Special Session – Bills and Schedule Now Available

May 11, 2012

With the General Assembly’s special session slated for Monday, the legislation introduced to address budget-related issues has been made available, with a schedule for public hearings (on Monday) as well.

The three bills under principal consideration are:

BRFA – Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act – includes pension shift, formula changes, fund transfers

State and Local Revenue and Financing Act – includes tax changes affecting income taxes, tobacco taxes, and local tax application

Qualified Zone Academy Bonds – technical clarification required to authorize federally funded school projects

The hearing schedule indicates:

MAY 14, 2012

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS

1:00 P.M. Room 120
House Office Building
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD

Subject: Bill hearings on the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of
2012 and Creation of State Debt – Qualified Zone Academy Bonds

Witnesses are asked to sign up for oral testimony and, if
providing written testimony, to provide 40 copies by 11:00 A.M.
Monday, May 14. The committee will accept late testimony;
however, due to time constraints, late testimony may not be
provided to the members during the hearing, but will be
delivered to their offices as soon as possible.

HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS

2:00 P.M. Room 130
House Office Building
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD

Subject: Bill hearing on the State and Local Revenue and Financing Act of
2012

Witnesses are asked to sign up for oral testimony, and if
providing written testimony, to do so by 12:00 P.M. on Monday,
May 14. The committee will accept late testimony; however, due
to time constraints, testimony may not be provided to the
members during the hearing but will be delivered to their
offices as soon as possible.

SENATE BUDGET AND TAXATION

11:00 A.M. 3 West
Miller Senate Building
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD

Subject: Bill hearings on the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of
2012, the State and Local Revenue and Financing Act of 2012, and
Creation of a State Debt – Qualified Zone Academy Bonds

Witnesses are asked to sign up for oral testimony and, if
providing written testimony, to do so by 12:00 P.M. Friday,
May 11. The committee will accept late testimony; however, due
to time constraints, testimony may not be provided to the
members during the hearing but will be delivered to their
offices as soon as possible.

Leave a Comment » | Bill Hearing, County Budgets, Education, State Budget, Teacher Pension Shift | Permalink
Posted by Michael Sanderson

Upcoming Bill Hearings of County Interest

March 23, 2012

Below is a schedule of upcoming Legislative Committee, Commission and Task Force hearings and briefings in Annapolis as well as public meetings of interest to local government officials.

*Prior to traveling to any meetings please confirm the accuracy of the meeting dates and locations with the respective committee as they are subject to last minute changes. Click here to access the Maryland General Assembly Hearing Schedule Index*

Wednesday, March 28

  • SB 450-State Board of Environmental Health Specialists-Transfer of Responsibilities (Bill Hearing)
    House Health & Government Operations Committee
    1:00 p.m.
    Bill Information

Thursday, March 29

  • SB 123-Real Property-Foreclosure Sale of Residential Property-Notice to Local Supervisor of Assessments (Bill Hearing)
    House Environmental Matters Committee
    1:00 p.m.
    Bill Information

Leave a Comment » | Bill Hearing, Calendar Corner | Permalink
Posted by Emily Hollis

Final Vote in House Today on MOE

March 23, 2012

Today the House of Delegates will be voting on HB 1412, Maintenance of Effort  (MOE).  County officials are encouraged to contact their Delegates today in opposition to the proposed legislation.  Click here to read MACo’s testimony on the legislation.

Leave a Comment » | Bill Hearing, County Budgets, Education | Permalink
Posted by Emily Hollis

General Assembly Action Deadlines Approaching

March 15, 2012

According to the General Assembly’s legislative calendar, the deadlines for favorable action on legislation are approaching.

March 20 (70th Day) — Committee Reporting Courtesy Date

Each Chamber’s committees to report their own bills by this date
26 76th Day — Opposite Chamber Bill Crossover Date

Each Chamber to send to other Chamber those bills it intends to pass favorably

Opposite Chamber bills received after this date subject to referral to Rules Committees (Senate Rule 32(c), House Courtesy Date)

Anticipate lengthy floor sessions in both chambers on the week or so ahead, as both the Senate and House face this practical (though soft) deadline for positive action.

