MDTA proposes lower toll increases; O’Malley thinks Obama will have a second term and praises Perry for in-state tuition for illegals; BRAC deadline passes without infrastructure to serve influx of people; community colleges have rising enrollments but not budgets; Pugh recommitted to job in Annapolis; foreclosures down 80%; PlanMaryland revised to give counties more authority, but Western Maryland counties considering lobbying for their interests.
Month: September 2011
Man carries anti-gerrymandering campaign to all redistricting hearings
Howard Gorrell says he had no intention of attending all 12 public hearings of the Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Committee when he found himself the first witness at the first hearing July 23 in Hancock. But he did, and he was the final witness at the final hearing Monday. Gorrell’s message from first to last was fairly simple: No gerrymandering. No drawing of lines for political gain.
State Roundup, September 15, 2011
Maryland gets millions for unemployment insurance upgrade; transportation funding the hot topic in Annapolis as Congress debates the issue; federal HIV funds return to local agencies; state seniors see dip in SAT scores; Chesapeake Bay battered by latest storms; redistricting issues hit Baltimore, Prince George’s counties; and wrapping up Baltimore city’s Democratic primary with a look at the mayor’s next steps, one incumbent turned out, a possible recount and why more aren’t voting.
Gas tax increase, public-private partnerships discussed for transportation funding
State policymakers all agreed that Maryland needs more money for transportation needs. How to get that money was the subject of two meetings in Annapolis on Wednesday.
State Roundup, September 14, 2011
Rawlings-Blake wins primary easily in low turnout, as does Jack Young; Maryland could get $625.5 million under Obama jobs plan; teenager gets 5 years in transgender beating; Maryland’s poverty rate rises; Montgomery Dems blast GOP featuring anti-Muslim “Gopher;” Cassilly doesn’t make the cut for judgeship appointment; and Howard, Montgomery counties come up with redistricting plans.
Maryland businesses received $16M in SBA loans following 9/11 attacks
After the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon a decade ago, the U.S. Small Business Administration gave out nearly $16 million in loans to 116 Maryland-based businesses who claimed to be hurt by the disaster. Many of the loans were not repaid, and at least a dozen of the companies are out of business.
Maryland feels sting of national poverty spike
Maryland hit a poverty rate of 10.8%, the highest in nearly two decades, according to a report Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau. Maryland’s statistics are well below the national rate of 15.1% — yet the state’s poverty rate has increased 12.5% from 2009 to 2010, the period measured by the annual census report.
State Roundup, September 13, 2011
About $6 million rolls in from state booze tax hike; state Senate committee considers other tax hikes; PlanMaryland revision gives more authority to local governments; O’Malley swears in new PSC members; and Baltimore mayoral candidates stump down to the wire as voters go to the polls.
Child Support Enforcement ignores tools to collect tens of millions, auditors find
Millions of dollars in child support payments are going uncollected because the Child Support Enforcement Administration has not been utilizing tools put in place to recoup unpaid funds, including wage garnishing, suspending professional licenses and seizing bank funds.
Federal grants will require more transparency and accountability, OMB official says
State agencies and Maryland nonprofits receiving federal grants will face even more requirements for transparency and accountability under a new board created by President Obama, the controller of the Office of Management and Budget told a grants conference in College Park Monday.
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