Many of us have strong feelings about the issues addressed in the special session that just ended. Like many of the people reading this, I told anyone who’d listen what I wanted my elected officials in Annapolis to do.
But I didn’t tell them what I wanted them to do – at least, I didn’t tell my three delegates. And that makes me wonder about other people.
Did you contact your delegation in Annapolis? And do you think your action or inaction made any difference on how they voted?
I live in District 18, and I wish I had done more.
On the good side, I’ve spoken numerous times with Senator Rich Madaleno about taxes and slots, and I also called his office several times during the special session. He and his staff were pretty clear on what I thought. I know where he stands, too. We are generally in agreement, and I trust him to do the right thing – which includes knowing when and how much to compromise.
But I did not contact Delegates Ana Sol Gutierrez, Jane Lawton, or Jeff Waldstreicher.
Why not? I’m not 100% sure. To some extent, it’s because I know their politics and don’t feel that they need to hear from me. I generally trust them to do the right thing while wading through the thicket of numbers and making the compromises that are part of good legislating.
But on the income tax issue, I really should have called them. Since I wanted to see a more progressive income tax plan, I was especially upset to read that that many members of the Montgomery County delegation were insisting on a less progressive one. And I had no idea what role, if any, the District 18 delegates had in pushing for that change.
Yet I didn’t ask. And I didn’t bother to let the three delegates know what I thought about it, either before or after the deed was done.
Does it matter? I hardly have an inflated view of my importance - I’m just one person, a plain old neighborhood activist who actually has a pretty good relationship with the delegates. And I’ve shared my opinions with them on other matters.
Would calling them early on have had an impact on their thinking or on their votes? I don’t know. But not calling them was a sure-fire way to not have an impact.
What about other people? Did you contact your legislators? Do you think it made a difference?
More generally, could those of us in Maryland’s liberal community have worked more effectively for a more progressive revenue package? Or do we simply not have sufficient numbers among the electorate or in the General Assembly to have accomplished our goals?
