Day: March 11, 2011

Blog: O’Malley continues to press for septic system restrictions

Gov. Martin O’Malley continues to press for septic system restrictions, despite continuing opposition from rural areas and the suggestion from the House committee chair that he first create a task force to study the idea.

O’Malley personally testified on his bill to House and Senate committees Friday, and he has already suggested amendments to the legislation to make it more palatable to the farm community.

With votes in question, House sends same-sex marriage bill back to committee

With votes in question, House sends same-sex marriage bill back to committee

Without enough supporters in the House of Delegates to guarantee its passage on Friday, the same-sex marriage bill was sent back to the Judiciary Committee, and the issue will not be picked up again in 2011, according to House leaders and backers of the bill.

After the issue passed the Senate last month, same-sex marriage supporters thought that the bill would easily sail through the House of Delegates to passage. However, the solid support thought to exist in the House evaporated as committee hearings began, with co-sponsors waffling on their support. The committee sent the bill to the House floor on a razor-thin vote.

State Roundup, March 11, 2011

Same-sex marriage may not be facing its final test today, as a last-minute “friendly amendment” may force the bill back to the Senate if it passes; House Republicans try to emulate Montgomery County pensions; millionaires’ tax may be back for good; school aid a budgetary sticking point; House passes bill making cell phone use while driving a primary offense.

Progressive, nonprofits push for permanent “millionaires’ tax”

Several tax watchdogs and policy analysts concerned about the state of Maryland’s economy and buoyed by a new report urged delegates to revisit a just-expired method of raising more money — extending the tax surcharge on millionaires.

Enacted in 2008, the “millionaires’ tax” taxes all net income above $1 million at a rate of 6.25%. The base tax rate for everything less than $1 million is 5.5%. The surcharge passed in 2008 to replace the sales tax on computer services was to last only three years, expiring at the end of 2010.

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