Martin Austermuhle
It seems that the governor of our oft-neglected neighbor to the north — the first Republican governor Maryland has had in 36 years — is having little luck in shaping state politics these days. Recent legislative moves in the state’s Democratic-controlled General Assembly have pushed progressive causes that favor labor over industry and may force Gov. Robert Ehrlich into the uncomfortable position of using his veto power — and possibly having it overriden.
The Baltimore Sun reported yesterday that the Maryland Senate voted to increase the state’s minimum wage by $1 to $6.15 an hour, a change that would take effect on Oct. 1 and affect 62,000 Marylanders. The measure was opposed by all the Senate’s Republicans, two conservative Democrats, and the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. Similarly, the General Assembly endorsed a law that would force employers with more than 10,000 employees in the state — currently only Wal-Mart — to dedicate 8 percent of their payroll to health insurance.
