WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor                        S.B. 583

the Commission for certain purposes; subjecting the Chairman and the Executive
Director of the Commission to a certain legislative call; requiring the Commission to
submit a certain report containing certain recommendations; providing for the
termination of the existence of the Commission on a certain date; specifying a rule
of construction for this Act; defining certain terms; providing for a delayed effective
date; and generally relating to the Efficiency 2000 Commission.

BY adding to

Article - State Government

Section 9-1801 through 9-1812, inclusive, to be under the new subtitle "Subtitle 18.

Efficiency 2000 Commission"                                     

Annotated Code of Maryland
(1993 Replacement Volume and 1993 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS, The General Assembly has a responsibility to review the structure and
functions of State government when the people expect it and the availability of financial
resources demand it; and

WHEREAS, Maryland, like many other states, has been impacted by a national
economic recession requiring State lawmakers to reduce State spending - through
program elimination, reduction of entitlements, employee layoffs, and termination of
local aid programs - by a cumulative amount of $2.1 billion during fiscal years 1991
through 1993; and

WHEREAS, State lawmakers concluded that reductions in State spending alone
could not solve Maryland's fiscal dilemma in the face of the lingering recession and that
revenue enhancements, primarily increased taxes, were in order for Maryland to comply
with its constitutional mandate for an annual balanced budget, to maintain its coveted
triple A bond credit rating, and to continue essential government services; and

WHEREAS, The national economy has not significantly improved and State
lawmakers see escalating caseloads, litigation, court orders, unfunded federal mandates,
and other mandated expenditures continuing to fuel spiraling demands on scarce
financial resources to the point of creating a structural imbalance; and

WHEREAS, This structural imbalance is forecasted throughout the balance of the
decade inasmuch as projected expenditures will outpace projected revenues by an
estimated 2-3%, which translates into an annual deficit of at least $120 million; and

WHEREAS, The State of Maryland simply can no longer afford to conduct
governmental business as usual and must expeditiously devise innovative, businesslike
solutions to maintain fiscal solvency; and

WHEREAS, The Efficiency 2000 Commission will be charged with this task through
a strengthened public/private partnership that is responsible for assessing, not regulating,
current government policies and practices and advising the public and the public's elected
officials on how to make government more responsive and accountable to the fiscal
realities of the 1990's; and

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