Goldwater steps down, leaving second seat open

Retirement means more shuffling for Montgomery delegation

It also comes when lawmakers are pondering fiscal moves that would balance a state budget that has a $1.5 billion gap between spending and revenue.

Goldwater (D-Dist. 16) of Bethesda served more than two decades in Annapolis. She is the vice chairwoman of the Health and Government Operations Committee, a spot that is now up for grabs.

‘‘I’m very sad to leave, but one has to know when to say goodbye,” Goldwater said Wednesday. ‘‘I hope that I’ve made a contribution that has helped people, and now it’s time to let other people do the job.”

Goldwater, 80, said she wanted to spend more time at home with her family. Her health is ‘‘good,” she said, ‘‘considering what I have.”

During the last year’s campaign, Goldwater denied that health problems would force her to resign. She suffers from a blood cancer, multiple myeloma, which attacks the immune system.

Observers raised questions about her attendance record during the 2006 session. Goldwater attended less than 20 percent of workdays during this year’s 90-day legislative session. She said her absences and her illness were not connected.

In 2006, she rejected speculation that if she won re-election, she would have to resign and have the Democratic Central Committee choose her successor.

Goldwater’s colleagues reacted to her announcement with a chorus of melancholy.

‘‘She was a trailblazer,” said Del. Susan C. Lee (D-Dist. 16) of Bethesda. ‘‘She became the advocate and the most knowledgeable one on health care” in the delegation.

‘‘She was a senior delegate with a lot of experience, in a key position,” Sen. Brian E. Frosh said. ‘‘I’m sad that it’s the end of an era.”

Frosh (D-Dist. 16) of Bethesda said he doubts the shuffling of county lawmakers in the wake of Hogan’s and Goldwater’s departures will detract from the county’s clout in Annapolis. ‘‘But it’s always a loss when a veteran legislator retires,” he said.

Health and Government Operations Chairman Peter A. Hammen (D-Dist. 46) of Baltimore said he will confer with House Speaker Michael E. Busch and ‘‘will be talking to all the chairs and vice chairs” of other committees to decide on Goldwater’s successor on the committee.

One former Montgomery County delegate said she was optimistic about the county’s prospects for holding on to committee leadership in Annapolis.

‘‘I think we can hope that Speaker Busch would select another Montgomery County delegate for this position, or if any others arise,” Cheryl C. Kagan said.

None of the HGO’s five subcommittee chairmen — logical picks to fill her seat — is from Montgomery County.

Goldwater’s colleagues said her career as a nurse gave her an authoritative voice on HGO, but her absences during the last session left a hole in its policy-making fabric.

‘‘We really missed her in her capacity as a vice chair of the committee. She’s been a fundamental part of the policy-development over the years,” said Del. Richard B. Weldon Jr. (R-Dist. 3B) of Brunswick.

The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee on Sept. 11 will forward nominees to succeed Goldwater to Gov. Martin O’Malley (D). Hogan’s successor will be nominated on Tuesday. Those appointments, voted on by the MCDCC’s 23 members, are subject to gubernatorial approval within 15 days.

‘‘We’ll look forward to filling [Goldwater’s] seat once he receives the nomination,” said Rick Abbruzzese of his boss, Gov. Martin O’Malley (D). Asked if O’Malley would prefer to choose from multiple nominees for each open seat, Abbruzzese said the governor will ‘‘take whatever he gets.”

With all three of District 39’s delegates vying to replace Hogan in the Senate, there could be yet more shuffling in the county’s representation. If a sitting delegate wins the Senate appointment, the resulting vacancy would also be filled by the Central Committee.

Kagan and others pointed out that one-tenth of the county Annapolis delegation could effectively be chosen by a majority vote of the Central Committee — or 12 people.

‘‘These legislators will not have been elected, but selected,” Kagan said. ‘‘I think it raises questions about the fairness of the process.”