Franchot Blog

Yesterday, Comptroller Peter Franchot toured the Upper Shore Mental Health Center. He was impressed. The Star-Democrat:

"I'm very impressed by the physical plant and the employees. You can tell a lot about the spirit of a place when you walk in," said Franchot.

"This is a bipartisan issue and it affects the whole Eastern Shore," he added. "It's clear we need a robust state facility combined with community practitioners. I think we need both."

Comptroller Franchot would support a move to reconsider the August Board of Public Works that ordered the facility shut down.

Today, Comptroller Peter Franchot reminded taxpayers that the deadline for the state’s tax amnesty, October 30, is exactly one week from today.

Since the amnesty program began on September 1, 2009, his office has received more than 3,000 applications and approximately $5.3 million in back taxes and interest. By this same time during the 2001 tax amnesty period, the Comptroller’s office had received more than 6,200 applications and nearly $7.3 million. The 2001 campaign collected a total of $39.4 million overall. Comptroller Franchot:

Maryland taxpayers should have no expectation that amnesty will be offered again. I urge delinquent taxpayers to come forward and take advantage of this limited opportunity.

This year’s tax amnesty gives delinquent taxpayers a final opportunity to pay their Maryland tax liability with only one half of the interest owed and no civil penalties or fear of criminal prosecution. Previously assessed fraud penalties will not be waived. Taxpayers who fail to take advantage of this amnesty period face fines and possible jail sentences if they have not reported, paid, or under reported their tax liabilities prior to December 31, 2008.

To obtain a tax amnesty application, learn more about the amnesty and get other tax forms, visit www.marylandtaxes.com or call 410-260-7980 from central Maryland, or 1-800-MD-TAXES from elsewhere.

On Monday morning, Comptroller Peter Franchot will visit the U pper Shore Community Mental Health Center. The center is set to close due to budget cuts.

Two weeks ago, Franchot said that the Board of Public Works should "take another look" at the closure. Franchot:

Maybe this is something we should take a step back from and see whether there's another budget option. I'm not sure we did the right thing.

Franchot will be joined by fellow BPW Member, Treasurer Nancy Kopp, for Monday's tour.

If there's one thing our nation's economic crisis has taught us, it's that far too many people lack the basic knowledge necessary to make sound and responsible financial decisions.

If more Marylanders understood the importance of living within a budget, maintaining good credit and saving for the future, fewer of us would be experiencing serious financial problems today.

The principles of financial literacy are essential building blocks to a lifetime of economic security, and are every bit as vital to a good education as reading, writing and math. Financial literacy needs to be taught in our schools.

Today at the Board of Public Works, we were joined by Dr. Charlene Dukes, Vice-President of the Maryland State Board of Education. I welcomed her to our meeting and discussed the need to teach financial literacy in our public schools. Watch the video!

For too long, we have lived beyond our means. We bought homes we couldn't afford. We maxed out our credit cards. And, we drained our home equity to buy things that we really didn't need.

Now is the time for responsibility. We, as a state, need to make sure that our young people understand the value of money.

I've publicly endorsed a standalone financial literacy course as a Maryland high school graduation requirement, and am now in the process of visiting those school systems that already have those course requirements in place.

Let's make it a reality in Maryland. Watch the video and pass it along to your friends.

Thanks for your time and commitment to building a better Maryland.

Speaking before the Central Baltimore County Democratic Club, Comptroller Peter Franchot discussed the need for fiscal responsibility. He called on Democrats to embrace the mantra "better performance, better results, less money." ExploreBaltimoreCounty.com reports:

Comptroller Peter Franchot came to Towson last week, preaching the gospel of penny-pinching in a place even he seemed to think was a bit odd — a Democratic club meeting.

Franchot spoke to about 50 attendees of the Central Baltimore County Democratic Club last Tuesday and compared the economy to a blizzard.

“The snow has stopped falling, but there’s 10 feet outside and it’s going to take a while to dig out,” Franchot said, adding that the possibility of new taxes to support state spending is slim to none until the economy rebounds.

“As Democrats, we have to reform state spending,” Franchot said. “A lot of Democrats look at me like, ‘What’s that?’ Like they took an oath to defend every last dime of spending in public programs...”

