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[Delegate   Burns*   Thank   you   for   that   very   informative   presentation. Our  African   American   representation   is   so   small   as   it  relates  to tourism.     T  would  like to  see how we can  increase the budget probably  as   one   of our  recommendations      You   did  mention   that  you asked   for  a  percentage   or  a  representative  portion   of funds   for tourism   with   an   African   American   focus   and  that  their  response   was "no.,"   hut  what  did  they   say  in   particular?]
Well  they tried to document about  12.5% allocated in this  direction. However, I  documented about 7% and I reviewed their annual allocations for the last four years.    I can only count 7% of what they spent.    Now what they are saying is that they have to ask the Maryland General Assembly for more money.    So I think that is what is going to happen in January of 2000.    They are going to ask for funding   for the  tourism  piece.
[Senator  Blount:   My  colleagues  here  know  that  the  budget  involves  a difficult  process      The  Governor  makes   the  budget;   we  react  to   the budget.     The  first  step  is  to  get  to  the Governor and  say that  you want money  for tourism  and give all  of the good reasons  why.     First the   economic   good   reasons.]