State Roundup, November 10, 2009

The Baltimore media have coverage galore of the start of Mayor Sheila Dixon trial, but we’re not going to aggregate it all here. However, The Baltimore Sun has plenty of coverage, including some aggregation from broadcast stations. Baltimore Brew, haven for ex-Sunsters, has an interesting background piece by Doug Donovan, with a focus on the state special prosecutor and other key characters in the case. And the Sun’s Jean Marbella has a column on the mayor’s four-inch stilettos, with more broadcast links.

Michael Dresser at the Sun continues his one-man editorial campaign against the expansion of I-270 in Montgomery County, praising Council President Phil Andrews’ support of two reversible lanes for the not-yet-proposed project. Dresser based his blog on a report in Maryland Politics Watch, which has more details, including Andrews’ full memo.  Andrews supports an increase in the gas tax, Alan Suderman at the Washington Examiner reports.

The state’s plan to up what noncustodial parents pay in child support has supporters and opponents, reports Scott Daugherty at The Capital.

Former Anne Arundel County Executive Janet Owens is contemplating another run for the job, the Maryland Gazette reports, along with other tidbits on State House races.

A new national study finds Maryland lags most other states in spending transportation dollars for people who walk or ride bikes, and has a higher pedestrian fatality rate, Michael Dresser at the Sun reports.

More on new federal environmental regulations on the Bay from the Sun’s Tim Wheeler.  The Alex Dominguez of the Associated Press, in Salisbury’s Daily Times, says enviros are not happy.

The anonymous Martin Watcher at OmalleyWatch.com has a critique of the Maryland’s cost per job using federal stimulus funds.

Freshman Democratic Rep. Frank Kratovil, who usually gets beaten up on the right, has troubles on the left as well, reports Adam Pagnucco at Maryland Politics Watch. Kratovil draws much of his support from labor, and his vote against the health care measure in the House is not popular in those circles.

“An inability to remove bad teachers from the classroom has stymied education reform in Maryland and the District of Columbia, according to a report released Monday by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,” reports Leah Fabel in the Examiner.

Small businesses give positive reviews to Gov. Martin O’Malley’s plans to help them, Kevin James Shay at the Gazzette reports.

The Gazette’s Sean Sedam has more about the give-and-take between legislative leaders at the Maryland Chamber of Commerce conference we reported on Monday.

About The Author

Len Lazarick

len@marylandreporter.com

Len Lazarick was the founding editor and publisher of MarylandReporter.com and is currently the president of its nonprofit corporation and chairman of its board He was formerly the State House bureau chief of the daily Baltimore Examiner from its start in April 2006 to its demise in February 2009. He was a copy editor on the national desk of the Washington Post for eight years before that, and has spent decades covering Maryland politics and government.

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