Len@MarylandReporter.com

Del. Michael Smigiel speaks against budget.

The action on the budget and tax hikes was all over but the shouting by Republicans as the House of Delegates approved a final spending plan, shifting half of pension costs to the counties, and raising state income taxes on people making over $100,000 per year.

Twenty-two different Republican delegates rose during the three-hour debate to decry the budget action.

“When we left session [April 9], the budget was balanced,” said House Minority Whip Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, echoing a common theme. “I say enough is enough.”

(Almost all Republicans voted against the budget that passed in April.)

But Democratic leaders said the pension shifts, fund swaps and tax increases were needed to protect the state’s investments in K-12 education, universities, health care and public safety.

The tax hikes amounted to $6.25 a week ($325 per year) for a married couple making $250,000, said House Majority Leader Kumar Barve. He said he and his wife would be paying an additional $4.88 per week and “I am willing to pay that price” to maintain state programs.

10 Democrats vote against budget, 18 against tax hikes

In the end, the Budget Reconciliation and Act passed 86-51, with 10 Democrats joining 41 Republicans in opposing the plan that changes funding formulas and allocation of revenues. The 10 Democrats included those from more conservative swing districts and Montgomery County liberals who objected to the pension shift that would hurt their county.

The 10 Democrats were: Tiffany Alston, Prince George’s; Charles Barkley, Jim Gilchrist, Ariana Kelly, Ben Kramer, Heather Mizeur and Kirill Reznik, all of Montgomery County; Sonny Minnick and Mike Weir, Baltimore County; and Johnny Wood, St. Mary’s.

Only one Republican supported the budget measure, Del. Wendell Beitzel, Garrett, who serves on the Appropriations Committee.

The debate was far shorter and the vote even closer on the State and Local Revenue and Financing Act, which passed 77-60, just six more votes than needed for it for a constitutional majority.

CORRECTED: Eighteen Democrats joined all 42 Republicans present to vote against $300 million in tax hikes.  The 18 Democrats were: Tiffany Alston, Prince George’s; Charles Barkley, Jim Gilchrist, Ana Sol Gutierrez, Ariana Kelly, Ben Kramer, Heather Mizeur, Kirill Reznik, all of Montgomery County; Pam Beidle and Ted Sophocleus, Anne Arundel; Eric Bromwell, Steve DeBoy, Sonny Minnick, Johnny Olszewski, and Mike Weir, Baltimore County; John Bohanan and Johnny Wood, St. Mary’s; Mary-Dulany James, Harford; and Kevin Kelly, Allegany.

John Wagner of the Post blogs about how senators votes on the tax bill.

After beating back a series of challenges in the House of Delegates, lawmakers are poised to give final approval today to a plan to raise the state income tax to fund schools, police and Medicaid, Michael Dresser and Annie Linskey report in the Sun.

House Speaker Michael Busch said last night that he expects a majority of delegates to approve the plan, writes Danielle Gaines in the Gazette.

And Len Lazarick of MarylandReporter.com writes that Busch pointed out that almost all the issues had been thrashed out in the regular session, which ended without action in the House on the two bills substantially similar to those they debated yesterday.

Yesterday, the Maryland Senate voted to raise state income taxes on individuals who make more than $100,000 a year in taxable income and couples who are paid more than $150,000 and to start shifting some teacher pension costs to local governments over four years, according to an AP report in the Frederick News-Post.

Earl Kelly and Pamela Wood of the Capital-Gazette report that the House is expected to convene today at 10 a.m. to give the package final approval, after which the Senate will convene at 12:30 p.m. and the special session will end.

John Rydell of WBFF-TV reports that the special session was called by Gov. Martin O’Malley to avert about $500 million in cuts that were triggered by the General Assembly’s failure to pass a complete budget package during its regular 90-day session last month.

SHORE ‘OUTRAGE:’ Eastern Shore lawmakers expressed their outrage over the tax increases on high earners among others, Daniel Menefee reports for the Chestertown Spy. Menefee’s also got video of both Del. Mike Smiegel and Sen. E.J. Pipkin expressing their outrage.

TRANSPORTATION HANGS: The Sun editorial board opines that as this special session wraps up, for the second time in six weeks, lawmakers will leave Annapolis without having done a thing to address Maryland’s transportation deficit.

