Kirwan Commission Sandbagging Public on Massive Tax Increases
We have been covering the work on of the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education (known as the “Kirwan Commission”) for years here at Red Maryland. Ostensibly, this blue ribbon panel was created to develop recommendations to make Maryland’s public schools the finest in the world. In reality, the group is a political sham intended to provide cover for Maryland Democrats as they massively increase spending on K-12 education and raise taxes to pay for it. Much of this money, as we detailed last week, will go directly to the members of the state’s teacher’s union and will actually fund more time for teachers outside of the classroom.
While many of the questions about what to spend the money on have been answered, the tricky questions about how the plan will be funded, ie what taxes are going to be raised, has been repeatedly put off. This led Governor Hogan last month to point out that the Kirwan Commission’s plan was “half-baked” and ill considered as Hogan stated unequivocally that he would oppose any and all tax increases proposed by the legislature.
With the time for the Commission to complete its work in advance of the 2020 Maryland General Assembly session winding down, the expectation has been that the workgroup tasked with determining the “funding formulas” (read confiscatory tax increases) would meet and finally give some details. Instead, the group has delayed and, in an outrageous and unprecedented move, decided today to go in to closed session.
This skulduggery was first noted by Kevin Kinnally of the Maryland Association of Counties and co-host of the Conduit Street Podcast (who have done amazing work bringing to light the work of the Kirwan Commission) though, inexplicably he deleted the tweet after it was shared by Red Maryland.
Remember this when @mddems insist that we have to adopt the recommendations of the Kirwan Commission, including all of the taxes and unfunded mandates on localities to pay for it.
They are sandbagging Marylanders on one of most important and expensive proposals in a generation. https://t.co/NZuOBhGy42
— GregoryKline (@GregoryKline) September 19, 2019
This announcement started a firestorm of criticism from Republican elected officials, including Senator Mary Beth Carozza who is a member of the Kirwan Commission though not a member of the tax hike workgroup.
CAROZZA SPEAKS OUT AGAINST DECISION TO HOLD CLOSED KIRWAN FUNDING FORMULA MEETING#MDPolitics pic.twitter.com/xLzgGnKbyb
— Mary Beth Carozza (@MBCarozzaSenate) September 19, 2019
To every Marylander following my tweets: I urge you to pick up the phone, call your legislator and demand the Kirwan Tax Hike Commission meet in public. At least give us the courtesy in public to tell Marylanders how much we will be paying in tax hikes. #mdpolitics
— Steve Hershey (@SenatorHershey) September 19, 2019
It appears the Kirwan Machine is getting quite defensive over its $3 billion annual education boondoggle. Kirwan went so far to get an AG decision to only let selected members participate in a closed door “executive” meeting to decide who gets the biggest slices of the money pie
— Steve Hershey (@SenatorHershey) September 19, 2019
It also drew criticism from Democrat-leaning political expert Professor Todd Eberly
This is unacceptable. Kirwan is making recommendations that will shape public education policies and require public tax dollars to fund them. The public deserves to hear what they’re considering (or not considering) – regardless of what is ultimately decided. Open the doors. https://t.co/5IoA0c0Yxo
— Todd Eberly (@ToddEberly) September 19, 2019
Sure. The stage is now set for the work-group to make a recommendation and say that there was really no other alternative and then for the Assembly to say “we’re just following the Kirwan recommendations.” Public Education + Public Policy + Public Funding = Public Meetings
— Todd Eberly (@ToddEberly) September 19, 2019
The Professor is absolutely right. The Maryland Democrats are sandbagging all of us by hiding the ball on the true costs of their education proposals and stifling any real debate about the tax increases required for the funding they insist is absolutely necessary.
Maryland Democrats know that what they are proposing could not survive public scrutiny as the public would see it for what it is, an unnecessary boondoggle and multi-billion dollar payoff to the teacher’s unions which will have to be funded by hard-working Marylanders.
