Grilled bureaucrats with a side order of roasted contractors is slated for the menu at Wednesday’s Board of Public Works meeting. The governor, treasurer and comptroller are all expected to turn up the heat over a flawed $37 million contract awarded Jan. 7 for inmate food services in Baltimore.
Lawmakers lined up along the walls of the Governor’s Reception Room, waiting to stand behind Gov. Larry Hogan as bills they’ve poured their hearts into the past 90-days were signed into law Tuesday morning.
Perhaps the most eager of these legislators were the new kids on the block, first-year legislators that made up the largest freshmen class to occupy the State House in 20 years.
Reacting to their first session, new delegates reflected on their accomplishments, struggles and future plans.
What began with bipartisan pledges in the General Assembly ended Monday night with bad blood between Republican Gov. Hogan and a Democratic-controlled legislature over a passed budget that Hogan could still make some changes to; repeal of stormwater fees to go to Hogan’s desk; liability cap raised for governments big and small; yearlong wait for simple divorces now replaced with settlements; Uber’s commercial ride-sharing gets General Assembly OK; crude oil shipments won’t be studied, but what to do about Crownsville Hospital will; Moseley Braun backs Edwards to take Mikulski’s Senate seat; and Cummings says he’s leading in poll for Mikulski’s seat but is undecided on a run.
Gov. Larry Hogan and the Maryland legislature were so near, but yet so far. Hogan had preached bipartisanship since his election, but he ultimately rejected compromises he had initially favored.
A lone legislator let his disapproval rain down on House delegates the last night of session, as the Watershed Protection bill passed with only Del. Richard Impallaria opposed against 138 members.
“There are people who believe that what we are doing is repealing the rain tax,” said Del. Richard Impallaria, R-Baltimore and Harford. “They are still going to get a rain tax bill, every single year.”
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