Moribund Maryland and Montgomery County have an unexpected opportunity to make up lost ground against dominant rival Virginia. Elected officials should seize it, and cut income, property, and corporate taxes across the board. New Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger had been expected to govern as a pro-business moderate in the mold of her Democratic predecessors Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam, who were generally as successful as their Republican counterparts in sustaining the state's strong economic development record. But once sworn in, Spanberger has taken an unexpected radical left turn, and Virginia is suddenly spiraling for the moment.
Spanberger is not discouraging the Democrat controlled Virginia legislature from sending over a dozen tax increases to her desk. She is raising the minimum wage to meet Maryland's $15 mandate (it will still be lower than Montgomery County's, alas). And she is reducing prison sentences for violent felons. Is axing Right-to-Work next?
Boeing has now announced it is relocating its Virginia operations to Missouri. That move was probably in the works for some time, as it was obvious three years ago that Spanberger would win against a weak GOP candidate, but Boeing apparently knew Spanberger's ideological bent better than most political observers.
What better way for Maryland Governor Wes Moore to juice the state's moribund economy, and his re-election campaign, than to call a special session to reduce taxes across the board? The Montgomery County Council will be setting the FY-2027 budget at the same time, and should cut taxes and spending at the County level simultaneously. We could lure the millionaires and billionaires of Great Falls, McLean, Leesburg, and Middleburg to Montgomery County. Remember Council staff member Jacob Sesker's eye-opening presentation that showed what a huge revenue windfall is delivered by just a couple dozen millionaires and billionaires, what a significant percentage of the total annual haul they can account for. And a high-profile tax reform will alert relocating corporations that Maryland is open for business.
Gov. Moore needs to let the education Blueprint go. Tear it up and throw it away. Same with the Red Line project in Baltimore. We don't have the money. But Virginia is giving us a rare chance to get some. Take it!
16 comments:
I'm a 40 year plus Bethesda resident who also once owned a thriving and successfully sold business in Bethesda which has since closed its doors. I'm in the process of moving out to better pastures.
It's my hope that Mendacious Moore does nothing but jogging and push-ups, and continues to undermine his state, just as Spamburger is doing to VA.
We need these clowns, incl Sherrill and Mandumi to build our Midterm referendum.
Y'all asked for it, now you get to live it! Good luck, and ¡ adios! to your opportunists!!
No way this is going to happen with democrats in charge and a supermajority in Annapolis. They think it's a zero sum gain and like AOC with a degree in economics never learned anything let alone history.
So you are suggesting that we let education, public needs and infrastructure deteriorate with no solutions to financially support these programs? Yup, that tracks.
Are you running for Council this year?
Boeing is only moving their defense HQ to Missouri, the rest of the leadership is staying in Virginia. They were based in St. Louis for many years, which was the home of McDonnell Douglass which merged with Boeing (and unfortunately brought its weak management system with it) in the 1990s. Much of Boeing's defense manufacturing is based in the St. Louis area.
"We could lure the millionaires and billionaires of Great Falls, McLean, Leesburg, and Middleburg to Montgomery County."
So they can price the rest of us out? No thanks. Everyday prices are already high due to corporate price gouging and home prices are high due to greedy private equity firms gobbling up real estate. We don't need the top 1% of earners moving here to drive those prices even higher.
They should cut taxes, but also at the same time the state doesn't have enough money? The math doesn't seem to be mathin.
Grow up with all of these baby nicknames
Robert doesn't let the facts get in the way of a good story
7:44: No.
12:30: Copium is a helluva drug.
11:30: You have to cut spending, too. I mentioned a couple of big ticket items for starters at the state level. The County budget has literally doubled over a decade. There's plenty to cut, arguably to cut the budget nearly in half.
Projection
Funny you had no comment on the fact check
I’ve said for years the only way we can stay in the regional game is if VA self-destructs. That now appears to be starting, but I don’t expect any of the political leaders here in MD or MoCo to try to take advantage of VA’s turn. VA still has too many advantages, especially transportation (P3s anyone?) and airports. Best that will happen now is we may not lose more jobs or companies to VA, but I’m not looking for MD to land any.
2:05: You have to have a fact first to check. The Boeing move is all over the news.
6:30 is one of those Elrich voters that makes 5:14's point exactly. Trying to explain how things works in the real world when basic knowledge was never absorbed in grade school is a lost cause. Maybe you got your sheepskin in economics from Boston as well.
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