Cynthia Prairie, Author at MarylandReporter.com

Hogan again criticizes Busch’s handling of budget

Hard feelings from the just-finished legislative session spilled over into the Board of Public Works meeting Wednesday, as Gov. Larry Hogan used his seat as chairman to call out House Speaker Michael Busch.

“I’m not going to allow the petulant and unprecedented action by the Speaker, ignoring our supplemental budget, to go,” said Hogan, addressing a representative from the Maryland State Police who was testifying on police radios.

Hogan, Franchot deplore food contract mess at Baltimore jail

The fear of hungry inmates rioting at the Baltimore City Detention Center prompted top state officials to approve an emergency contract with a food vendor that had seriously underbid its three-year contract.

“We can’t wake up tomorrow morning and not serve food to the prisoners and have a riot on our hands,” said Gov. Larry Hogan at the Wednesday Board of Public Works meeting.

State Roundup, April 15, 2015

The budget standoff could illustrate the new reality in Annapolis; one question left hanging is what will happen to $200 million lawmakers set aside for specific items; on Tuesday, lawmakers, advocates and Gov. Hogan were all smiles as the bill-signing began; businesses aren’t elated by the session, but they also aren’t sorely disappointed; the University of Maryland System is anticipating the pinch of budget cuts; Van Hollen picks up more support in race for U.S. Senate; but so does Donna Edwards; and a dairy farm in Frederick is at the center of a federal asset seizure issue.

Top state officials to review flawed $37M contract for prison food

Grilled bureaucrats with a side order of roasted contractors is slated for the menu at Wednesday’s Board of Public Works meeting. The governor, treasurer and comptroller are all expected to turn up the heat over a flawed $37 million contract awarded Jan. 7 for inmate food services in Baltimore.

Freshman delegates hit the ground running, reflect on first year

Lawmakers lined up along the walls of the Governor’s Reception Room, waiting to stand behind Gov. Larry Hogan as bills they’ve poured their hearts into the past 90-days were signed into law Tuesday morning.

Perhaps the most eager of these legislators were the new kids on the block, first-year legislators that made up the largest freshmen class to occupy the State House in 20 years.
Reacting to their first session, new delegates reflected on their accomplishments, struggles and future plans.

State Roundup, April 14, 2015

What began with bipartisan pledges in the General Assembly ended Monday night with bad blood between Republican Gov. Hogan and a Democratic-controlled legislature over a passed budget that Hogan could still make some changes to; repeal of stormwater fees to go to Hogan’s desk; liability cap raised for governments big and small; yearlong wait for simple divorces now replaced with settlements; Uber’s commercial ride-sharing gets General Assembly OK; crude oil shipments won’t be studied, but what to do about Crownsville Hospital will; Moseley Braun backs Edwards to take Mikulski’s Senate seat; and Cummings says he’s leading in poll for Mikulski’s seat but is undecided on a run.

Hogan and legislators veered close, but wound up far apart

Gov. Larry Hogan and the Maryland legislature were so near, but yet so far. Hogan had preached bipartisanship since his election, but he ultimately rejected compromises he had initially favored.

Rain tax repeal enacted; lone legislator says bill repeals little

A lone legislator let his disapproval rain down on House delegates the last night of session, as the Watershed Protection bill passed with only Del. Richard Impallaria opposed against 138 members.

“There are people who believe that what we are doing is repealing the rain tax,” said Del. Richard Impallaria, R-Baltimore and Harford. “They are still going to get a rain tax bill, every single year.”

State Roundup, April 13, 2015

On the last day of the 2015 session, legislators and Gov. Hogan will be focusing on the budget, which seems to be stalled despite weekend negotiations; senators attempt to alter bills granting fertility treatment insurance coverage to same-sex couples and giving bigger civil awards to people harmed by local government employees; last-minute pleas on aid for convicting sex offenders, addressing police brutality complaints likely to go nowhere; bill would loosen legal grip on marijuana paraphernalia; Republican Party chief questions delay in announcement of Democrat’s prosecution; even as Hillary Clinton announces presidential candidacy, former Gov. O’Malley says he’ll wait; and O’Malley gets a mention on Saturday Night Live.

At the end, Hogan and lawmakers fighting at the margins

About 98% of the budget approve by the legislature is what Hogan himself submitted Jan. 22.

He and the legislature have been arguing about the other 2%. Now 2% of a $40.5 billion budget is $800 million, so it’s not just chump change. Here at the end of the 90-day session, it’s only about $200 million that’s in dispute, though lawmakers have “fenced off” considerably more on programs such as mass transit so Hogan can’t spend it on other things. They are arguing about the margins — and about holding down spending in years to come.

Cynthia Prairie

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