Maryland: A 1 percenter's view

I was born in Baltimore County, raised in Prince George's County, attended public schools in Prince George's, matriculated from the University of Maryland College Park, and received an MBA from Mount Saint Mary's College. I have worked my entire career, approaching 30 years, within the state, dutifully paying my share of state income and personal property taxes.

And while some would tell me I am in the "1 percent," I know that I am only in that rarefied air as long as I am working. I have no pension to speak of, having had it terminated by my employer. All I have is my savings — savings based on sacrifices made by me and my family over my lifetime. And it occurs to me that I sacrifice and save to ensure a secure financial future for me and my wife. And yes, I feel entitled to pass something down to my children.

And yet if I should die early, the state feels it is due an oppressive and excessive additional "death tax" to further its ravenous and unbounded appetite for spending.

So I headed to the polls Tuesday with this in mind, sadly followed with the thought of how quickly I can establish residence in a state with a far more reasonable spending and tax outlook.

We tout our great school system, yet we establish policies which force our most successful to plan exit strategies to more desirable states. Is this really what you want?

Jeff Rogers