Two employees stole thousands from the government departments where they worked, auditors say, and both were fired. One made $71,000 worth of unauthorized purchases with a government credit card from the Department of Natural Resources, and another took $12,500 in cash from the Division of Pretrial Detention and Services.
Len Lazarick
State Roundup, April 15, 2011
Gazette recaps General Assembly finale, winners and losers; Miller won’t talk about retirement; O’Malley unveils 5-year economic plan; new report says state is hampered by complex taxes, reliance on government, Parrott wants to get in-state tuition for illegals on the ballot; O’Malley agenda failures not large setbacks.
Bigger state pension changes needed, some analysts say
It is time for state governments to start owning up to the true value of their pension debt and make big changes to ensure that they can meet their obligations to retirees, an economist told a congressional committee Thursday.
Video: Four reporters discuss the just-finished Assembly session
Four reporters talk about the issues in the just finished General session: Len Lazarick of MarylandReporter.com, Kenny Burns of WNAV radio, John Wagner of The Washington Post and Lou Davis of Maryland Public Television.
Blog: It’s a wrap! Delegates, staff leave Lowe building during renovations
“We’ve created a bubble-wrap shortage on the East Coast,” said Barbara Oakes, administrator of the House of Delegates. Or at least that’s what the logistics chief for the 141 delegates and their staffs was told as they wrapped picture frames and other fragile items this week to prepare for the $9.9 million revamp of the Thomas Hunter Lowe House Office Building.
New 3% alcohol tax passes; O’Malley will sign
The House of Delegates and Senate Monday night passed a new 3% sales tax on alcohol sold in stores, bars and restaurants, with most of the proceeds in the first year going to schools and school construction.
Gov. Martin O’Malley said Monday he will sign the two bills, which will go into effect July 1.
In-state tuition for illegal immigrants wins final approval; O’Malley plans to sign it
After a midday Senate filibuster temporarily delayed its passage, the bill granting in-state tuition for illegal immigrants was sent to Gov. Martin O’Malley for his promised signature Monday night.
As the House of Delegates approved the final negotiated version of the bill on Monday night with a vote of 74-65, the student lobbyists sitting in the galleries on either side of the chamber burst into cheers. The finalized bill had passed the Senate with a vote of 27-19 less than an hour earlier.
Blog: Scores of bills left hanging on the last day, but most have already died
As the General Assembly convenes for its 90th and final day Monday, the Senate will be meeting at 10 a.m. legislative day April 6. Across the hall, the House comes in at 11 a.m., April 7. Even for those of us not traveling in the legislative time machine, 13 or 14 hours later, both chambers will finish at midnight, April 11.
Video: Pension Committee chair discusses roll-back in benefits
Del. Melony Griffith, House chair of the Joint Committee on Pensions, discusses why the roll-back in pensions for state employees and teachers was necessary.
In-state college tuition for illegal immigrants passes House 74-66
In a close vote, the House of Delegates passed a bill on Friday that would give in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants, following an emotional debate fraught with tears, personal stories, anger and applause. The vote tally was 74-66, with 23 Democrats joining all 43 Republicans in opposing the measure.
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