Mr. Jealous must insist that the truly affluent pay higher taxes to pay for these essential government services. He should point out that increases in top marginal tax rates might not be necessary but for the fact that Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley and Democratic legislators approved annual hikes in the amount of each estate that is exempt from state taxes. These hikes led directly to large cuts in the taxes paid by heirs to large estates while forcing local jurisdictions to raise assessments against middle-class property owners to cover the shortfall. Mr. Jealous must also be willing to call out Democratic executives who have vetoed minimum wage hikes —including Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett.