Proposed Teacher Pension Shift Major Concern for Councilman

The transfer of some teacher pension costs from state to county government was the biggest concern for local residents following Gov. Martin O’Malley’s State of the State address, according to District 7 County Councilman Jerry Walker (R-Gambrills).

In O'Malley's budget for fiscal year 2012-13, the governor proposed a $240 million shift of teacher pension costs to county governments. It’s a bill that Walker said Anne Arundel County simply can’t afford.

“We don’t have the money to fund it,” Walker said. “We’ve already taken huge hits and to absorb this, it’s too much.”

The local Republican said tax revenue anticipated from the slots casino Maryland Live! at Arundel Mills will help the situation but was hesitant to say it’ll solve many, if any of the county’s financial burdens.

“Nobody really knows what [the casino] is going to produce,” Walker said. “Fiscally we’ll be better off, but it’s still not a great position.”

Walker also said O'Malley's proposal for a gas sales tax was also a major concern.

“[The gas tax] is particularly hard on people out of work or not making what they’re used to making,” Walker said.

The governor discussed , and Patch’s political correspondent   with veteran reporters.

Joining Sears in the discussion are WYPR reporter Joel McCord and editor of Marylandreporter.com, Len Lazarick. O’Malley’s agenda and whether he can accomplish everything on his list.

In Patch’s  of the State of the State address, more than 30 posts filled the comments section, many expressing unhappiness with O’Malley’s proposal of a phased-in six percent gas tax.