AFT-Maryland affiliates traveled to Annapolis, Maryland February 24th to meet with state legislators and voice opposition to Governor O’Malley’s proposed cuts to the state’s contribution to state employee pension plan.
Left: Senator Richard Madeleno (District 18) with Rose Wertz (MCEA), Antoinette Ryan Johnson (CUB) and George Myers (MPEC).
Right: Senator Ulysses Currie (District 25) with Maria Mathias (President, MPEC), George Myers, and Rick Morin (both of MPEC).
The governor has proposed that the state’s promised $300 million per year contribution to state worker pension plans be cut by $100 million. AFT-Maryland affiliates have argued that the cuts jeopardize the financial standing of the state and could result in reduced payments for retired state workers.
The AFT-Maryland members are proposing that taxes be raised on corporations and gambling enterprises to offset the state’s budget deficit. Maryland corporations enjoy some of the lowest tax rates in the country and some corporations pay no taxes at all. Last year, Maryland reduced the taxes on gambling casinos from 8 to 7 percent. The legislature will hold hearings on the state pension plan on February 26th and 28th.
Click here to tell your legislators to vote against cutting the state's contribution to the pension fund: http://aftmd.us/dontcutpension