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A recent joint evaluation of Maryland's state and local pension retirement benefits plan by the nonpartisan Maryland Public Policy Institute and Calvert Group paints an ugly financial picture for our state's civil servants. Titled "Passing the Buck: Maryland's Unfunded Liabilities for State and Local Retirees," this document raises a red flag regarding the lack of leadership and accountability by Maryland's top leaders.

The Oct. 29 report highlights an unfunded deficit of over $11 billion for the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System. Add an additional $8 to $15 billion for Maryland's non-pension retirement benefit liabilities, and you soon realize that a financial train wreck is fast coming down the track. Local governments like Montgomery and Prince George's counties also have significant retirement shortfalls and will be joining their Annapolis colleagues in the impending pileup. Keep in mind these shortfalls are in addition to Maryland's growing state and local budget deficits.

So what are Maryland's top elected and appointed officials doing to rein in spending, improve the state's tax and business base, and create jobs for our citizens, activities which would produce new revenue to pay down these growing pension liabilities? If the public spectacle which took place in Langley Park on Oct. 27 is a sample of what's to come, average citizens will soon be joining Maryland retirees looking for help to make ends meet.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new taxpayer funded, Langley Park headquarters of the illegal [immigrant] support group CASA of Maryland attracted politicians and appointed officials like flies to road kill. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Rep. Donna Edwards, state Del. Sheila Hixon, Attorney General Doug Gansler, Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson and Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett rounded out the dais at this invitation-only, citizens-not-welcome event. From Mikulski on down, each tried to top the other, often in Spanish as to how much taxpayer dollars they could throw CASA's way.

When are Maryland's elected and appointed officials going to stop the waste, fraud and abuse of spending tax dollars on CASA of Maryland and instead focus on the real needs of their citizen constituents?

Brad Botwin of Rockville is director of Help Save Maryland.