An editorial in today's Carroll County Times praises Comptroller Peter Franchot for his call for fiscal responsibility. The Carroll County Times:

State Comptroller Peter Franchot, in a visit to the Carroll County Times on Tuesday, said the state was in a “fiscal emergency.” This year the state patched budget holes with federal stimulus money, he said, but that money won’t be available next year and our budget problems will be.

“There’s a cliff coming in 2010 and we’re going to drop off it with a thud,” he said.

Franchot said that the state needs to go through its budget department by department in a series of performance audits to make sure that we are spending our tax dollars wisely.

“What are the citizens getting and is it a worthwhile investment,” he said.

Other states have seen cost savings by doing similar audits, and Maryland could see similar results.

“We need a top to bottom scrubbing of state spending,” he said.

The Comptroller is right.

Franchot is doing his part. He's promoting cost saving measures in the Comptroller's office. And, he isn't afraid to assert his independence and speak up against wasteful spending on the Board of Public Works.

Read the full editorial and pass it on to your friends.