Kittleman and Jacobs to lead GOP Senate Caucus
The Baltimore Sun reported last week
The Maryland Senate Republican Caucus voted unanimously…to elect Sen. Allan H. Kittleman as minority leader and Sen. Nancy Jacobs as the minority whip, elevating a moderate and a social conservative to the leadership posts…
So how should the election of minority leadership change the way Republicans “do business” in Annapolis?
The majority of the state’s Republican voters support smaller government and fewer taxes. And in light of O’Malley’s recent cuts to the state budget, you would think that the new leadership would have seized the moment to make a public announcement supporting the Governor’s action instead of complaining that the cuts hurt State employees.
To be the opposition party does not always require lobbing shots at the other side from across party lines. It also does not require failing to recognize achievements on the other side that support your stated position.
In short, it is not the responsibility of the government to provide jobs for the people.
It is the responsibility of the government to create a business climate conducive for capitalism to do its work. The State clearly needs to do more to attract private sector jobs to the area instead of focusing all of its attention on growing government jobs (BRAC) which produce little other than personal income and property tax contributions to the State treasury. Though such contributions can significantly contribute to state revenue stream, a strong, corporate base of multiple private sector jobs sources is more diverse and, therefore, a more stable basis for the state economy.
While BRAC may produce more private sector support for the increased military presence here in Maryland, the economic disincentives associated with maintaining a corporate presence in Maryland will surely make Delaware a more attractive business option. And most of them will probably locate there because it makes economic sense to do so.
Maryland needs to generate some excitement about job opportunities here, to attract an infusion of businesses to revive the faltering state economy. Maryland needs to create new incentives that appeal to corporations, drawing them into the area rather then incentivizing them to leave or close with onerous legislative mandates. And Maryland needs to encourage small businesses to grow, to increase revenue stream, and to create new jobs for Maryland citizens.
But without the incentives to do so, more and more of the economic burdens of running the state will be passed on to the citizens in the form of bigger government and higher taxes. Maryland’s GOP cannot allow that to happen. And THAT should be emphasis of the new leadership.
