The Cumberland Times-News Tue Jul 05, 2011, 11:45 PM EDT
Cumberland — CUMBERLAND — While the children of Allegany County have long since forgotten their report cards in the joys of summer, local legislators are only now beginning to receive some of their grades for the 2011 General Assembly Session.
A pro-business group, Maryland Business for Responsive Government, and an environmentalist group, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, released their report cards recently. Most local legislators had strong scores from the business group and scores in the 50 percent range from the environmental group.
Delegate Wendell Beitzel said it’s important to consider the source of the scorecards and the votes chosen as part of the scoring process.
“On the environmental side, there are a lot of issues related to the Chesapeake Bay. Much of that legislation is very detrimental to our end of the state,” Beitzel said.
The conservation organization, which only graded four votes, gave Beitzel a 50 percent score for 2011. He has a 44 percent lifetime score from the league. The higher the percentage, the more often you agreed with the conservation league’s position on the issues.
Legislation the league wanted passed was a law to expand electrical vehicle charging stations and another law that would have held up Marcellus Shale drilling while studies were performed on the environmental impact of drilling.
“I normally run about 50 percent,” said Beitzel, about environmental group scorecards. Beitzel said that not only has he worked in the environmental field, but when he was a county commissioner, Garrett County made its first significant progress in improving air quality in the county.
“You pretty much have to be an avid environmentalist to obtain a high score,” Beitzel said. They pick out pet legislation (to make up the scorecard).”
Delegate Kevin Kelly agreed. He said he didn’t pay much attention to the scorecards and voted for what is right for the people of his district and Western Maryland.
He said the League of Conservation voters opposes Marcellus Shale drilling, and is opposed to the coal industry and would shut down the local paper mill, if they could.
Kelly received a 50 percent rating for 2011 from the conservation organization as well, along with a 40 percent lifetime rating. Delegate LeRoy Myers received a 25 percent rating for 2011 and a 21 percent lifetime rating. Sen. George Edwards received a 50 percent rating for 2011 and has a 32 percent lifetime rating.
Kelly said he’s been endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce and business organizations over the years, as well as labor groups.
“Business creates jobs, but I have a great deal of empathy for the working people,” Kelly said. “I’ve always taken the position that I’m a moderate,” Kelly said
Maryland Business for Responsive Government describes itself on its website as “a statewide, nonpartisan, political research and education organization that works to improve Maryland’s business climate.” It’s co-chairman are former Gov. Marvin Mandel and former Republican gubernatorial candidate Ellen Sauerbrey.
The business group gave most local legislators much higher scores than the conservation group. Edwards received a 100 percent vote for 2011. He was graded for 14 Senate votes. House members were graded for 16 votes. Beitzel received an 82 percent score for 2011 and a cumulative score of 78 percent. Kelly received a 55 percent score for 2011 and a cumulative score fo 65 percent. Myers received a 100 percent score for 2011 and a cumulative score of 85 percent for his votes over the years.
Among the legislation graded by the business group was legislation that would have limited the use of credit checks in employment applications. The business group wanted a vote against the bill.
Beitzel wasn’t surprised his score on the business side was higher.
“I tend to strongly support free enterprise,” Beitzel said. The report cards can be misleading, Beitzel said.
“I do think that they’re mostly special interest groups,” Beitzel said. They look at four or six out of thousands of votes over the years, he said. “Every one of them brings their slant,” said Kelly.
The website of Maryland Business for Responsive Government is http://www.mbrg. org/.
The website of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters is http://www.mdlcv.org/.
The Maryland State Education Association has also released a scorecard at http://www.marylandeducators.org/detail.aspx?id=2753.
Contact Matthew Bieniek at mbieniek@times-news.com
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