A commentary from the Southern Maryland paper SoMdNews.com highlighted a number of fiscal and policy priorities for the coming 2013 legislative session.  Among their comments was recognizing that local governments, who have lost the most transportation funding during the recent years’ budget-driven cutbacks, are suffering deeply.

Equally important, the 433rd session of the General Assembly finally must address the state’s vast transportation infrastructure needs as its No. 1 priority. The Transportation Trust Fund has to be replenished and stay replenished. Local governments shouldn’t have to go begging for the highway user revenues to which they are entitled. A mantra of the state’s business leaders is that infrastructure is a prerequisite for economic stability and growth.

The paper also pointed out a series of social issues, including gun control and the death penalty, which are expected to loom large in the session ahead.