Franchot said less spending is unavoidable because “the economic calamity has changed consumer spending habits,” resulting in less tax revenue for the foreseeable future.

“We simply have to accommodate it because there’s no way to change it,” Franchot said.

In addition to a projected $2 billion budget shortfall for the 2011 budget year, Franchot said ongoing expenses paid for with one-time federal stimulus money will increase pressure on the state budget.

“We’re going to have big problems with that,” Franchot warned...

ranchot said Democrats need to embrace a new mindset.

“Better performance, better results, less money,” Franchot said. “There’s nothing wrong with that. We’re not talking about a heavy-handed, thoughtless approach (to the budget). We’re not like that.

“This idea that successful programs are defined by Democrats as spending money is just wrong. We can learn to live within our means, pinch pennies and learn to like the private sector.”

Peter Franchot tells it like it is. We have big problems in this state that aren't going to get better anytime soon. Now, more than ever... we need fiscally responsible leadership in Annapolis.

Comptroller Peter Franchot is a straight shooter. He told CNHI News Service:

This is the situation the state of Maryland finds itself in.

“We’re essentially broke. We’re broke,” said Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot.

Now somewhere in what’s left, the Board of Public Works must identify ways the state can get by with less.

While the reality is certainly harsh, it's refreshing to hear politicians telling the straight truth and not sugar coating it.

In a column in today's Gazette, Laslo Boyd speaks to the strength and smarts of Comptroller Peter Franchot. Boyd:

From facing a serious and well-financed primary challenge a few months ago, Franchot now looks like he won't have any significant opposition in either the primary or the general election in 2010.

That reversal of political fortune was not merely a matter of luck. Franchot has traveled relentlessly since being elected and has carved out a public role that would have made him hard to beat even if Smith had stayed in the race. But the change of electoral prospects isn't the biggest transformation concerning Peter Franchot...

The comptroller told me about immersing himself in the details of his job, poring over the agenda of the Board of Public Works in order to save the taxpayers from wasteful state spending, and putting in time on the less glamorous duties of the office such as serving on the state pension board. And he keeps traveling around the state, having just returned from a visit to Garrett County.

In September, Franchot filed to run for another term as comptroller, thereby squelching those rumors that he might try to challenge O'Malley for governor in 2010. And with the path apparently cleared for a relatively easy re-election next year, it seems like all the drama has gone out of Peter Franchot's political life.

But unless your mind runs toward alien abductions, there's something wrong with that conclusion. Peter Franchot is and always has been a smart and ambitious politician. After his side was beaten in the slots referendum and he found himself on the outs with all of the other Democratic leaders in the state, he made some major adjustments. He lowered his public profile, stopped commenting on every issue under the political sun, and began to focus on those activities that everyone agreed were in the job description of the comptroller.

Peter Franchot is focused on doing his job and serving Maryland to the best of his ability. He is well positioned to win in 2010 because Marylanders appreciate his fiscal responsibility and political independence.

Due to predictions of a wintry mix in Baltimore, this Sunday's Franchot Family Fun Day is POSTPONED. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Last Saturday's Franchot Family Fun Day at Smokey Glen in Gaithersburg was a great success. Check out some photos from the event, and, don't forget to RSVP for this Sunday's Franchot Family Fun Day in Oregon Ridge!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

This Sunday, October 18th is the final Franchot Family Fun Day at Oregon Ridge in Cockeysville. The event kicks off at 1 pm and concludes at 4 pm. There will be good food, good friends, drinks, a moon bounce, face painting, balloons, music and much more!

I hope you can join us. There's still time to register, but spots are filling quickly. Don't wait - get your tickets now before they run out!

GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE FRANCHOT FAMILY FUN DAY AT OREGON RIDGE!

Last weekend's Franchot Family Fun Day in Gaithersburg was a blast. There was a great crowd and people really enjoyed themselves. Let's make this Sunday's gathering even bigger and better than last weekend's event. Please, get your tickets now.

GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE FRANCHOT FAMILY FUN DAY AT OREGON RIDGE!

I hope to see you this weekend!