BULLY ON PIT BULLS: Pit bull owners and other animal advocates won’t get a chance to overturn a recent Court of Appeals decision labeling the breed as dangerous during the special General Assembly session now under way, but they might get their chance if the legislature reconvenes this summer to consider gambling issues, Michael Dresser writes in the Sun.

Alexander Pyles of the Daily Record blogs that Senate President Mike Miller, while acknowledging his own interest in the pit bull legislation, said the special session was about finishing the budget, and that’s it.

Annapolis resident Stehle Harris is afraid she won’t have a home. The recent court decision also states that landlords can prohibit the dogs from their properties, Nayana Davis reports in Patch.com.

Mike Schuh of WJZ-TV reports on the rally that pit bull advocates held in Annapolis yesterday.

FIGHTING SEPTIC REGS: Since the special session opened on Monday, Sen. David Brinkley has been fighting a proposed regulation that would require builders to install septic systems that are more costly but less polluting, Bethany Rodgers reports in the Frederick News Post.

VOTER TURNOUT: Anticipated statewide referendums on the legalization of same-sex marriage, in-state tuition for illegal immigrants and the latest congressional redistricting plan are expected to draw a lot of voters to the polls this November, Lindsey McPherson reports for the Howard County Times. The turn-out for Howard County is expected to be 85%.

STATE PROBE SOUGHT: State lawmakers are demanding an investigation after WBFF-TV cameras caught what appeared to be a state worker collecting a $150 bribe promising to wipe away alleged child support problems, John Rydell reports.

CASINOS AID RACING: Money made from Maryland’s casinos is helping the Maryland horse racing industry. The difference may be apparent this Saturday at the Preakness, reports Kathleen Cairns for WBFF-TV.

UMBC RESIGNATIONS: Reporting in the Sun, Childs Walker writes that two University of Maryland, Baltimore County employees resigned or were fired after a state audit and an internal investigation uncovered about $9,000 in questionable expenditures on their corporate credit cards.

ETHICS LOOPHOLE IN BA CO: In 2011, Baltimore County Councilman Todd Huff attended at least four games, including a trip to Dallas to the Super Bowl with a local shopping center and apartment complex owner, Bryan Sears writes for Patch.com. The games highlight a hole that the State Ethics Commission says exists in legislation passed by the County Council earlier this year that was meant to bring county law substantially into sync with the state ethics law.

EXEC ORDER VOTED DOWN: The Harford County Council unanimously struck down the executive order County Executive David Craig recently issued to create a fire commission, and Council President Billy Boniface warned it set a dangerous precedent, Bryna Zumer reports in the Aegis.

Senate Republican Leader E.J. Pipkin opposes tax hikes in floor debate.

By Len Lazarick
Len@MarylandReporter.com

As one delegate put it, it was déjà vu all over again as the House of Delegates on Tuesday rejected amendments to a revised spending plan and $300 million in tax hikes that had often been proposed in the regular 90-day session.

In three and half hours of often lackluster debate, seven mostly Republican amendments to the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act went down to defeat. Lawmakers rejected attempts to reduce the shift of teacher pension costs to the school systems or to force the state to use the flush tax exclusively for reducing pollution to the Chesapeake Bay.

In the State and Local Revenue and Financing Act, the delegates voted down attempts to reduce or eliminate income tax hikes of 5% to 15% on people making more than $100,000 a year. A couple of Montgomery County delegates sought to substitute an increase in the sales tax from 6% to 7% for the income tax hike, which will have a quarter of Montgomery’s high-earning taxpayers paying 40% of all the new revenues. But the effort fizzled after 10 minutes of discussion without even a recorded vote.

“I know we’re probably not in a mood to do this,” said Del. Charles Barkley, D-Montgomery, who offered the sales tax increase.

Mood to finish quickly and get out of town

The delegates seemed mostly in a mood to finish the work of the special session and get out of Annapolis, as they will likely do after final votes this morning. Following Tuesday’s session, House Speaker Michael Busch pointed out that almost all the issues had been thrashed out in the regular session, which ended without action in the House on the two bills substantially similar to those they debated Tuesday.

Delegates on way to State House run gauntlet of pit bull owners.

Streaming back into the afternoon session, delegates walked through a gauntlet of hundreds of pit bull owners demanding action to overturn a court decision that declared their pet dogs “inherently dangerous.” But legislative leaders were adamant that the session would deal only with the unfinished budget measures, and nothing else.

