According to the Department of Legislative Services, even with the cuts included in the “Doomsday Budget”, total state spending still increases by nearly $700 million over last year. Total state spending in FY 2012 was $34.7 billion, in FY 2013 total spending increased to $35.4 billion. 

 Education spending under this budget grows from $4,948.70 in FY 2012 to $4,950.50 in FY 2013- this is  by no means a cut to education. Furthermore, the reconvening special taxing session of the General Assembly will result in the shift of teacher pensions from the state to the counties which will ultimately result in additional county tax increases.

 Over the course of this Governor’s administration, Annapolis’s solution to the state’s fiscal problems is to dig deeper into the citizens’ pockets. Taxes, tolls, and fees have increased multiple times since Governor O’Malley came to office and spending has increased by over $1 billion every year. This year was no exception. During the regular 90 day legislative session, Governor O’Malley’s budget as proposed, included over $300 million in higher taxes and fees and shifted $238 million of the costs of teacher pensions to the counties, guaranteeing a tax increase at the local level as well. This is money Marylanders can ill afford at this time of economic leanness. Because his tax package was not passed, we will convene again on Monday at a cost of over 20 thousand dollars a day to overburdened taxpayers, in order to “ get it done” as he has been quoted.

 Recent polls show that 96% of Marylanders feel that they pay enough taxes. They are now under the shadow of even more tax hikes and I promise you that I have heard from hundreds of my constituents who have asked for NO SPECIAL TAXING SESSION. For this reason I will not be supporting any tax increases, or any part of the Governor’s special taxing session agenda.

If you would like to contact BGE or the Public Service Commission for more information or to voice your opinion, please click here for contact information or click here to contact BGE by email.

BGE has planned a few informational  meetings in Anne Arundel County, the remaining meetings are:

May 15 6-9 p.m. at Orchard Beach Vol Fire Hall

May 21 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Old Mill High School

May 22 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Glen Burnie High School

Additionally, there is a  Public Service Commission Smart Meter Opt-Out Hearing  10:00 AM on May 22.

William Donald Schaefer Tower

6 St. Paul Street, 16th floor

Baltimore, Maryland 21202

While I do not support gay marriage, I do not hold anything personally or politically against those who live that lifestyle.

 I absolutely do not condone, or support in anyway the activities of this group. They are a disgrace to this country.

Additional Information on the demonstration:

The protest on Tuesday will be focused at the intersection of Balto-Annap. Blvd and Kuethe Rd. There will be designated areas for the Westboro protestors and a separate area for the anti-protestors. PLEASE AVOID KUETHE & GLEN RDS FROM 11AM – 4PM ON TUESDAY. Students will be dismissed from the Glen Rd side of the building ONLY. Pedestrian traffic will be blocked on the school-side of B&A for student use only. This will funnel foot traffic down Amberly and along Ritchie Hwy and down Glen and along Delaware to reach the protest areas. Please plan accordingly and BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS if driving near any of these areas.

Please note that the police will not stop students from joining or walking near the protests on Tuesday. If your student(s) attend Glen Burnie HS and you do not want them involved in/near the protest, please ensure you address this
directly with your student.

*Thanks to Glen Burnie High School and Glen Gardens Community Group for providing the details and information.

This video reveals from the mouth of Maryland’s Attorney General Doug Gansler, that Maryland’s courts are stacked in favor of same sex marriage with judges appointed by Governor O’Malley.

There are many instances across America where it is clear that activist judges have been appointed to various levels within the Judiciary.  It is rare if not unheard of that an Attorney General of a state would publically admit such appointments.  That is the case in Maryland.

Not only does the Attorney General intend to push the issue to a stacked court, there are certain legislators who have sponsored HB 127 that would require a Notary Public to verify all signatures collected.  As you might imagine, this is clearly an attempt to prolong and delay the logistical nightmare of collecting and verifying the signatures within the extreme time constraints surrounding the referendum.

