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tute.
Other invited, but unconfirmed, speakers at this time include Speaker Casper
Taylor (D), a member of the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee, and
Delegate Pete Rawlings (D), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
Reservations are required for the program and should be made in writing
to the MTEF. There is no charge for the program, but since MTEF is
a non-profit, non-partisan organization that accepted tax-deductible on |
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gram,
but since MTEF is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that accepted
tax-deductible contributions, any support for the program will be appreciated.
In the aftermath of Terrible Tuesday on September 11, many states are working
on reductions in spending plans for next year as revenues are not coming
in as expected. Maryland spent a great deal of surplus moneys during
the last session of the General Assembly at the request of Governor Glendening. |
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soon.
Picture this. The Board in represented or advised in every case by
the Office of the Attorney General. A former Assistant Attorney General
also represents the Attorney General in the Board case because Joseph Curran
recognizes at least an appearance of impropriety. And Peter Angelos,
who signed a contract in March 1996 that mentions the Code of Professional
Responsibility (now called the Coed of Professional Conduct) twice
in two separate paragraphs, is arguing, in effect, that the Codes does
not apply to him. And the legislature in 1998 passed a law saying
that Angelos could have a 12.5% legal fee, but it was subject to the Court's
review under Rule 1.5.
Decide for your self the ethics of this situation and whether An gelos
is subject to Rule 1.5.
The $1.1 Billion in legal fees |
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that
Peter Angelos and his hired law firm of Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan, and
Silver, LLC are fighting over could be used to fund the needs of tobacco
victims if it were decided that most of the money belonged to the people
of Maryland. Rifkin is a former assistant to the Governor of Maryland,
and a lobbyist, while Levitan is the former Senate Budget and Taxation
Committee, who was defeated some time ago, in part, for lobbying for clients
who appeared before his committee.
U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona asked the General Accounting Office
to tell him what the states were doing with the settlements. Here
is what they reported on June 29, 2001 in a 70-page document available
from the GAO as GAO 01-851. Ask your Congressman or woman for a copy.
The GAO report says $205 Bil |
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lion
will be paid over 25 years from the master settlement. Florida, Minnesota,
Mississippi and Texas got their settlement earlier and they are not included,
but they will get $40 Billion over 25 years.
Only $13.5 Billion has been received by 45 states by April 2001.
A third of the states passed laws requiring the funds to supplement state
funds, and two thirds of the states earmarked the money for future use.
Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee established special commissions
to decide how to use the money.
While the money can be used for anything, the Maryland Taxpayers Association,
we note, asked years ago that the money be put in a trust fund to pay for
illness and sickness from tobacco. GAO reported that Maryland dedicated
100% of the money for special purposes. Maryland's money so far has
been |
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