REVENUE PROJECTIONS DROP: Maryland officials on Wednesday lowered projections of state tax revenue for this year and next by a combined $405 million, blaming an economy that is still recovering at a more sluggish pace than expected, John Wagner is reporting in the Post.
- Five years after the official end of the recession, Maryland continues to confront fiscal trouble, reports Michael Dresser for the Sun. This latest shortfall will force Gov. Martin O’Malley’s administration and the General Assembly to make deeper cuts than previously expected to balance the state’s roughly $40 billion budget.
- The state has about $177 million less than expected for the current fiscal year, which began in July. The state’s Board of Public Works cut about $83 million from the budget at the start of the fiscal year, an action that helps keep Maryland’s budget in balance even after Thursday’s revision, according to a report in the Daily Record.
FBI HQ DEBATE: A 62-acre site in Greenbelt is one of three vying to become the new FBI headquarters, but some residents think Greenbelt may not be the best site, Jamie Anfenson-Comeau of the Gazette writes.
CARDIN PRESSES AGAINST PROFILING: U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin has joined a coalition of civil rights groups in pressing the Obama administration to finish a years-old review of its guidance on racial profiling, an effort supporters say should be a priority following this summer’s upheaval in Ferguson, Mo., writs John Fritze for the Sun.
ELECTION? WHAT ELECTION? Many of those running for office said they are having a hard time just reminding voters there is an election on Nov. 4. Nick D’Adamo is one of those candidates, according to a story at WMAR-TV. The Democrat is running for House of Delegates in District 6, which includes much of Eastern Baltimore County including Dundalk and Essex. D’Adamo said he has had to work as hard as ever to inform voters about the election.
GOV. DEBATE SET: With three debates now set between Maryland’s major-party contenders for governor, Ken Ulman, the No. 2 candidate on the Democratic ticket, on Wednesday challenged his Republican counterpart to their own face-off. Boyd Rutherford immediately accepted, report John Wagner in the Post.
- “I look forward to debating Ken on the challenges facing Maryland’s struggling families, retirees and employers,” Rutherford said in a statement, quoted by Erin Cox in the Sun.
FINANCE COMPLAINT RESOLUTIONS: State election officials are scheduled to rule Thursday on the first of three campaign finance violation complaints filed in the contentious race for governor, but the two most serious complaints won’t likely be resolved till after the election, reports Glynis Kazanjian for MarylandReporter.com.
BROWN PLAYS IT SAFE: When Anthony Brown does hit the campaign trail, he talks mostly about building on the accomplishments of his boss, outgoing Gov. Martin O’Malley. Rather than put forward a bold new agenda, he talks about how wonderful Maryland has become under O’Malley’s leadership, and he says he wants to build an even “better Maryland for more Marylanders.” Jenna Johnson of the Post writes about how Brown is playing it safe on the campaign trail.
HOGAN FOR BIRTH CONTROL: In the controversy over Larry Hogan’s stand concerning birth control, John Wagner of the Post does a fact-check: Hogan spokesman Adam Dubitsky said Wednesday that whatever Hogan’s position was as a young candidate for Congress, “Larry (now) supports unfettered access to birth control.” Dubitsky said, “What a 20-something-year-old might have said 33 years ago during the Reagan administration isn’t relevant to this campaign.”
D-32 REPUBLICANS HOPE TO UNSEAT INCUMBENTS: Tim Walters said Maryland Democrats have overtaxed and overspent but have managed to hold onto one of the longest-running, one-party majorities in America, reports Brandi Bottalico in the Annapolis Capital. Sitting in his Linthicum home with Republican running mates Mark Angell and Joe Fioravante, Walters said it’s time for a change in District 32. They want voters to deny new terms for longtime incumbent Dels. Pam Beidle and Ted Sophocleus, and reject Mark Chang‘s bid to replace Mary Ann Love as the district’s third Democrat.
BONGINO’S UPHILL, UPBEAT FIGHT: Dan Bongino knows that a Republican running for Congress in Maryland has an uphill battle, but it’s one he believes must be fought, writes Peggy McEwan for the Gazette. He is also 100% confident he will win, he said. Bongino, 39, is challenging the one-term Democratic incumbent, John Delaney of Potomac, in the 6th District.
DELANEY AIRS AD: Democratic Rep. John Delaney is airing the first general election television ad in his bid for a second term, focusing on a bipartisan infrastructure bill that has become his signature legislative effort, writes John Fritze for the Sun.
RUNNING FICKERS: Since May 2013, Robin Ficker has knocked on the doors of thousands of homes in Montgomery’s upcounty to gather the thoughts and concerns of the residents who live there. They comprise a voice Ficker said is missing in the current state legislature and it’s something he hopes to change. Jenn Davis of the Gazette writes that Ficker, a 71-year-old Republican from Boyds, is making a run for the District 15 Senate seat. His son, Flynn Ficker, is running for a delegate seat in the same district and together they have formed a slate.
SCHUH WANTS $18 M TAX CUT PLAN: Republican Anne Arundel County executive candidate Steve Schuh wants to return $18 million to property owners in a tax cut plan to keep consumers in Anne Arundel County. But, reports Rema Rahman for the Annapolis Capital, his Democratic opponent George Johnson calls Schuh’s plan unrealistic and says it would leave county services “decimated.”
ADS LAUNCHED IN HO CO EXEC: With less than two months to go until the general election, Howard County voters have been hearing a lot lately from both county executive candidates. Early this week, each campaign released a new TV ad, reports Amanda Yeager for the Sun.
PG REFERENDUMS: Prince George’s County voters will weigh in on a number of referendum questions, including the number of terms for top officials and who should succeed the county executive if the position becomes vacant, Jamie Anfenson-Comeau reports for the Gazette.
PG DEM PANEL SPLIT ON ISSUES: The raucous meeting of the Prince George’s County Central Committee that ensued late Tuesday revealed more internal turmoil in a political committee struggling to preserve its independence amid pressure from party leaders to rally behind such causes as extending term limits and endorsing school board candidates. Some on the committee do not support these initiatives, and some think the committee should not take a position, writes Arelis Hernandez for the Post.
MoCo PARTIES FEUD ON DEBATES: Less than 45 days remain before the Nov. 6 election and some Montgomery County Republican candidates say their Democratic opponents are refusing to engage them in debates or forums. However, Democrats say that is not the case, but rather that the GOP has tried to schedule the events without coordinating dates and times that suit all candidates, giving them little choice but to decline, writes Kate Alexander for the Gazette.
***Historic Ellicott City’s 29th Annual Decorator Show House is at Meriweather Farm, a stately stone manor home on 110 scenic acres at 14944 Roxbury Road in Glenelg. Open from through Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and from noon to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays (closed Mondays and doors close one hour before the end time). For this annual fundraising event, this 5,757-square-foot historic manor house has been transformed by over a dozen interior designers. Tickets for the Show House are $20 in advance and $25 at the door and are available for purchase at http://historicec.com/meriwether-farm-circa-1805/ or by calling 410-461-6908. Lunch is also available.***
Recent Comments