House Republicans believe budget cuts needed to be deeper

ANNAPOLIS- A day after the House of Delegates voted 105-34 in favor of a spending plan that reduces Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposed 2009 budget by more than $511 million, several Republican House members said that the cuts need to be deeper, arguing that the plan does not go far enough to counter future economic and fiscal slowdowns.

Del. Susan L.M. Aumann (R-Baltimore County), the deputy minority whip and a member of the House Appropriations Committee since 2003, told PolitickerMD.com that the budget was “not sustainable,” and said she would have liked to see further cuts to “one or two programs.”

Del. Patrick L. McDonough (R-Middle River) said the reductions could have been $200 to $300 million greater, adding that he proposed an amendment that would have cut roughly 900 state jobs that are not occupied.

“If we have a one percent cut in new spending across the board—that would balance the budget,” McDonough said.

The delegate said he was “very pessimistic about the economy,” saying it was “going into the tank.”

Aumann said the implementation of the Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI) “could have been delayed by a year.”

GCEI would be used to adjust state education aid to reflect regional differences in the cost of providing educational services that are beyond the control of local jurisdictions.

Aumann also said she would have preferred that the House “hold off $25 million” in funding for the Chesapeake Bay, “by one year.”

Last week, the Senate approved more than $350 million in budget cuts by a 38-7 vote. Like the House bill, each of the opposition votes to the Senate proposal came from Republicans.

Each chamber approved $31.2 billion in spending for the Fiscal Year 2009.