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The Board of Revenue Estimates consists of

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the Budget Director, an appointee of the Governor; the

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State Treasurer, who is elected by the Legislature; and

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the Comptroller, who is elected by the people. This

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Board is responsible for the estimating of the State's

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Revenues, in accordance with Article Al, Section 194, of

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the Annotated Code of Maryland, 1957 Edition. This Board

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acts as an independent body and its estimates are made

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without reference to the budget requirements for the next

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fiscal year.

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Under our present Constitution, Maryland must

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have a balanced budget and this provision should be con-

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tinued in the new Constitution, as it has proved sound

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for the past fifty years and has kept the State in sound

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financial condition. It would appear obvious that a

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Board of Revenue Estimates, with on independent system of

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revenue estimating, will be necessary under any Constitu-

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tion, but the only way independent estimates can be made

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is to hove people on the Board who are free to exercise

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their own independent judgment and not be influenced by

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the budgetary requirements.