Moody’s Investor Services says Maryland counties could face a downgrade of their bond ratings due the state cuts in education aid and the new maintenance of effort law “limiting the ability of local governments to cut their own spending.”
Month: April 2012
State Roundup, April 17, 2012
Biotech businesses could be hit by doomsday budget; lots of talk, little movement on convening a special session; local law covering panhandling in Allegany passes while one covering high school sports on the Eastern Shore fails; four Baltimore County Council members claim retaliation by county executive; Arundel budget includes 3.1-cent tax hike; and Arundel Council votes no confidence in police chief.
Coach Busch: Profile of the powerful House speaker as hometown family man
As the longest serving speaker in Maryland history, he shares immense power with the governor. He is also a hometown family man who lives in a modest house on McKendree Avenue in the Homewood section of Annapolis and knows thousands of residents of the capital city from a quarter-century of knocking on their doors in election campaigns. (This feature profile of House Speaker Michael Busch by Len Lazarick is running in the May issue of the regional magazines What’s Up Annapolis and What’s Up Eastern Shore.)
State Roundup, April 16, 2012
A long-standing rift between the Senate president and the House Speaker rises to the top in the turmoil of the General Assembly’s latest session; the contention continues as the two debate whether gambling should be part of any special session; O’Malley’s budget secretary recommends not signing any fiscal bills until agreement reached on balanced budget; environmentalists come out on top in latest General Assembly round; veterans groups benefit from Annapolis session; Sen. Ed Reilly files ethics complaint against Del. McConkey over real estate bill; youth detention center violence spikes; and U.S. Reps. Sarbanes, Edwards and Van Hollen win praise, but no GOP support, in addressing Super-PAC influence.
State Roundup, April 13, 2012
O’Malley takes to the airwaves to spread the word that a special session can only come if there is consensus; some blame the budget issue on O’Malley’s eagerness for the 2016 presidential race; policymakers say sooner is better for a special session, as many local governments foresee deep buts and layoffs because of “doomsday budget;” LaFerla concedes 1st district Democratic primary, throws support to Rosen.
State officials’ ethics disclosures to go online
State lawmakers and their executive appointees would now post their required ethics statements on the Internet beginning January 2013, if the governor signs the bill as expected.
Economists say Maryland needs wind energy, but fracking more
Economists that political bickering should not overshadow that Maryland needs to find new solutions for its energy future. They say the state should consider a range of resources — not just offshore wind and natural gas, but land-based wind, solar, geothermal and nuclear, too. The state currently imports about 30% of its electricity, making it the fourth largest energy importer in the U.S.. (Watch animation of fracking and see map of offshore wind.)
State Roundup, April 12, 2012
The fallout starts from Monday’s sine die debacle as blame gets passed around: Comptroller Franchot says it’s time for Senate Pres Miller to step down and Miller defends the process; Gov. O’Malley puts conditions on calling special session; and locals and schools begin to wrestle with their now-tighter budgets. In other news: gay marriage advocates hire a campaign manager as their fight continues; Maryland is No. 1 in student debt; Franchot touts coal industry and Hagerstown multi-use stadium; and the Charles commissioners strip their president of power.
Campaign finance transparency measures pass General Assembly
Campaign finances would become a bit more transparent in the future because of several bipartisan bills enacted by the legislature this session.
State Roundup, April 11, 2012
Pundits and politicians attempt to figure out why the state ended up with the doomsday budget, some laying the blame at Senate President Miller’s doorstep; House and Senate leaders are up for a special session but O’Malley isn’t budging yet; budget means teacher pension shift is delayed; environmentalists cheered by General Assembly session; some jurisdictions benefited, others didn’t from 2012 session; and McConkey bill that would benefit him voted down unanimously.
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