Leave a Comment » | Bill Hearing | Permalink
Posted by Michael Sanderson

Governor’s Transportation Plan to be Heard in the House and Senate

March 13, 2012

Governor O’Malley plans to testify today on this transportation plan to impose the 6% sales tax on the sale of gasoline. This legislation would also restore some level of transportation aid to local governments.  However, not in the same manner as historically advocated by MACo.  MACo has consistently advocated for full restoration of Highway User Revenues back to the historic 70% State/30% local share.  Instead this proposal maintains the current 90% State/10% local share and establishes the Local Transportation Infrastructure Aid Account to allocate new revenues generated by the sales tax to local governments.

As reported by the Baltimore Sun, the bill may face an up hill battle.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller — who before the session had all but promised that a gas tax increase would be approved — on Tuesday came close to ruling out an increase during the current 90-day session.

“As long as the gas price is high, I don’t see any appetite for a gas tax increase,” said Miller, a Calvert County Democrat. He suggested the climate for passage might be better if a special session were called later this year, especially if gas prices go back down to about $3 a gallon.

O’Malley said he’s open to amendments and negotiations — even a delay in the effective date until a time when gas prices seem less onerous. But he wants the General Assembly to take action before it adjourns April 9.

“There are 30 days left in the session,” he said. “I don’t see a reason to punt on first down.”

Leave a Comment » | Bill Hearing, Transportation and Public Works | Permalink
Posted by Andrea Mansfield

Upcoming Meetings Affecting County Government

March 9, 2012

Below is a schedule of upcoming Legislative Committee, Commission and Task Force hearings and briefings in Annapolis as well as public meetings of interest to local government officials.

*Prior to traveling to any meetings please confirm the accuracy of the meeting dates and locations with the respective committee as they are subject to last minute changes. Click here to access the Maryland General Assembly Hearing Schedule Index*

Wednesday, March 14

  • HB 1302-Maryland Transportation Financing & Infrastructure Investment Act of 2012 (Bill Hearing)
    House Ways & Means and Environmental Matters Committees
    1:00 p.m.
    Bill Information
  • SB 971- Maryland Transportation Financing & Infrastructure Investment Act of 2012 (Bill Hearing)
    Senate Budget & Taxation Committee
    1:00 p.m.
    Bill Information
  • Budget Decisions
    •  Subcommittee on Education & Economic Development
      1:00 p.m.
      House Office Building, Room 145
    •  Subcommittee on Health & Human Resources
      1:00 p.m.
      House Office Building, Room 150
    • Subcommittee on Public Safety & Administration
      1:00 p.m.
      House Office Building, Room 120
    • Subcommittee on Transportation & the Environment
      3:00 p.m.
      House Office Building, Room 120

Friday, March 16

  • Subcommittees Report Budget Decisions
    Full House Appropriations Committee
    1:00 p.m.
    House Office Building, Room 120

Leave a Comment » | Bill Hearing, Calendar Corner | Permalink
Posted by Emily Hollis

Calendar Corner-Upcoming Meetings Affecting County Government

March 2, 2012

Below is a schedule of upcoming Legislative Committee, Commission and Task Force hearings and briefings in Annapolis as well as public meetings of interest to local government officials.

*Prior to traveling to any meetings please confirm the accuracy of the meeting dates and locations with the respective committee as they are subject to last minute changes. Click here to access the Maryland General Assembly Hearing Schedule Index*

Monday, March 5

  • Budget Decisions
    Senate Budget & Taxation Committee-Subcommittee on Education, Business, &  Administration
    1:00 p.m.
    3 West Miller Senate Office Building
  • Budget Decisions
    Senate Budget & Taxation Committee- Health & Human Services Subcommittee
    1:00 p.m.
    Amoss Room, Miller Senate Office Building

Tuesday, March 6

  • Briefing by the Department of Legislative Services on Doomsday Budget
    Senate Budget & Taxation
    9:00 a.m.
  • Budget Decisions
    Senate Budget & Taxation Committee- Subcommittee on Public Safety, Transportation, & Environment
    1:00 p.m.
    Schweinhaut Room, Miller Senate Office Building
  • HB 1177-Ethics-Financial Disclosure by Local Elected Officials (Bill Hearing)
    House Environmental Matters Committee
    1:00 p.m.
    Bill Information

Wednesday, March 7

  • HB 1058-Program Open Space-Local Projects-Funding for Development (Bill Hearing)
    House Environmental Matters Committee
    1:00 p.m.
    Bill Information

