Vote NO on Question 1
Vote YES on Question 2
In addition to voting in Presidential, Congressional and local races, there are two statewide ballot questions in this election. I encourage you to vote NO on Question 1 and YES on Question 2.
I voted against adding Question 1 to the ballot during the final hours of the shortened 2020 Legislative Session. Question 1 is a retaliation by disgruntled Democrats to change the rules after they have been forced to work within a true two-party system with a fiscally responsible Governor.
Question 1 would amend the Maryland Constitution to weaken the budgetary powers of the Governor and eliminate a critical check and balance between the executive and legislative branches. It would also allow the Legislature to transfer spending between areas of the budget. For example, if a Governor initially budgeted $1 million towards upgrading rural roads, the Legislature could redirect that $1 million towards pork projects in their individual districts.
The current budget process was put in place in 1916 after the Legislature bankrupted the State. These reforms limited political influence in the budget process and cut down on patronage and pork spending. While over a hundred years old, those safeguards are unfortunately still needed in Maryland.
Question 2 would allow sports and event gambling in Maryland, and I recommend a YES vote. Marylanders approved gambling in 2008. Supporting this expansion follows the evolution of the industry and allows Maryland’s casinos to remain competitive. Rocky Gap is a tremendous economic engine for Western Maryland, and they are losing business to facilities in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and our communities are missing out on revenue to fund our schools and other priorities. We will need every dollar we can get as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thank you in advance for voting!