Senate passes measures

Shortly after noon Tuesday, the Maryland Senate across the hall had passed a final budget and more than $300 million in tax hikes.

The debate lasted only an hour and half, with remarks by each Republican opponent countered by a different Democratic supporter of the measure.

Senate Republican Leader E.J. Pipkin dominated the opposition, speaking at least a dozen times with nearly the same message. Despite the “marketing” that the budget was being cut, Pipkin said, overall spending was actually going up $700 million and the tax hikes were unnecessary.

The final vote on the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act was 33-13, with two Democrats — Sen. Roy Dyson of St. Mary’s and Brian Frosh of Montgomery — joining 11 Republicans in voting against the plan, which makes some reductions in spending formulas and shifts half of teacher pension costs to county governments. Republican Sen. George Edwards of Garrett voted for the bill.

The final vote on the State and Local Revenue and Financing Act was 27-19. Seven Democrats joined all dozen Republicans opposing the tax hikes. The seven Democrats were: Dyson; John Astle, Anne Arundel; James Mathias, Lower Shore; Anthony Muse, Prince George’s; and Jim Brochin, Norman Stone and Bobby Zirkin, all of Baltimore County.

A video shot throughout the day on Monday shows the demonstrators opposed to the tax hikes and spending increases, and a rally by public employee unions supporting the bills.

The video was produced by Emaun Kashfipour.

Senate Republican Leader E.J. Pipkin opposes tax hikes in floor debate.

The Maryland Senate passed a final budget and over $300 million in tax hikes shortly after noon Tuesday. The House starts debate on the bill Tuesday afternoon.

The final vote on the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act was 33-13, with two Democrats, Sen. Roy Dyson, St. Mary’s, and Brian Frosh, Montgomery, joining 11 Republicans voting against the plan that makes some reductions in spending formulas and shifts half of teacher pension costs to county governments. Republican Sen. George Edwards, Garrett, voted for the bill.

The final vote on the State and Local Revenue and Financing Act was 27-19. Seven Democrats joined all dozen Republicans opposing the tax hikes that raise income tax rates 5 to 15% on people making more than $100,000 a year and increase taxes on commercial mortgages. The seven Democrats were: Dyson; John Astle, Anne Arundel; James Brochin, Baltimore County; James Mathias, Lower Shore; Anthony Muse, Prince George’s; Norman Stone and Bobby Zirkin, both of Baltimore County.

A video shot throughout the day on Monday shows the demonstrators opposed to the tax hikes and spending increases, and a rally by public employee unions supporting the bills.

The video was produced by Emaun Kashfipour.

The carefully choreographed strategy to raise state income taxes to stave off so-called doomsday budget cuts faces a challenge in the General Assembly after several Democrats defied party leaders with a proposal to raise the sales tax instead, Annie Linskey and Michael Dresser write for the Sun.

Proposals would stave off more than $436 million in cuts that under the current budget would take effect starting in July, reports Bethany Rodgers of the Frederick News-Post. Much of the reductions would hit education funding, and Frederick County Public Schools would see a $6.4 million cut, according to local estimates.

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee passed a budget plan that would undo the so-called “doomsday” cuts, reports Danielle Gaines for the Gazette. Democratic leaders anticipate two budget bills will be voted on by both chambers by tomorrow.

Ben Giles of the Washington Examiner writes that 40% of the money raised from the tax increase would come from Montgomery County, where 23% of earners would pay more. Overall, nearly 14% of state residents would pay higher taxes, with 9.5% of Prince George’s County residents paying extra, according to a fiscal analysis.

In all, the package would cut more than $300 million from the budget proposed in January by Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley, but would increase spending by more than $900 million over last year’s approved spending plan, reports David Hill of the Washington Times.

Pamela Wood of the Capital-Gazette writes that Del. Tony O’Donnell, minority leader of the House of Delegates, said, “It’s time to be straight up with the citizens of Maryland. We’re coming here to raise their taxes – plain and simple.”

Former Sen. David Harrington and blogger David Moon of Maryland Juice appeared on News Channel 8′s News Talk show to discuss the special session and what caused it. Harrington blames the gambling issue. The discussion begins around the 1 minute mark on the video.

RECORDING TAX: A little noticed provision will also raise $36 million in new taxes from companies that back mortgages on commercial development and homebuilding, reports Len Lazarick of MarylandReporter.com. Opponents say it will add to the cost of construction and harm Maryland’s business rankings.

