Franchot: Special Session a 'Black Eye'

A special session of the Maryland General Assembly is set to begin on Monday to address the state’s so called “doomsday” budget, but Comptroller Peter Franchot already doesn’t like the direction it's heading.

"I think the special session is going 100 mph in the wrong direction. Raising taxes in a tough economy is just—well intentioned, perhaps—but a really, really bad idea, bad timing," Franchot said.

On Wednesday, Gov. Martin O’Malley, House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller to announce a $35.8 billion budget plan that includes a proposal to hike the income tax rate of some residents. But a bill to do that has yet to be introduced.

Franchot said the proposal will raise taxes on the state's middle class at a time those residents can't afford to have that happen.

"The tax increase has not been justified. Working families, and middle class families, and businesses all across the state have learned to do better with less, and the state government needs to do that right now. This special session is going to be a real black eye for the state," Franchot said.

Franchot, following an event promoting the launch of a fleet of in Baltimore, said his department is a model for how to do more with less in government.

"Obviously we have to go in and repair the cuts that were never supposed to take effect, the cuts to education needs to be reversed. But my agency, I reduced my budget by 3 percent this year, it’s a $168 million budget and I’m delivering a better product to people,” Franchot said.