Press Release: Ready Votes Against Higher Taxes; Enough is Enough

Posted May 17

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Ready OPEd in Carroll County Times on “Doomsday” Budget

Posted Apr 20

The 2012 Maryland General Assembly Session came to a close on Monday, April 9th.  It concluded despite efforts by the Democratic majority to extend the Session beyond the normal 90 day period. Because of intense disagreements between leaders in the House of Delegates and the State Senate about how much they would increase new budget spending, and the taxes they would raise to pay for it we adjourned before passing several big measures. It’s quite possible that we will be called back in for a Special Session soon.
With so much going on in Annapolis, I wanted to try to shed some light on what’s being reported as the possibility of a “Doomsday” budget. 

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Taxpayers Having Flashbacks as Governor O’Malley Again Floats Sales Tax Hike

Posted Apr 5

Annapolis: Yesterday, Delegate Justin Ready (R-5A, Carroll) reacted to Governor O’Malley’s continued insistence on raising the state sales tax from 6% to 7%. “I am forced to flashback to my comments from January. ‘It is really stunning that Governor would suggest another regressive sales tax hike that hits poor and working class families hardest,” said Ready.

“During the 2011 Legislative Session Delegate I introduced legislation to cut the sales tax rate from 6% to 5%.  That’s the direction we should be going to stimulate the economy,” Ready continued.  “It seems to me that the bringing up this issue now just further illustrates the failure of many of Governor O’Malley’s policies. He’s completely out of touch.  A sales tax increase would be an economic disaster for our state,” said Ready continued.

Responding to the suggestion of a Fall special session to raise the gas tax, Ready concluded:  “Raising gas taxes is a bad idea now and it will be just as bad later this year.  Working families and small businesses cannot afford any more squeezing.  The time has come for government to live within its means.”

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Delegate Ready Supports Petition Drive to Bring Congressional Redistricting to Referendum

Posted Mar 27

March 27, 2012  

ANNAPOLIS – Tuesday, Delegate Justin Ready (R-Carroll) participated in a bi-partisan press conference announcing the launch of a referendum petition drive to put the state’s badly mangled Congressional redistricting map on the ballot in November.  Delegate Neil Parrott from MDPetitions.com is organizing this effort, but it has strong support from both Republicans and Democrats, including Prince George’s County State Sen. Anthony Muse.  “I am proud to stand in support of this push to bring the Congressional redistricting map to referendum so the people of Maryland can decide,” said Del. Ready.

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Ready Fights for Fiscal Responsibility in Lengthy Budget Battle

Posted Mar 23

March 23, 2012

Fights to Stop $1.2 Billion in New Spending, $300 Million in Higher Taxes, and Pension Shift to Counties

Annapolis – Yesterday and today, Delegate Justin Ready (R- Carroll) participated in a series of long debates on the House floor on the State’s Budget, BRFA, and tax increase legislation.  Dozens of amendments to these bills that would have protected teachers pensions by preventing the shift to the counties, prevented tax increases, and made the appropriate adjustments to the budget and BRFA to stop fiscally irresponsible spending were offered and rejected. 

“We offered the Republican Alternative Budget as an amendment which would have essentially level-funded the state’s budget, avoiding cuts, eliminating the need for tax increases and shifting pensions to the counties,” said Ready. 

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Ready Supports “Flat and Fair” Alternative Budget Plan

Posted Mar 13

March 13, 2012
House GOP Proposal Features No Pension Shift and No New Taxes

ANNAPOLIS – Delegate Justin Ready (R-Carroll) announced his support for the House Republican Caucus budget alternative introduced today featuring a level funded budget that rejects any tax increases and Governor O’Malley’s pension shift to county governments.  The budget actually increases education funding slightly over the O’Malley budget while essentially flat funding the overall budget for FY2013.

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Delegate Ready: A “Doomsday” Spending Cut of 1.4% Preferable to Across the Board Tax Hikes

Posted Mar 1

Annapolis – On Thursday, Delegate Justin Ready (R- Carroll) commented on the recent news reports about budget negotiations that would trade a gas tax increase for an across the board income tax increase.  “Negotiations are taking place to avoid what liberal interest groups are calling a doomsday budget – one that would reduce approximately $500 million from Governor O’Malley’s proposed $36 Billion budget.  A reduction of 1.4% out of the largest projected budget in Maryland history does not sound like doomsday to me, it sounds like a very good idea to get our state’s finances back on track,” said Ready. 

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Delegate Ready Proposes Legislation Implementing Aggressive Medicaid Anti-Fraud Measures

Posted Feb 29

Annapolis – On Tuesday, Delegate Justin Ready (R- Carroll) presented HB 792 which seeks to enhance Anti-Fraud measures in the state’s Medicare and Medicaid programs.  The bill was heard in the House Health and Government Operations Committee.  Delegate Ready’s bill would require the State Department of Health & Mental Hygiene to implement systems to screen claims and new providers that submit Medicaid/Medicare claims.  This can be done through a variety of computer systems that can confirm that those submitting the claims are legitimate and that the claims are not duplicative.  “Maryland does a very good job, relative to the rest of the nation, in identifying and going after fraud and waste in our Medicare and Medicaid programs.  However, the federal government’s Medicaid administration estimates that states lose between $20 million and $80 million.  What is needed is a focus on identifying fraud on the front end – before the government makes payments,” said Ready. 

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Ready Editorial: What’s a BRFA?

Posted Feb 22

What’s a BRFA?

Of all the issues that Maryland legislators have to tackle in each General Assembly session, passing a balanced state budget is our top constitutional priority.

The way that Governor O’Malley has chosen to balance the budget the last two years has been to increase taxes and fees by hundreds of millions of dollars.  I know this may be a surprise to some readers because Governor O’Malley used the slogan, “If it comes out of my pocket, it’s a tax”, during the last election, but it’s true.  That’s one of the many reasons I voted against last year’s state budget in my first Session. 

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Del. Ready Presents Corporate Business Tax Reduction Bill

Posted Feb 15

February 15, 2012

Annapolis – On Tuesday, Delegate Justin Ready (R- Carroll) presented HB 234, legislation to reduce the Maryland corporate tax rate from 8.25% to the 2007 level of 7% before the House Ways and Means Committee. “During the summer and fall I spent a lot of time talking with owners of businesses large and small. One of the concerns I heard over and over again was our state’s heavy tax burden on job creators. The corporate tax does not make up a large portion of state revenues but it is really hurting our ability to retain and attract business. The time to take action is now,” said Ready.

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