The Week Ahead - Pro Football Kickoff Edition

Pro football fans in Maryland are geared up for the start of the season. The Baltimore Ravens begin their regular season Thursday. Washington's NFL Team plays its first regulation game of 2013 next Monday.  

Last week we blogged on Maryland’s close-out report for fiscal year 2013. Even though revenues fell $62 million short of estimates, the state ended its year on June 30 with $1.2 billion in the bank. We also blogged on the unprecedented levels of long-term unemployment – with 89,000 Marylanders unable to find work for 27 weeks or more last year.

Coming Up September 3-6

September 4: At 10 am in Annapolis, the Board of Public Works meets.

At 1 pm in Annapolis Maryland's judicial partners will brief the Special Commission of Security in State and Local Corrections Facilities on local court and detention center interaction; the impact of case docketing on detention centers; and security at bail and pretrial hearings

September 5: At 1 pm in Annapolis, the Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council will recap the 2013 Legislative Session, and get an update on Maryland health benefit exchange activities, and the state innovations model planning grant. 

September 6: The US Bureau of Labor Statistics releases national employment and unemployment data for August. 

 

 A note from Neil Bergsman:

It has been a joy and an adventure to lead the Maryland Budget and Tax Policy Institute for the past six years. This Friday, September 6, will be my last day at the Institute. I will be returning to the Maryland Department of Budget and Management, where I’ll be Assistant Director in the Office of Capital Budgeting.

My time at MBTPI has been characterized by the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. This economic shock, combined with a national conservative political backlash, resulted in terrible fiscal policies in many American states: states that abandoned their commitments to helping residents in need, to educating the next generation up to world class standards, and to financing the physical and human infrastructure necessary to promote broadly shared prosperity in the future.

Maryland’s leaders did not always follow MBTPI’s recommendations during this period. They did, however pursue a course that upheld our state's traditional values of fiscal prudence and social responsibility. Maryland met its budget crisis with a balanced approach that combined spending cuts, revenue increases, and some one-time actions. We set priorities that largely protected funding for education and the existing safety net. We took practical steps to effectively implement national healthcare reform. We found the will to fund vital needs for transportation and environmental quality. When budget deliberations broke down, our leaders came back to the State House to work out responsible compromises without shutting government down or triggering automatic cuts.

I like to think that MBTPI helped a little bit to encourage these decisions. I also hope we were able to help you better understand the news about state finances and programs, the budget and the economy along the way. I’m looking forward to working for the citizens of Maryland from within state government. I will always value my experiences at MBTPI, and the friendships that I made while I was here.

Please join me in giving Benjamin Orr our full support and confidence as he continues this important mission.

Thank you for your support to me throughout my time here at MBTPI.