Leadership honor goes to Maryland senate president.

The first William M. Bulger Excellence in State Legislative Leadership Award goes to Maryland's longest serving Senate president, Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. A gala black tie dinner in his honor is slated for April 24 at the University of Maryland in College Park.

The award was established to honor William M. Bulger who served as president of the Massachusetts State Senate for 18 years and is now president of the University of Massachusetts. It will be bestowed every two years on a state legislative leader who has worked to preserve and build public trust in the legislative institution and can be cited for his or her leadership, courage and ethics.

Senator Miller is noted for his ability to avoid partisan disputes and gridlock in his chamber and to keep his ever-changing membership in harmony. He was, in fact, nominated by a Republican colleague.

The Senate president is a consensus builder and statesman who encourages others to adopt a statewide perspective. Under his leadership, Maryland withstood a deep economic recession without losing its coveted Triple A bond rating. The long-time Senate president (now in his 12th year) led efforts to increase taxes in difficult economic times, reduce business taxes and, for the first time in 30 years, reduce the state's personal income tax. During Miller's tenure, Maryland reformed its higher education system, enacted progressive and well-balanced environmental policies, adopted...