Day: January 25, 2010

State could lose revenues in multi-state tax compact

by | Jan 25, 2010 | ,

Maryland would forgo millions of dollars in tax revenue if it joined a 23-state compact aimed at collecting sales tax from “remote sellers” like Amazon.com, according to a report issued to lawmakers.

The report from Comptroller Peter Franchot’s office said the state would be short by up to $66.3 million next year if it adopted a “streamlined sales tax” standard.

Maryland has been waiting on federal action before it changes the way it collects the sales tax, largely because states can’t uniformly charge tax on Internet and mail-order transactions without a broad legal authorization by Congress.

Community colleges take budget hit

by | Jan 25, 2010 | ,

The amount of direct aid that Maryland sends to its local community colleges is set to take a hit under Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposed budget, as increased employee benefits costs eat into program assistance.

Analysis: Legislative transparency gains steam, but obstacles remain

by | Jan 25, 2010 | ,

You may soon find General Assembly committee votes online and maybe even watch or listen to Webcasts of these crucial voting sessions, which decide life or death for every bill.

The push for relatively inexpensive good government measures is especially attractive this year when there is no money to spend on new programs.

But the move to greater openness and accountability in Annapolis is not without its partisan bumps.

Podcast: Assembly whiter, more masculine than Md. population

by | Jan 25, 2010 |

The 188 legislators at the State House represent more than 5.5 million citizens from across the Maryland, yet the makeup of the General Assembly doesn’t completely reflect the state’s population. It’s a lot older, whiter and more male than the state.

According to 2000 Census data, persons 60 and older compose about 15 percent of the state’s population. However, two and a half times that proportion of the legislature (38 percent) is 60 years old or older.

Support Our Work!

We depend on your support. A generous gift in any amount helps us continue to bring you this service.

Twitter

Facebook