Kasemeyer new B&T vice chairman

Howard County senator ascends to job formerly held by P.J. Hogan

Kasemeyer (D-Dist. 12) of Columbia also will take Hogan’s place as chairman of the committee’s education, business and administration subcommittee.

Budget and Taxation should begin meeting in early September to discuss the state’s $1.5 billion budget deficit, Kasemeyer said.

‘‘I want to get us through this thing to find a solution to the budget situation,” he said. ‘‘I hope that will lead to a special session.”

Kasemeyer is ‘‘a consensus builder” with ‘‘an even disposition,” said Miller (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach. ‘‘He’s not a conservative, he’s not a liberal. He’s a very progressive person.”

Budget and Taxation will increase by two members to 15.

Nancy J. King (D-Dist. 39) of Montgomery Village, appointed by Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) to Hogan’s Senate seat last week, will sit on the committee and its education subcommittee.

Added to the committee were Robert A. Zirkin (D-Dist. 11) of Owings Mills and George C. Edwards (R-Dist. 1) of Grantsville.

Zirkin moved from the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee and Edwards from the Finance Committee.

Montgomery County preserved its clout on the powerful panel, thanks to the assignment of King and Rona E. Kramer being tapped as chairwoman of the health and human service subcommittee.

‘‘It keeps Montgomery County in leadership and at the table in all the budget discussions,” said Kramer (D-Dist. 14) of Olney, who is also chairwoman of the pension subcommittee.

J. Robert Hooper (R-Dist. 35) of Street moves to the Finance Committee from the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee.

Miller also named Robert J. Garagiola (D-Dist. 15) of Germantown chairman of the Democratic Caucus. Garagiola is the deputy majority leader.

‘‘Rob is going to be the Chris Van Hollen of the Maryland state Senate,” Miller said, referring to the chairmanship U.S. Rep. Christopher Van Hollen Jr. (D-Dist. 8) of Kensington has of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. ‘‘So Montgomery County is making out very well.”

Zirkin’s move is in response to a call for Baltimore County representation on the Budget and Taxation Committee. While Kasemeyer’s district covers Howard and Baltimore counties, there had been no senator on the committee solely representing Baltimore County.

Zirkin downplayed the geographical significance of his committee assignment.

‘‘From my perspective, the fiscal committees have had and should have more of a statewide perspective than [the members] looking at their own jurisdictions,” he said. ‘‘... I don’t believe Baltimore County has been short-changed in the past.”

‘‘These are difficult times,” Miller said. ‘‘The problems confronting the state all focus around the budget. Each jurisdiction wants some say on the solution.”

Edwards’ appointment responds to a call for more Republican leadership on the committee.

Edwards is a ‘‘fiscal conservative, but he’s a team player from Western Maryland,” Miller said. ‘‘He’s a problem solver.”

Staff Writer Alan Brody contributed to this report.