Day: January 18, 2012

Disability agency gets more money, plans more programs

After a rocky six months for the Developmental Disabilities Administration, Gov. Martin O’Malley’s fiscal year 2013 budget proposal increases funding by about $31 million and creates a new fund so unspent money will stay in the agency. Health Secretary Joshua Sharfstein and Developmental Disabilities Administration Director Thomas Kirkland sent a letter detailing the agency’s budget initiatives to all members of the General Assembly on Wednesday morning. O’Malley’s proposed budget for FY 2013 is $837 million, a nearly 4% increase over the funds the agency has in the current fiscal year.

Flush tax to double, but delegates question use for other purposes

Doubling the flush tax to $60 a year is one of the revenue increases Gov. Martin O’Malley proposed Wednesday in his fiscal 2013 budget. Revenue from the tax goes into the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund to upgrade sewage treatment plants. Money from septic system users is also used to upgrade some of those systems and pay for cover crops. The new money is needed because the upgrades have cost more than originally estimated.

State Roundup, January 18, 2012

In an attempt to close the $1.1 billion budget gap, Gov. O’Malley is proposing an income tax hike for high-income Marylanders, shifting teacher pension costs to local governments and hiking the flush tax; Lt. Gov. Brown touts Health Enterprise Zones; as state proposes more school construction funding, Montgomery County considers cutting it back while Frederick County says it is ahead of schedule; six elementary school get Blue Ribbon designation; and Anne Arundel Councilman Jones voted out of office by fellow members before prison term begins.

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