Old Line Elephant Maryland Conservative Blog

8Feb/11Off

A Profile in Big Government: Rob Garagiola (D-MD)

State Senate Majority Leader Rob Garagiola (D) appears to be my legislative arch-nemesis, proposing anti-growth policies that I wholeheartedly oppose. A perusal of his interest group ratings show that he is staunchly pro-choice, fiscally "progressive," and supportive of expanding government regulations on businesses and gun owners. A review of his donation record show a candidate who can self-finance and receives large donations from organized labor and the health care industry. But this is only part of the story - for more, let's look at his recent legislative endeavors.

$10 Per Hour Minimum Wage - Garagiola wants to increase the minimum wage in Maryland, over 3 years, to $10 an hour. Something too many on the left don't realize is that the minimum wage is not a living wage, it's the lowest amount a person is allowed to be paid. In 2009, only 4.9% of all hourly-paid workers were making the minimum wage. Half of those workers were under the age of 25. A rise in the minimum wage will force small businesses to cut corners, costs to increase for goods / services, and unskilled workers to lose their jobs. Do you think Walmart is going to continue to pay their current workforce $10/hr? Or will they find ways to cut corners / cut jobs to maintain their current costs? I'm sure the latter. A nearly $3 increase in the minimum wage is ludicrous.

Raise Gas Taxes / Registration Fees - Garagiola is leading the charge to make gas more expensive at the pump. On top of our already high prices, Garagiola wants to raise the gas tax by 10¢ and raise registration fees by 50%. Gas prices are already high and raising the gas tax / car registration fees to help raise funds for more spending is irresponsible. With a $1.6 billion structural deficit, let's find ways first to live within our means instead of trying to generate new revenue sources which will disproportionately impact those who use their vehicles for their jobs.

$3,115,000.00 in New State Debt and Counting - To date, Garagiola has sponsored or co-sponsored $3,115,000.00 in new state debt for pork projects to help boost his reelection chances. In fact, one of them was our "Waste of the Week" last week - $250,000 to build a new locker room in Rockville. I've been saying this week in and week out, but Maryland is facing a $1.6 billion structural deficit - to propose new debt on top of our additional debt is ludicrous. To propose it on pet projects to help boost reelection chances by offering handouts to constituents is wrong.

Now, I admit - I admire this man's military service and his willingness to go out and meet with constituents. That said, his policy ideas are wrong, period. Raising taxes, raising fees, adding new debt, and hiking the minimum wage during a recession are poor policies.

EDIT (02/08/11 13:05): In addition to the policies outlined above, Garagiola also supports an energy tax to help increase our utility bills. Mark Newgent at the Examiner has more on the bill here.

Filed under: Maryland, Rob Garagiola, Waste Comments Off
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