SESSION REACTION: Comptroller Peter Franchot threw cold water on the efforts of fellow Democratic leaders in Annapolis, calling plans to raise taxes in a special session “simply the wrong approach at the wrong time.”

Daniel Leaderman reports on Republican reaction to the special session.

Dave Collins of WBAL-TV reports that a handful of people protested tax hikes and the special session in general in the rain.

Daniel Menefee of the Chestertown Spy reports that Sen. E.J. Pipken says there is a lack of transparency for allowing public comment on the budget proposal.

Duane Keenan produced two three-minute podcasts for MarylandReporter.com. First, hear from Michelle Jefferson from We the People Carroll County. She came to Annapolis to protest the special session.

The second features Senate President Mike Miller, who says, “It would have been nice if we could have got it done in the 90-day session.” But House Republican Leader Tony O’Donnell said, “There is no way that we should be here.”

In an op-ed in the Washington Times, Larry Hogan, a former state Cabinet secretary and head of ChangeMaryland.org, compares the special session now under way to a blockbuster summer sequel: costly, with the same cast and predictable.

PIT BULL BILLS: Dog lovers shouldn’t look to the General Assembly to give them a bone, as legislation overturning court ruling that designated pit bulls as dangerous animals was locked in the House rules committee yesterday morning, writes the Sun’s Annie Linskey.

On the first day of what is expected to be a three-day special session, no fewer than five bills were introduced in response to a recent court ruling that makes it easier to sue owners of aggressive pit bulls, even if their dogs have no prior history of biting, John Wagner blogs in the Post.

And pit bull advocates will be in Annapolis today at 2:30 p.m. to rally for the breed, reports WMAR-TV.

SEPTIC REGULATIONS: During debate yesterday, senators criticized regulations proposed by the Maryland Department of the Environment that would require the use of best available technology for nitrogen removal septic systems in new construction near the Chesapeake Bay or Atlantic Coastal Bays watershed, the AP’s Brian Witte reports in the Salisbury Daily Times.

FINANCIAL ABUSE OF ELDERLY: Starting in October, Maryland banks and credit unions will be required to report suspected financial exploitation of Marylanders age 65 and up, writes Eileen Ambrose in the Sun. They must convey their suspicions within 24 hours by phone to one of two agencies then follow up in writing. Financial institutions that fail to do so will face a penalty of as much as $5,000.

WEGMANS LIQUOR STORE: The combination of ownership and location of a proposed liquor store at the Wegmans grocery store in Columbia skirts Maryland law, opponents say, and raises questions about whether the store should be allowed, writes David Greisman for the Howard County Times.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE EXPERIMENT: Adam Bednar, writing for Patch.com, offers up a Salon story on U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes, who is running an interesting experiment during this year’s election. He’s trying to see if primarily small donors can finance his campaign as part of his Grassroots Donors project, where he has raised $500,000 from traditional donations of more than $100, but can’t access it until he receives at least 1,000 donations between $5 and $100.

UNCERTAINTY FACTOR: Don Aines of the Hagerstown Herald-Mail writes that U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, in an interview with that paper’s editorial board, said that uncertainty is holding back the economy and Washington is largely in gridlock, situations that are unlikely to be resolved before the presidential election in November.

NEW DISTRICT JUDGE: John Fritze of the Sun reports that the U.S. Senate confirmed Baltimore Circuit Judge George Russell for a seat on the U.S. District Court for Maryland yesterday.

OVERCROWDING: Baltimore County parents and legislators will ask incoming schools Superintendent Dallas Dance to consider putting more teachers in high schools, where class sizes have swelled since positions were eliminated a year ago, Liz Bowie reports in the Sun.

The Sun editorial board says the results of former Baltimore County Schools Super Joe Hairston’s poor decision to cut teachers from high schools are now clear: A sharp drop in the number of classes available to students (including Advanced Placement courses), increasing class sizes and overtaxed facilities.

IGNORING ETHICS RULE: The Sun editorial board writes that it believes that Frederick County Commissioner Kirby Delauter was correct to chose to ignore a county ethics commission’s opinion directing his construction firm to stop doing business in the county.

