Cynthia Prairie, Author at MarylandReporter.com

$100 million in annual toll fines put citizens on road to ‘toll bankruptcy’

Excessive penalties and poor customer service at the E-ZPass electronic toll collection system have put some Marylanders on the path to “toll bankruptcy,” Sen. Roger Manno told the Senate Finance Committee last week. “Folks [are] exasperated because they’ve been caught in a system that is not working,” Manno said. Broad enforcement powers enacted in 2013 to address toll violations have led to wage attachments, financial hardship and non-renewal of vehicle registrations at MVA, witnesses testified.

State Roundup, February 7, 2017

Howard Council votes to designate county a “safe” place, but not a “sanctuary”; Gov. Hogan sends out hundreds of letters to lobby local officials to support overturning transportation project ranking system; Hogan bill would relax conditions on charter school, drawing ire of teachers union; state denies newspaper request for information on attorney, finances involved in Morhaim ethics probe; Sun editorial board chastises Hogan administration over Facebook comment deletions; state’s list of banned vanity license plates nears 5,000; Baltimore City Council backs $15 minimum wage; and retired Judge A. Gordon Boone Jr. dies at 83.

State Roundup, February 6, 2017

Attempts to fight statewide heroin abuse problems likely to find bipartisan support in General Assembly; bill to ban fracking introduced in state Senate; delegate seeks moratorium on implementing standardized tests for pre-K students; Guinness brewery owner would need state law change to build plant, Baltimore County exec says; BWI to seek BPW OK for huge expansion; as Gov. Hogan continues silence on President Trump’s travel ban, protesters increasingly vocal; and Howard County to vote on sanctuary status.

Club Trump aims to beat Hogan down

Trump’s actions have given Maryland Democrats a bigger club to try to beat down the popularity of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and his chances for reelection. Hogan is not likely to cave into Democratic demands that he publicly stand up to Trump. He’s more likely to bow down to the president in private, and hope for the best. It is not clear what Democrats think having Hogan join them in loudly opposing the president would achieve, other than further alienating a president hyper-sensitive to public criticism and any of his supporters in Maryland.

Rascovar: Hogan and the Trump elephant in the room

You can chalk up his most recent State of the State speech to political hype and self-congratulatory back-patting. If there’s anything wrong happening in Maryland, it’s not his fault but those self-absorbed Democrats. Nary a negative word was sounded by Hogan – until he took some swipes at Democrats. There’s no surprise here, writes Barry Rascovar. What did come as a surprise was Hogan’s complete avoidance of the proverbial elephant in the room – widespread fear and trembling as a radical populist takes charge of the U.S. government just 32 miles away.

State Roundup, February 3, 2017

State lawmakers override Gov. Hogan’s 2016 veto on renewables goal, but many concerned with financial impact on consumers; mothers, children rally at State House to seek passage of paid sick-leave bill; Sen. Brochin seeks repeal of most recent hike in the liquor tax; Crisfield gets a windmill; Baltimore clergy split on President Trump’s proposal to kill the Johnson amendment government political talk in churches; and Republican political operative Joseph Steffen, 57, dies.

Brochin tries again to repeal 2011 alcohol tax

For a second year in a row, Sen. Jim Brochin is trying to repeal the retail sales tax on alcohol that went from 6% to 9% in 2011. He said it unfairly targets one industry and puts Maryland at a disadvantage with neighboring states. “Currently surrounding states are charging less in sales and use tax…and it’s having a negative effect on local businesses,” Brochin told the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on Wednesday.

Opinion: Maryland should focus on careers, not jobs

Keeping a steady focus on careers instead of just creating jobs will help add longevity and health to Maryland’s economy. We must take a hard look at our method for leasing properties, awarding TIFS, and Maryland capital projects funding the construction of hospitals, universities and nonprofits. When thinking of creative ways to address these issues we must put a central focus on registered apprenticeships.

State Roundup, February 2, 2017

In Gov. Hogan’s 3rd State of the State, he pushes aggressive agenda, speaks of bipartisanship and stays mum on President Trump; federal judge orders Senate president, House speaker to testify, turn over docs in gerrymandering lawsuit; record number of Marylanders sign up for ACA; Dems push for Marylander to be sanctuary state; anti-fracking groups rally in Annapolis; former city prosecutor Bernstein could involved in ethics review of Del. Morhaim; on her way out, Mayor Rawlings-Blake uses $54,000 in campaign funds to throw herself a party; mother of detained 5-year-old condemns Trump on immigration action; and how will Maryland’s senators vote on Trump cabinet?

Hogan moves to suspend $50 million supplement to pension system

In his State of the State speech Wednesday, Gov. Larry Hogan worried about the state’s pension system’s $20 billion unfunded liability, and urged legislators to pass a new pension option like a 401(k) for new employees. But in his fiscal 2018 budget, the governor withholds a mandated $50 million supplement to the State Retirement and Pension System due to declining revenue estimates that have left a slim $70 million surplus in fiscal 2017.

Cynthia Prairie

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