January 18th, 2024 by WCBC Radio
Delegate Nino Mangione (R-District 42A) today filed the Taxpayer Disclosure and Protection Act designed to provide Maryland taxpayers with full disclosure on any vote to raise taxes or increase fees. The legislation carried 12 Co-Sponsors. “I am and remain greatly concerned about the Maryland budget situation and on-going spending in the Maryland legislature. We have been advised that we are facing at least a $761 million dollar deficit, and we have other obligations running into the billions for big ticket items such as Kirwan and climate change. I feel like we are constantly looking for opportunities to spend taxpayer monies and I believe we must focus on the burdens we are placing on hard working Marylanders,” said Mangione.
Mangione continued, “I believe we must be transparent with Maryland’s taxpayers, and I feel like we must be transparent on any decision to raise fees or taxes. The continued economic uncertainty has placed us in a situation where we must cut spending. I do not favor raiding our Rainy-Day Fund or using accounting maneuvers to continue to recklessly spend. Above all, I remain opposed to increasing fees and taxes. We need fiscal discipline.” “I feel we must insist on accountability in any attempt to raise taxes or fees. This is only accomplished by recording various votes on these matters. The taxpayers are entitled to know who voted to increase any tax or fees, which is the purpose of this legislation. We simply must live within our means, prioritize spending, and live within our means,” Mangione stated. “The simple fact is that the more revenue to give to the state government the more money the state government will spend. Each individual legislator will make their own decisions, but I think there must be transparency on any increase in taxes and fees. This is the only way to protect the taxpayers of Maryland,” Mangione concluded.