Senate Budget and Taxation Committee

The Maryland Senate is expected to give final approval today to a package of tax hikes that will raise more than $300 million a year, with the bulk of it coming from increases of 5% to 15% on incomes of taxpayers making more than $100,000 per year.

But a little noticed provision will also raise $36 million in new taxes from companies that back mortgages on commercial development and homebuilding. Opponents say it will add to the cost of construction and harm Maryland’s business rankings.

The proposed tax hikes will require businesses to pay county governments a recording tax on “indemnity mortgages,” in which third parties guarantee to pay a mortgage if a builder or developer fails to pay a construction loan or other debt.

“This is just another impediment to put in front of business,” said Sen. Allan Kittleman, R-Howard, offering an amendment to strip the new tax from the bill. All the money in the additional recording tax will go to local governments, partially offsetting a shift in the cost of the teacher pensions to county governments.

Sen. James Robey, D-Howard, floor manager of the tax hikes for the Budget and Taxation Committee, resisted the change, saying there was a provision in the bill to study the impact on business and report before the next session.

Kittleman’s amendment failed, as did every Republican attempt to stop each of the tax and fee increases in the revenue act. The dozen GOP senators were often joined by a few Democrats opposing the tax hikes.

Bankers, builders testify against tax

At a committee hearing a few hours before the floor debate, representatives of banks, developers, landlords, contractors and homebuilders all testified against the recording tax. The O’Malley administration described the current exemption as a “tax loophole which allows entities to avoid paying taxes on real estate transactions.”

“This is a very high tax compared to surrounding states,” said Tom Ballentine, representing NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. Among neighboring states, only Virginia has a similar but lower tax on indemnity mortgage transactions.

In written testimony, Ballentine pointed out that commercial developers pay repeated mortgage taxes on the same property during the construction process as various loans are used to finance different aspects of the development. The indemnity mortgages are also used to back lines of credit.

Nick Manis, representing Associated Builders and Contractors, pointed out that the committee had killed the bill in the past and “we are still in some very difficult times.”

“This is just another new tax,” Manis said.

Katie Maloney, of Maryland State Builders Association, said the new tax “will have a chilling effect” on efforts to get credit for new construction.

The tax applies only to mortgages of more than $1 million. The recording taxes on real estate taxes are set by county governments and currently raise over $250 million a year.

House of Delegates Speaker Michael Busch

In this podcast, House Speaker Michael Busch spoke to reporters about the budget and the cuts that would have to be made if tax increases don’t pass. “Only 16% of Marylanders are being asked to pay a little more.”

Republicans at news conference in State House rotunda object to special session.

In this 3-minute podcast from Duane Keenan, hear from an angry Michelle Jefferson from We the People Carroll County. She came to Annapolis to protest the special session . “Shame on them for not doing the people’s work in the time frame that they had… They raise our taxes, we put less food on the table. Go in there and find me a skinny legislator.”

Senate President Mike Miller

In a second 3-minute podcast, Duane Keenan talked to Senate President Mike Miller. He says, “It would have been nice if we could have got it done in the 90-day session.”  House Republican Leader Tony O’Donnell said, “There is no way that we should be here.”

By many mathematical measures — dollar amounts, percentage increases and relative size — the $247 million tax plan agreed to by Gov. Martin O’Malley and top legislative leaders is relatively small, writes Annie Linskey and Michael Dresser in the Sun. But politically, there is no such thing as a small tax increase. They interview a number of residents who will feel the pinch.

The details of the tax bills appear all but set in stone, having been finalized in recent weeks during closed-door negotiations among Democratic leaders who say the bills will likely pass with few or no changes, writes David Hill in the Washington Times.

Sherrie Johnson of WMAR-TV gives a quick rundown of what to expect from the session.

WTOP’s Andrew Mollenbeck also reports on the special session, which is expected to last three days.

Despite the large Democratic majority in both houses, Mid-Shore Republican legislators won’t be taking a passive approach to the proceedings; Sen. E.J. Pipkin wants spending kept at current levels and Sen. Richard Colburn will seek to allow bingo fundraisers in Dorchester, reports Chris Knauss of the Easton Star Democrat.

Christian Alexandersen of the Carroll County Times reports that unless proposed tax increases are taken out, Carroll County legislators said they won’t support passing a new state budget as they head back to Annapolis today.

The editorial board for the Salisbury Daily Times says that while it is crucial to Wicomico County for the special budget session, which begins tomorrow, to take place, the General Assembly should have gotten down to its work to avoid this costly need.

