Gov. Larry Hogan will have plenty of reasons to face off with House Speaker Michael Busch over spending and policy issues in the next four years. But why the Republican governor chose to pick a fight with the Democratic leader of the House of Delegates on Friday make little sense.
Gov. Larry Hogan Jr. makes it sound like he’s riding to the rescue of Maryland’s underfunded pension program that has been continually “raided” by evil Democratic legislators in Annapolis.
What a bunch of hogwash. It’s pure Hogan hypocrisy.
Hogan’s stance — torpedoing a $68 million education appropriation to the state’s most populous jurisdictions and shifting some of that money into the state pension fund — is based on politics, not policy.
Gov. Hogan won’t release $68 million for schools, will instead move it over to pensions, leaving Baltimore City, Prince George’s and Montgomery ed systems cold; Montgomery, Prince George’s to get a last shot at pleading for the Purple Line; Del. Vogt considers 6th Congressional seat run to recapture seat for GOP; as O’Malley ponders run for pres, he signs office lease in Baltimore City; ex-Mayor Sheila Dixon considers run against Stephanie Rawlings-Blake; and ethics panel rules Frederick Councilman Kirby Delauter can bid on county contracts.
Gov. Larry Hogan stood his ground against increased education funding for next year’s budget, refusing to add $68 million more legislators had set aside for school aid to the $6.1 billion he had already budgeted for public schools.
But ultimately he surrendered to lawmaker’s wishes that he fully fund the Geographic Cost of Education Index in future years. He said he would allow a bill forcing him to fund the GCEI to become law without his signature because he could not get the votes to sustain his veto.
Board of Public Works approves plans for $30 million, 60-bed jail for teens charged as adults; Moody’s isn’t thrilled with toll reductions; state officials worried about rising school construction costs, may be tied to prevailing wage law; initial estimate for damage from Baltimore riot put at $9 million; pundits say Gov. Hogan can help Baltimore City’s recovery; O’Malley expected to announce presidential decision May 30; and Montgomery to tax e-cigs and Internet rentals of private rooms.
Maryland lawmakers decided the first step to solving over-testing in Maryland public schools is to understand the full problem, so they passed a bill creating a 19-member commission that will attempt to alleviate the pressure of excessive student testing.
The Commission to Review Maryland’s Use of Assessments and Testing in Public Schools became law Tuesday, as Gov. Hogan signed HB 452 into law.
Gov. Hogan signs 350 bills into law on Tuesday, including ones addressing police-community relations, a move toward body cameras, whistleblower protection and tax relief for veterans; governor’s signature also makes way for creation of a commerce secretary; Uber now will be regulated by the PSC; Hogan has yet to appoint members of the Open Meetings Compliance Board so complaints are going unheard; Mayor Rawlings-Blake pushes governor on Red Line to promote jobs; Rawlings-Blake defends slower police action as non-escalation; Speaker Busch praises Hogan’s emergency moves; as former Gov. Mandel turns 95, he reflects on continued service; Howard Exec Kittleman signs gun ban; and political drama and intrigue — well, just plain politics — in Chevy Chase.
Gov. Larry Hogan joined with legislators on Tuesday morning to sign 350 bills into law, putting the final seal of approval on several bills MarylandReporter.com has followed throughout this legislative session.
Bills signed by Hogan, Speaker of the House Michael Busch and Senate President Mike Miller include increasing the cap on tort claims against counties and the state, expanding the Maryland False Claims Act protecting whistleblowers and repealing “the rain tax,” the mandatory stormwater remediation fee.
Maryland’s chief tax collector, Comptroller Peter Franchot, supports a long-term moratorium on increases on taxes and fees, but he also opposes major tax cuts.
“We should have a multi-year moratorium on taxes and fees,” Franchot told the Arbutus Roundtable Monday as the group of generally conservative Democrats honored him for his fiscal responsibility.
Gov. Hogan to sit down and sign hundreds of bills today; ex-felons rally to urge governor to sign bill giving them voting rights more quickly; highway bill would allow 70 mph on some highways; some bills are aimed at improving police-community relationships; one delegate, speaking from experience, advocates for sexual abuse victims; Pocomoke City chicken farm experiments with anaerobic digesters to help save the bay; 19-year-old sworn in as mayor of Indian Head, becoming youngest mayor in Maryland history; U.S. SBA steps in to help Baltimore’s recovery; Baltimore education advocates ask mayor, governor to put more bucks into education; and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend endorses Van Hollen as she decides not to run for U.S. Senate.
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