U.S Rep. Chris Van Hollen on Monday continued to acquaint himself with the issues and concerns facing his newest constituents in the areas of the Maryland’s 8th Congressional District added in last year’s redistricting. Van Hollen toured parts of Carroll and Frederick counties, traditionally conservative constituencies that could trouble the Democrat in the upcoming election against Republican Ken Timmerman.
Month: September 2012
State Roundup, September 18, 2012
Black clergy from across the country will be in Maryland to support gay marriage; lawmakers ask U.S. Supreme Court to allow cops to collect DNA; gambling interests, mostly one labor group, spent big time during special session; more pit bulls are surrendered to shelters; politicians take to Twitter, Facebook and other social media; looks like Del. Mizeur is also running for governor; and while Democrats rally around John LaFerla in race against incumbent U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, a 2nd write-in candidate emerges.
May tax hikes help drive slight Md. revenue growth, as fiscal cliff still looms
May tax hikes are helping drive a $181 million uptick in Maryland revenues forecast this fiscal year, the Board of Revenue Estimates determined Monday. But state financial officials are still concerned that Congress has not acted to keep the national budget from falling off a fiscal cliff in 2013, with expiring tax cuts and mandatory spending reductions sending the economy into a second recession.
State Roundup, September 17, 2012
Casino operators are pouring millions of dollars into the state fight for and against gambling expansion; Ocean Downs racetrack unveils candidate donations; Western Maryland Democrats emphasize women’s vote; Gov. O’Malley takes center stage in Iowa; U.S. Rep. Harris won’t debate; and employees under Arundel County Exec Leopold threaten libel suit as Leopold retains personal attorney.
People don’t vote for many reasons beyond difficulty in registering and casting ballots
States have tried a bunch of techniques to improve voter turnout on Election Day, and MarylandReporter.com described a number of them in two articles last week. But according to some studies and polls, no matter how easy officials make it, more than a third of the voting age population will still not cast a ballot.
State Roundup, September 14, 2012
Former U.S. Rep. Gilchrest ponders run following Rosen dropout; but is Rosen out? huge pro and anti gambling campaigns overshadow other referendum issues; although, in New York, celebrities — some from Maryland — turn out to fund-raise for same-sex marriage and the Rev. Jesse Jackson urges backing of same-sex marriage; O’Malley hires political strategist for his federal PAC; and attorneys for Arundel Exec Leopold ask judge to strike affidavit.
Election voting on the Internet ‘inevitable,’ experts say
Democrats and Republicans agreed that Internet voting is “inevitable” for the future of America’s election process at a panel hosted by the University of Maryland’s Center of American Politics and Citizenship on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
“Its just a matter of time until people demand that we vote on the Internet. People do everything on the internet,” said Republican Dave Mason, a former commissioner of the Federal Election Commission.
State Roundup, September 13, 2012
Maryland Live! unveils a thousand more slots, but Cordish Cos. mum on the gambling expansion referendum; state hopes to go after E-ZPass runners, suggests publicizing names of worst offenders; resident files federal suit against state over pit bull ruling; Ravens linebacker, Viking player raise level of discussion over same-sex marriage; environmentalists hope to ensure fracking study; and lawyer for Arundel County Exec Leopold says latest accusations irrelevant, harassing.
New farm bill would aid more Md. farmers, but hurt food stamp recipients
With the U.S. Farm Bill of 2008 about to expire Sept. 30, advocates from Maryland and across the nation are pressuring Congress to quickly pass the 2012 bill that would end the subsidies for big corporate farms before Congress breaks for the election. But Maryland lawmakers are not hopeful it will make that deadline. Both the Senate and the House bills spell the end for Direct Payment subsidies in favor of crop insurance programs. The gridlock stems from disagreement over cuts to the food stamp program.
State Roundup, September 12, 2012
Florida elections officials are seeking an investigation into former congressional candidate Wendy Rosen and Rosen’s primary opponent John LaFerla is ready to step into the breech as a write-in candidate; Maryland is doing little to collect millions of dollars in unpaid tolls as scofflaws breeze through the lanes; gay marriage and gambling proponents and opponents are revving toward November; looking to next session, lawmakers hope to close a loophole in sex-offense laws; and first lady Michelle Obama’s visit is set.
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