The Washington Post highlighted clashes between Del. Saqib Ali (D) and Sen. Nancy King (D) in District 39. Readers will recall that Sen. P.J. Hogan recently stepped down and both Ali and King vied for the appointment to the open senate seat. The Central Committee selected King. The Post blogger, and King, imply that Ali's disagreement are sour grapes without actually using the words, though there is also substance at issue:
Their latest dispute involves part of Gov. Martin O'Malley's revenue plan that includes a movement toward "combined reporting," a method of collecting corporate income taxes that seeks to capture revenue lost by businesses that shelter income in out-of-state subsidiaries. And Ali said he took umbrage that King not only supported the budget committee's decision to delete O'Malley's provision from the revenue bill, but that she introduced a bill of her own that would essentially do the same thing.
"One way to kill something is to say we're going to study it," Ali said of King's legislation to study combined reporting. "I'm not sure why this is where she decided to take her stand."
King said there is not enough information on combined reporting, and that's why she thinks a study is warranted. "I'm not against combined reporting, I just think we need more information before we start it," she said.
As for Ali's questioning her every move: King said, "It all follows along. I'll probably be doing this for three years."
