Republican lawmakers again get high grades from business group
Republican members of the Maryland General Assembly, as usual, got A-pluses from Maryland Business for Responsive Government, but some Democrats improved their scores as well.
In its 27th annual Roll Call report embargoed for release today, MBRG for the first time focused on budget issues and tax increases, including votes taken during May’s special session to finish work on the budget.
“Too many of Maryland’s elected officials are just missing the point when it comes to creating certainty and stability for Maryland’s economy through tax policy,” said MBRG’s Kimberly Burns. “These tax and fee increases hurt the ability of Maryland’s private sector to create jobs and grow.”
The group’s focus on votes opposing spending and tax increases helped all 12 Republican senators get a perfect score of 100%, as did all but four of the 43 GOP members of the House of Delegates.
Scores of Democrats in the House and Senate, including House Speaker Michael Busch, were saved from having a score of zero by unanimous votes in both houses on a bill that made changes in Maryland law clarifying who could be considered an independent contractor, rather than an employee, under Maryland law.
Sen. Bobby Zirkin, D-Baltimore County, had the largest increase in either the House or Senate. He went up 52 points, from 11% last year, to 63% this year. One of the three delegates in his district, Del. Dan Morhaim, had one of the largest increases in the House, up 38 points from a score of zero last year.
Other delegates with increases of 30 points or more included Mary-Dulany James, D-Harford; David Rudolph, D-Cecil; and Nic Kipke, R-Anne Arundel.
Del. John Wood, D-St. Mary’s, who votes with Republicans on fiscal issues, had the highest score of Democrats in either house, 91%. St. Mary’s Sen. Roy Dyson had the highest score for Democrats in the Senate, 75%.
– Len Lazarick
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