 I am committed to seeing that the citizens of Maryland have an unencumbered right to vote on the issue of same sex marriage at the ballot box.

 Constitutionally yours,

Delegate Don Dwyer

Please click here to read Joel Pollak’s column on Breitbart.com featuring the video and comments.

 Thanks so much for your support, your activism and your time over the last month as we battled this issue. I am deeply grateful for your commitment to take action when it was needed, as soon as an alert was sent out from my office.

 Unfortunately the vote did not go the way that we expected, though we had been holding firmly to our votes steady throughout the last month and particularly this week. As you know the Governor threw his considerable influence and resources behind this legislation.

 Though we did lose this battle, I do not believe that the war is over. While it was not our preference to have to undertake a referendum effort, it is now our next course of action. I hope that I can count on you all, as I have in the past to be the “boots on the ground” as we continue to fight the push to redefine marriage Maryland.

 Over the next few weeks as we organize for the referendum you will continue to hear from me. Please stay tuned for information if you want to help.

Constitutionally Yours,

Don Dwyer, Jr.

Please Join Maryland Marriage Alliance and other pro marriage citizens on Lawyers Mall on Monday January 30 from 6-8  to rally for marriage!

http://www.mdfamilies.org/resources/pastor-resources.html

http://www.frc.org/dvdvideo/the-problem-with-same-sex-marriage-30-minute-dvd

For additional information and marriage resources please contact Pastor Derek McCoy and Julia Vidmar at Maryland Marriage Alliance 1-410-858-4030 or by email at julia@mdfamilies.com

The just-ended 2011 Legislative Session was a difficult one for believers in limited government, lower taxes and the rule of law.  Among the more objectionable pieces of legislation passed by the General Assembly was the “Dream Act” (SB 167).  Under the Dream Act, illegal immigrants will be given the privilege of paying only the heavily-discounted (and taxpayer subsidized) in-state tuition rate at public universities, colleges and community colleges rather than the out-of-state tuition rate.  Previously, only Maryland citizens had access to the in-state rate of tuition.  Thus, Maryland taxpayers will pay approximately $11,000 in subsidies per illegal immigrant per year for each year in a Maryland public university or college.
Many Maryland taxpayers cannot even afford to pay for their own children to attend college, and yet we are now being FORCED to pay for illegal immigrants to attend a Maryland college.
This legislation, forced through by Governor O’Malley and Speaker Busch, is an insult to Maryland citizens and to the many legal immigrants who respected our laws, played by the rules, and came to our Country legally.  The Dream Act grants yet another State benefit to illegal immigrants and, in my judgment, is part of an ongoing effort by the political leadership of our State to make Maryland a sanctuary for illegal immigrants.
And, remember, this new benefit is in addition to the $1.5 billion Maryland taxpayers already pay for services offered to illegal immigrants, including free health care, pre-k through 12th public education, welfare, and other entitlements previously reserved for U.S. citizens. 

But, we can still stop this new law from being enacted.

Under the Maryland Constitution, voters have the right to overturn legislation.  To do so, the first step is to get the legislation onto the ballot.  This will require obtaining 55,000 confirmed signatures by the end of June.  My colleague in the House of Delegates, Neil Parrott, is taking the lead in organizing a drive to gather these signatures and to put the Dream Act on the ballot for the 2012 election. 

To succeed, we will need your help.  We need folks to gather signatures beginning immediately.  Here’s what you can do:
 
1.  Click on the following link to learn more about the petition process, to sign the petition, and to obtain the necessary documents: http://www.mdpetitions.com/. 
 
2. Sign the Petition: On the web site, select “Sign the Petition” for you and your family to sign the petition.     
 
3. Print Out the Forms Needed to Gather Signatures: On the web site, click on “Volunteer to Collect Signatures” and print out the Petition and instructions.  Once printed, ask your family, friends, work colleagues and others for their signatures.  You do not need permission to gather signatures — doing so is your Constitutional right. 
 
