NOT raise taxes as a cure all to the problems. sales tax should be decreased in Maryland, NOT increased. it's time to cut services that don't work, and cut free rides for people "using" the system.

So has Chief Clerf Mary Monahan been located yet? Prehaps she has moved to Florida to avoid the tax the tax hick.

I just got a letter from the Governor and in his letter he states that people in my tax bracket will save $53 dollars in income tax deductions. So now I will take that $53 and apply it to the $3000 I'll have to pay in the new state tax starting January of '08. I took the letter and lined the bird cage, it looks so much better there!

Power trip much?

how long will it take for the censors at the examiner to remove this post. these comments are monitored and if you are too conservative, the posting is removed.

Have fun with that.

Could the rise in sales tax revenues for November be attributed to the 20% sales tax hike (steal) coming in January and smart Marylanders buying now? I believe so! I also predict that the revenues will rise even high for December and take a MAJOR NOSE DIVE in '08. Way to go MOM, you're an idiot and so are your cronies, Busch and Miller. The really smart Maylanders (or financially able) are looking for property in the surrounding states.

I asked Santa for Martin O'Agnew to be convicted for Christmas!!

Maryland with a Constitution? If a judge goes against the grain and upholds the disregarded document, there will be hell to pay during the General Assembly. After Grassmick's reappointment and then something like this, the next session will be all about creating anarchy. Say good by to the "Free State" nonsense.

O'Malley is a highly defective leader. We are in trouble.

Since when did democrats follow the constitution, remember early voting, Walmart bill?

I guess obeying the explicitly written rules of the Maryland Constitution is merely a "suggestion" to the ruling junta of Democrats. Regime change begins at home.

The GOP is right and I hope that they win. This Governor is a sham and a disgrace to the state.

I stand and applaud anyone who stands up to this nut case of a Governor that we have. He is such a conceited jerk and liar. Good for the Republicans and I am a democrat who is not proud at all of the democratic party

My christmas wish is that every tax payer can join in this law suit. After all, we are the ones affected by this 'rush to tax' everyone that walks, talks and works in Maryland.

have no need to fear, marty yo'malley and his band of fools are here. after all, is it not for the children? does the 20% increase in the sales tax apply to sales of katie yo'malley's bath water? what does yo'malley's father in law, joe curran do for $125,000.00 a year at IWIF besides sleep?

It's sad that our school system doesn't teach people the funamental of money and for them to think for themselves. People would vote different if that could know the consequences of their actions. We should examine not the symptoms of the results but rather the basic cause which is self serving politician.

These arrogant fools are all so happy, as if they just won some huge prize. They are so far out of touch that they just don't get how this affects EVERYONE in the state. Poor, middle class and rich, we all feel the negative effects of such a massive tax increase. They say they aren't balancing it on the backs of the poor, but who is always the first to suffer when corporations and the "rich" are given higher taxes? THE POOR. They say "only 43% will see a higher burden" but who pays the sales tax? EVERYONE! Who actually shoulders the corporate tax? THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE CORPORATIONS AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS! Are they so stupid and out of touch that they just don't understand such basic economic concepts, or are they banking on Marylanders being stupid and out of touch? Welcome to the People's Republic of Maryland.

the definition of Md history passes, remains to be seen, I am intersted in seeing the planning of the budget. Having faith makes perfect sense for now.

Absolutely terrible legislating here. It's easy to raise taxes on everyone that's what democrats do best. Tax the rich, sure that's a good message for Maryland's poor. They think that they are going to get something out of it like they live in Sherwood forest or something. They got nothing but a sales tax increase that they'll pay every time they spend a dollar. They won't see any more money from a tax refund at the end of the year. It's a shell game. The hard thing is to fix Maryland's spending problem. For such a small state we have a ton of State workers, it's ridiculous. Fix the State spending problem and do something good for the citizens of Maryland.

You know where the heart of the problem is, out of state where the taxes are sometimes higher.

After all these special sesions, I could use a genuine fine bottle of wine. I have no right to read about politics.