PIT BULL FIGHT: Are all dogs created equal? Del. Herb McMillan believes the General Assembly should answer with a resounding yes. McMillan plans to introduce his Dog Nondiscrimination Act during this week’s special session, even though legislative leaders have said nothing but the budget will be on the agenda, Erin Cox reports for the Capital-Gazette.

And two other state delegates on polar opposite sides of the political spectrum are co-sponsoring legislation that would overturn the court’s ruling: Republican Del. Michael Smigiel and Democratic Del. Heather Mizeur, blogs Alexander Pyles of the Daily Record.

CASINO WORK GROUP: In a bid to resolve some of the most difficult gambling issues left over from the last legislative session, Gov. Martin O’Malley said he would assemble an 11-member work group on casinos to undertake “a fact-driven process, aided by expert analysis,” blogs John Wagner for the Post.

CORK THIS: Courtney Pomeroy of the Frederick News-Post reports that, after nearly unanimous Senate and House votes, restaurants that have liquor licenses will soon be able to get an additional permit from their local liquor board allowing customers to bring their own wine to drink during a meal, a practice called “corkage.”

DEL. JACOBS ON GAY MARRIAGE: Daniel Menefee of the Talbot Spy sat down with Del. Jay Jacobs, R-Kent, for a legislative wrap-up of key issues that moved through the 2012 session of the Maryland General Assembly and to discuss his opposition to same-sex marriage.

HOYER STEPS UP: U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer’s decision to support same-sex marriage could bring a powerful ally to efforts in Maryland to retain the gay marriage law in the state. The Sun’s John Fritze reports that a source close to Hoyer said that the Democratic House leader will “oppose efforts to repeal the new Maryland law.”

DEDICATED BUSES: Alex Ruoff of the Gazette writes that Gov. O’Malley has announced that the proposed 15-mile Corridor Cities Transitway to connect the Shady Grove Metro station in Rockville with the Comsat property near Clarksburg will use dedicated bus lanes instead of light rail.

O’MALLEY BUMPED: Gov. O’Malley was bumped from Meet the Press yesterday when the NBC talk show scored an interview with Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, which announced a staggering $2 billion trading loss, according to the Washington Post.

OBAMA B’MORE FUNDERS: He may not be campaigning in deep-blue Maryland but President Barack Obama will be in Baltimore next month for a pair of fundraisers, according to a brief in the Sun.

O’Malley has invited his supporters to attend a June 12 fundraiser for President Obama in Baltimore, blogs the Post’s John Wagner.

LT. GOV. HONORED: Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, who heads the governor’s economic development team, has been named Distinguished Leader of the Year for Minority Business by the Maryland Washington Minority Contractors, Alexander Pyles writes in the Daily Record.

STOCK ACT & 6^th DISTRICT: Madeline Marshall of Capital News Service writes in the Hagerstown Herald-Mail that the battle for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District this fall will pit a millionaire corporate investor against a wealthy landowner — occupations that the new STOCK Act will allow voters to examine more deeply as they decide who will represent them.

HENSON VERDICT: Political consultant Julius Henson may have written the automated message that encouraged Democrats to stay home from the polls on Election Day 2010, but he didn’t force voters to believe it, jury foreman Renee Johnson said Friday. The jury convicted him on just one count of conspiracy but finding him not guilty on three other charges, Yvonne Wenger reports in the Sun.

The editorial board for the Sun opines that political consultant Julius Henson deserved to be held to account for his role in producing a fraudulent robocall on the night of the 2010 gubernatorial election that was clearly designed to prevent Democrats — and in particular, African-American voters — from going to the polls.

‘TEMPORARY’ MO CO LAWS: Rachel Baye of the Washington Examiner reports that Montgomery County lawmakers have a long history of passing laws that were extended long after their expiration dates. In the last 25 years, county lawmakers have passed at least 90 bills that were supposed to be temporary. But in most cases, they were kept on the books.

PRAYERS FOR CARROLL: The Sun’s Mary Gail Hare reports that a Carroll County commissioner has emailed an invitation to about 850 government employees to attend a monthly prayer session, which she will lead, raising concern among some residents and watchdog groups.

Groups on both sides of the issue — which will likely be decided by Maryland voters — have weighed in on the president’s pronouncement. Not surprisingly, blogs John Wagner in the Post, they have come to different conclusions.