IMPORTANT: The petition must be TWO SIDED with SB 167 on the back.  After printing the first side of the Statewide Referendum Petition, return the page to your printer and print the second page on the back side of the first page.  Or make your own copies.
 
PLEASE NOTE: Election officials require that information written on a petition form be clear and complete .  It is IMPERATIVE that:
- all information be very clearly written;
- all information on the form be filled in, including the name of the County and your contact information;
- signers fill in their name AS IT APPEARS ON THEIR VOTER CARD or, if the voter card format is unknown, using their FULL NAME, including middle name;
- all information be entered into the correct space on the form (e.g., street address and name of city are separate spaces).
 
4. Mail your completed form or forms to: MDPetitions.com, c/o Neil Parrott, PO Box 32, Funkstown, MD  21734
 
5. Forward this email to your friends and colleagues.

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company’s Residential Electric Customers Can Expect a Nearly 25 Percent Decline in the Commodity Portion of their Bill When Compared to 2009  

I’d like to take a moment to wrap up the 2011 legislative session.

As you know Maryland like many other states has over spent for decades. As result, we continually run a deficit and accumulate additional debt.

I believe the budget should have been the focus of this legislative session however; the battle over same sex marriage, cross dressing legislation and illegal immigrant tuition discounts, consumed much of this year’s session.  It is my belief that these issues were in fact a smokescreen and a distraction to deflect attention away from the looming budget crisis. Unfortunately, the budget crisis was overshadowed by social issues.

State Budget

Once again, the O’Malley administration and the majority party passed a 34 billion dollar budget this year. This equates to over $1 billion more than last years budget, yet you have undoubtedly heard Governor O’Malley say that he cut the budget. Included in the budget is $1.4 billion in new spending, a 10.6% increase. 

Fees and Taxes

This budget is balanced with tax and fee increases, including:

• Vehicle Titling Tax doubled  $50 to $100
• Vanity Plate Fee doubled from $25 to $50
• Land Recording Fees – doubled  $20 to $40
• Birth Certificate Fees – doubled from $12 to $24
• Increase in Hospital Assessments adding 2.5% to rates
• Increasing Nursing Home Tax from 4% to 5.5%

The budget included a reduction in prescription benefits to retired state employees, now living on a fixed income. Because of the Governor’s failure to address the real problem of gross overspending, and failure to look for real solutions to the budget crisis, I committed once again to voting against the budget.

SB1213 raises tax on alcohol from 6% to 9% by July 1, 2011. When this bill was first introduced it was billed as a dime a drink increase with the funds going to assist the developmentally disabled citizens of MD, with the increase in sales tax gradually over several years. As it became certain that the votes were there, the bill was amended quickly to remove the allocated funding to the disabled, and to apply the increase at once. When we attempted to debate the increase, the Speaker of the House shut down debate and forced a vote on this bill. This tax will have a decidedly negative effect on many small businesses throughout the state. Bar and restaurant owners are unfairly singled out for taxing, and those especially hard hit will be Maryland businesses located on the borders to Pennsylvania and Delaware, where Marylanders will travel to buy alcohol.

In addition, many other new or increased taxes were proposed, including a gas tax and grocery bag tax. I voted against and strongly opposed all of these tax proposals.

Tuition Discounts for illegal immigrants

 SB 167/ HB 470 this bill grants in state tuition rates to illegal immigrants residing and working in MD. Despite the fact that this inclusion will cost taxpayers money, will guarantee Maryland’s place as a premier “ sanctuary state” and will undoubtedly result in a federal lawsuit due to its unconstitutionality; was passed by a vote of 27- 19 in the Senate and 74-65 in the House of Delegates. Click the links to see how your Representative voted!

 I voted against this and will continue to stand against benefits and rights to those residing here illegally at any rate, and especially at the cost to taxpaying citizens.

