Barbara Mikulski: “I rise with melancholy to pay tribute to a great Marylander who passed away over this weekend, our beloved and endeared…”

“I rise with melancholy to pay tribute to a great Marylander who passed away over this weekend, our beloved and endeared comptroller, Louie Goldstein. Louie, indeed, was a Maryland treasure-- and he was--to the State, and the State treasured him. Like all Marylanders, I will miss Louie Goldstein and mourn his passing. As Maryland's comptroller, he always stood steadfast sentry over the State purse. He helped make sure that the economy was booming, and he fought for the economy of our State. He fought for the State to have a triple- A bond rating. He also was out there absolutely on the side of his constituents. It is hard to believe that the State tax collector was the most popular elected official in the State. This man collected the State taxes for 40 years. And every tax season he would say ``Don't delay. File today.'' He crisscrossed the State often going close to 100,000 miles reaching out to rotaries, senior citizen clubs, and League of Women Voters gatherings always talking about the State's economy, what the tax dollars went for, and he was beloved.”