Day: February 10, 2010

Taxes proposed to pay for pension shortfall

A bill that would attempt to bring the state’s employee pension fund into balance is getting plaudits for its aim, but was panned Tuesday for its plan to pay the cost using two controversial tax proposals.

Del. Roger Manno, D-Montgomery, presented a proposal to the House Appropriations Committee, which would use an extension of the state tax surcharge for incomes above $1 million and a controversial corporate tax proposal known as combined reporting.

Unseen firearms legislation stirs gun-owner concern

Gun rights advocates were upset about a bill strengthening state gun-control laws even before anyone had seen the legislation introduced Tuesday.

Sen. Brian Frosh, D-Montgomery, Senate sponsor of the bill, called the it “comprehensive” in scope. It includes a requirement for gun license applicants to provide fingerprints to the Maryland State Police for a background check.

House rejects own pay hike, but GOP says amendment blocked

The House of Delegates Wednesday rejected a $2,000 pay raise for themselves in a preliminary vote, but they never got a say on one Republican’s proposal to cut back their pensions.

“They didn’t want a public debate on that amendment,” House Minority Leader Tony O’Donnell, R-Calvert and St. Mary’s, charged in an interview.

Montana v. Maryland: Aside from the wind and snow, how do the legislatures compare?

I woke Tuesday morning and thought I was in my home state of Montana. The wind and snow made me flashback to last year at this time when I was reporting on the Montana state legislature.

It’s a place where party caucus meetings are public, floor sessions can be watched live online and floor votes are a mouse click away. When I started covering the State House in Maryland I knew things would be different, but I didn’t expect it to be this different.

State Roundup 2-10-2010

The snow coverage continues, as the region gets hit with another (not quite as) big storm. We also have tiffs over bond bills and budget debates, and the illegal immigration debate rears its head in Annapolis again. "SNOVERKILL": The state geared up yesterday for a...

Analysis: Snow job: Complaints mount as drifts pile up

Gov. Martin O’Malley on Tuesday was collecting thank-you notes to “winter heroes” – more than 2,700 state workers helping to keep the roads open.
But other state officials were tossing snowballs at municipal leaders, the State Highway Administration and the Pepco electric company.

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