Same Sex Marriage

As you know I have been the general on the battle field of marriage in the state of Maryland for nearly 8 years now.  As result, I have seen many futile attempts to legalize same sex marriages in our state.

This year that all changed.  This legislative session the skid was greased by special interest and same sex marriage legislation was slated to pass. SB 116 passed easily through the Senate by a vote of 25-21 and then unexpectedly hit the brakes in the House of Delegates as the citizens came to the defense of marriage in MD by calling and visiting legislators to make their voices on this issue heard.

 Much to the surprise of the homosexual activist and the Democrat leaders, after a full week, they were unable to secure the 71 votes needed to legalize same sex marriage in Maryland.  In a procedural move, the bill was sent back to committee where it would rest peacefully.  This maneuver prevented the Democrats from having to be on record on a vote that would most likely effect the outcome of the 2014 elections. See who voted for the bill in Judiciary Committee by following this link: Committee Votes

Pro – Life

It has been a bitter sweet session regarding the life of the unborn.  Though not one of our 11 Pro Life bills made it to the full House or Senate for a vote, I am heartened because there were 11 Pro Life bills introduced by a variety of individual lead sponsors. We have 28 legislators recognized as “Pro Life” who are committed to the issue of defending the life of the unborn.

 I am heartbroken that the pro life members have failed to advance even one piece of pro life legislation to the House or Senate floor.  For this reason I initiated the new formation of the pro life caucus this session. The members of this year’s caucus are willing to fight the fight for the life of the unborn. To view the list of this years abortion bills, follow this link: Pro Life Bills

Its important to note that many of the bills, such as HB 23 and HB 187 simply require abortion clinics to be regulated and licensed. these were also killed in Health and Government Operations Committee, some without even getting a vote. These bills can only help preserve the safety of women in Maryland, and yet the bills do not even see a fair committee vote.

I am committed to starting a war on the issue of abortion as I have on the issue of marriage. It’s high time we stop the innocent murder of the unborn while we as a culture want to preserve the life of convicted murderers.

I have done my best to represent the values and views of those who sent me back to Annapolis to represent them.  I have never wavered from my beliefs and convictions on many issues and I have never allowed political correctness to get in the way of the truth.

To this end, I rest in the belief that you will continue to allow me to represent you in the Maryland General Assembly.

Constitutionally yours,

Don H. Dwyer, Jr.

Delegate

The majority of the bills focused on regulating abortion clinics and to see that those clinics meet the same reporting and oversight requirements as other medical facilities.

 In November 2010, Dr. Leroy Carhart opened an abortion clinic that specializes in late term abortions in Gaithersburg Maryland.  The arrival of Dr. Carhart initiated an outcry of public resistance to the practice of late term abortions.  There is no doubt that he came to Maryland because of the states very lax laws and the fact that abortion clinics are not regulated in any way. He is literally getting away with murder.

 In the past year, there have been reports of simply egregious, barbaric and deadly practices of abortion providers in Maryland.  There is no doubt that women’s physical and mental health are at risk as result of the Legislatures unwillingness to regulate facilities and doctors performing abortions in Maryland.

There was also a hearing on Maryland’s Personhood Amendment that would confer the constitutional right to life from the moment of conception.  This bill has been heard for the past three years.  This year, all of the testimony on the bills was factual and irrefutable. 

Dr. Carhart’s arrival in Maryland has thrown fuel on the smoldering fire of the Pro Life community.  The barbaric nature of late term abortions opens an entirely new debate that is certain to tug at the heartstrings of Maryland’s most liberal communities.

It’s time that we fight to drive Dr. Carhart and all abortionist who harm unsuspecting pregnant minority women out of our state.  Next session there will be a new strategy that involves public intervention to bring this issue front and center in the Maryland General Assembly.

The Pro Life legislation has not been voted as of today but we will keep you posted on the progress of all Pro Life legislation in the Maryland General Assembly.

Constitutionally yours,

Delegate Don Dwyer, Jr.