Nicholas Stern of the Frederick News Post interviews Frederick County folks as they weigh in on Obama’s announcement for gay marriage.

The Gazette has more reaction to Obama’s same-sex marriage endorsement. “The wild card in everything is the African-American vote,” said Todd Eberly, political science professor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. “That’s where opposition is strongest in the General Assembly and in key polls.”

U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking Democrat in the House, has announced his support for gay marriage, according to an AP report in the Daily Record.

TAX HIKES EXPECTED: When the General Assembly’s special session opens Monday, Gov. Martin O’Malley will introduce a budget that includes tax increases for earners in the higher income brackets. Those tax increases will raise about $196 million.

Len Lazarick of MarylandReporter.com writes that, while the governor has touted Maryland’s comparatively low tax burden on its high income populace, some groups are concerned that the income tax hikes proposed for next week’s special session will harm Maryland’s national rankings on taxes and business climate.

Don Fry, in Center Maryland, writes that, “we’ll have to wait for Governor O’Malley to file the specific legislation on Tuesday, but if the income tax proposal includes the conference committee’s most recent proposed tax rates, it would impose substantial tax increases on major segments of the state’s taxpayers.”

This budget also begins shifting some of the costs of teacher’s pensions to the counties, John Rydell of WBFF-TV reports.

The Gazette’s Danielle Gaines has more on the income tax hike.

LEVYLAND, THE FEE STATE: Gazette columnist Blair Lee calls it “Levyland, the Fee State” as he lists 17 taxes and fees raised in the last five years, as compiled by Larry Hogan’s Change Maryland. Fox 45 has a video report on Lee’s list.

DISTRICTING SUIT COST: Christian Alexandersen of the Carroll County Times reports that the Carroll County attorney will crunch numbers next week so the Carroll County Board of Commissioners know how much it can expect to spend by petitioning Maryland’s highest court to challenge the state legislative redistricting.

LET COMPETITION IN: The editorial board of the Sun opines that the ban on grocery store sales of alcohol has one purpose — preventing competition, to the benefit of liquor distributors and retailers and to the detriment of consumers.

STAFF-VEHICLE RATIO QUESTIONED: According to an audit conducted last year but just released to the Post, the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission has a large percentage of take-home vehicles for its staff – 1,300 for 2,000 employees – and failed to secure its gas stations, leaving open the possibility that unauthorized personnel could fill up for free, writes Miranda Spivack.

Raye Baye of the Washington Examiner offers more details about the audit.

O’MALLEYS HONORED: Gov. O’Malley and first lady Katie O’Malley will be honored by the National Wildife Federation for their pro-environment efforts, writes Pamela Wood in the Capital-Gazette.

CHICKEN & THE GOV: Wicomico County Exec Richard Pollitt, in an op-ed in the Salisbury Daily Times, writes that the so-called “cozy relationship” between O’Malley and an attorney for Perdue Farms Inc. isn’t problematic, as critics would say, since it is good to have a governor who understands how important the poultry industry is to the Eastern Shore.

HENSON JURY DELIBERATES: The jury in the robo-call trial of political consultant Julius Henson spent yesterday considering the case, and will resume deliberations today, according to an AP story in the Hagerstown Herald-Mail. Henson worked for Republican former Gov. Bob Ehrlich’s campaign during his rematch with Democratic Gov. O’Malley.

UNSCIENTIFIC RULINGS: In his Gazette column, Barry Rascovar said two recent rulings from Maryland’s Court of Appeals on DNA and pit bulls are not based on scientific evidence.

UNIVERSITY COOPERATION: Laslo Boyd in the Gazette writes that how to make the state’s universities more significant drivers of the economy being actively and creatively addressed at both ends of Interstate 95 by two University of Maryland presidents.

COUNTY BUDGETS: County budget officials are waiting on the legislature to act on the state budget as they put the final touches on local spending plans.

NOTEBOOK: The Gazette’s Reporters Notebook has items on an Annapolis film shoot; a reporter’s floor shot; the health secretary’s Halloween costume; Martin O’Malley’s “eviction notice”; and Mike Miller’s dynamite.

NO GAS TAX: Gov. Martin O’Malley regrets that transportation funding and a gas tax increase won’t be on the agenda for the special session, Danielle Gaines reports in the Gazette.