Thursday, March 8

  • Subcommittees Report Budget Decisions to Full Committee
    Senate Budget & Taxation Committee
    1:00 p.m.
  • HB 845-Transportation-Highway User Revenues-Distribution (Bill Hearing)
    House Appropriations Committee
    1:00 p.m.
    Bill Information
  • HB 1201-Department of Planning-State Development Plan-Use and Conflicts of Law (Bill Hearing)
    House Environmental Matters Committee
    1:00 p.m.
    Bill Information

Friday, March 9

  • SB 440-Highway User Revenue Distribution (Bill Hearing)
    Senate Budget & Taxation Committee
    1:00 p.m.
    Bill Information
  • SB 567-Telecommunications Taxes-Reform Commission and Moratorium (Bill Hearing)
    Senate Budget & Taxation Committee
    1:00 p.m.
    Bill Information

Leave a Comment » | Bill Hearing, Calendar Corner | Permalink
Posted by Emily Hollis

MACo On MOE Legislation: “An Unworkable Bill”

February 29, 2012

Today in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, county officials testified both on the major budget reconciliation bill, but also on the recently fast-tracked bill dealing with maintenance of effort for school funding. MACo delivered written testimony on the legislation, reading in part:

SB 848 has multiple pieces, but taken together they conspire to undermine the basic authority of county elected officials, at the expense of the voters who installed them. Setting both the local share of foundation funding and each year’s maintenance of effort target as absolute requirements, and backing that state law up with a raid on county income taxes, completely transforms MOE from a condition to receive state funding increases into a complete state takeover of county budget decision-making. The next decade of county school funding will be essentially set, dollar for dollar, by this statewide legislation. County elected officials will have no actual say in prioritizing resources in an environment of declining tax bases, and will be stripped of any incentive at all to provide any funding in excess of the new state-required minimum.

MACo and a range of additional stakeholders will also testify on the same issues before the House Appropriations Committee during its hearings tomorrow (March 1).

Leave a Comment » | Bill Hearing, County Budgets, Education | Permalink
Posted by Michael Sanderson

Key Dates to Stop the Shift

February 28, 2012

Momentum is growing for a state budget plan that stops the shift of state pension obligations from the state to county governments and local education authorities.

The coalition we are building to accomplish this goal is strong and diverse. It includes teachers, police officers, fire fighters, community college educators and students, the not-for-profit community and others.

There are several key dates you should know about, which provide opportunities for you to get involved.

  • On Feb. 29, the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee will hold a public hearing on Senate Bill 152, the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2012, which contains the pension shift as one of its provisions.
  • On March 1, the House Appropriations Committee has scheduled its public hearing on an identical version of the legislation.

Please email  stoptheshift@gmail.com if you’d like to participate in those public hearings and other outreach activities.

Working together, we can STOP the SHIFT.

Leave a Comment » | Bill Hearing, Education, Teacher Pension Shift | Permalink
Posted by Emily Hollis

Counties Raise Concerns On Telecommunications “Reforms” Study

February 22, 2012

MACo Legislative Director Andrea Mansfield testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in support of HB 563 with amendments. Panelists who testified in conjunction with MACo included: Mitsuko Kerrera, Cable Communications Administrator, Montgomery County; John Lyons, Cable television Administrator, Anne Arundel County; Lori Sherwood, Broad Ban Program Director or ICBN, Howard County; and Sylvia Strobel, Executive Director, Foundation of the Alliance for Community Media. This bill would establish a 13 member Telecommunications Tax Reform Commission to assess the feasibility and fiscal implications for State and local governments of a competitively neutral telecommunications tax and fee system that encourages investment in broadband networks and eliminates the disparate treatment of similar telecommunications service providers.  The bill also imposes a far-reaching moratorium on State and local governments imposing new, or raising existing, telecommunications taxes and fees.

Local governments will be suggesting a number of changes to modify the scope of this Commission, all of which are supported by MACo.  These changes will limit the tax commission’s review to telecommunication taxes only; expand the tax commission’s charge to review broadband network investment; and to address inequities and logical inconsistencies within the bill. MACo would like to focus its comments in the following areas:

  • Eliminate the moratorium
  • Expand representation on the Commission
  • Expand the scope and time frame of the Commission’s review

To read MACo’s complete testimony on HB 563, click here

1 Comment | Bill Hearing, Taxes and Revenues | Permalink
Posted by Oni Olanrele

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