Leaving the legislature, part 1: Murray Levy
By Len Lazarick
Len@MarylandReporter.com
Once in office, few Maryland legislators leave of their own volition. Health problems, ambition for a higher station or angry voters sometimes drive them out, but with no term limits, many stay five, six or seven four-year terms.
So when a few of the more respected lawmakers pack it in, it’s worth a conversation. I spoke with three of them as the legislative session wound down this year.
Monday, we hear from Del. Murray Levy, the Charles County Democrat, and Tuesday from Sen. Lowell Stoltzfus, the former Republican leader representing the Lower Shore. On Wednesday, we have a short take from Del. Bill Bronrott, a Bethesda Democrat, going off to a federal appointment.
They are departing with the praise of colleagues and lobbyists, and with their reputations intact.
“I’ve been in public office for 24 years,” Levy said. “It’s time for me to go.”
Before Levy landed in the legislature six years ago to fill a vacant seat, he had a long tenure in local government. Levy worked as finance director of Charles County, president of its Board of Commissioners for 10 years and president of the Maryland Association of Counties.
As vice-chair of an Appropriations subcommittee – and part of off-the-record briefings on the budget process -- he was a lawmaker that reporters could go to when they were looking for the straight skinny on budget issues.
“It’s very important for people to understand what’s going on and why you pick the things that you’re going to do,” Levy said. “Elected officials underestimate the value to doing it the right way. Do it the right way and people will see that.”
People are rightfully concerned with the finances of the country, the state and their own households, he believes. “They see a lot of spin as opposed to solutions.”
One of the Assembly’s acknowledged experts on pensions and the $17 billion gap in funding to pay for them, Levy called for quick action.
“Every day of delay is a day of extra costs,” he said, but added that the problems can be fixed, and Maryland has the time to do it.
Levy said he fully understands why solutions to this and other major budget problems were put off in this election year.
“I don’t think you should expect anything other than that,” he said. As an elected official, “you’re supposed to think about the election."
If there’s “hard medicine” to be applied – benefit cuts or tax increases – voters need a chance to digest it.
“They need time to see it work,” he said.
The last three years has been “just a lousy hand of cards to play,” for the governor and the legislature.
“Essentially the spending has been flat and the revenue has dropped 20 percent.”
He likes to quote State Treasurer Nancy Kopp, who has said, “We can afford anything, but we can’t afford everything.”
He thinks the state was right to pump billions more into public schools over the past several years, allowing local systems to reduce class size and hire more qualified teachers. Test scores are up throughout the state, he said. “At least we got our money’s worth.”
He was reluctant to give advice to legislators who will follow, but Levy said: “It’s easy to lose your way up here… This is a very intoxicating, high power environment,” with people massaging your ego to get your vote.
“Never, never forget who put you here,” he said. “If you never lose sight of that, the worst you can do is lose an election, but you’ll never lose your integrity.”