County News / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Maryland Retains Triple-AAA Bond Rating

Maryland State Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp announced this week that the three major bond rating agencies have reaffirmed the State's AAA bond rating, the longest continuous Triple-AAA bond rating for a state in the country. The announcement comes in advance of the upcoming competitive sale of State General Obligation Bonds on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. According to a press release: Maryland is one of twelve states* to hold the coveted AAA rating, the highest possible…

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March 22, 2019
Conduit Street Podcast: Major Issues Mashup
County Budgets / County News / Education / General Assembly News / News You Can Use / Planning and Zoning / School Construction and Capital Budgets / Taxes and Revenues
Conduit Street Podcast: Major Issues Mashup

MACo has made the podcast available through both iTunes and Google Play Music by searching Conduit Street Podcast. You can also listen on our Conduit Street blog with a recap and link to the podcast. You can listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website. Useful Links Previous Conduit Street Coverage: $15 Minimum Wage Bill Heading to Governor Hogan Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Passage of Clean Energy Jobs Act Likely, But Maybe Not This Year Previous Conduit…

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March 21, 2019
Frederick Fire & Rescue Museum Opens April 6
photo courtesy: Frederick County Government
County News
Frederick Fire & Rescue Museum Opens April 6

The Frederick County Fire & Rescue Museum will open for the 2019 season on Saturday, April 6, at 10 a.m. The museum features artifacts from every fire and rescue company in Frederick County, as well as displays highlighting the Maryland State Firemen’s Association and the Frederick County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association. According to a press release: Featured items include the 1939 Ahrens-Fox pumper owned by the United Steam Fire Engine Co. No 3, the…

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March 21, 2019
County News / Elections
Baltimore County Ballot to Include Campaign Public Financing Option

Baltimore County voters will get to choose more than their next representatives in 2020, they will also decide whether to give local candidates access to public funds. By a 5-2 vote, the Baltimore County Council yesterday approved a proposal from County Executive Johnny Olszewski to put a Charter Amendment on the 2020 ballot to establish a public financing program for the offices of County Council and County Executive. Similar to systems adopted by Montgomery County, Howard…

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March 19, 2019
County News / Taxes and Revenues
Baltimore County Retains Triple-A Bond Rating

All three major rating agencies affirmed Baltimore County’s creditworthiness despite fiscal challenges Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski recently announced that Baltimore County has retained its triple-A bond rating from all three major rating agencies, allowing the county to continue to issue bonds at the lowest possible interest rate, saving millions of dollars for Baltimore County taxpayers. According to a press release: Moody’s Investor Service, Fitch Ratings, and S&P Global Ratings have each affirmed the county’s…

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March 19, 2019
House, Senate Pass MACo NG911 Initiative
County Budgets / County News / Finance and Procurement / General Assembly News / News You Can Use / Public Safety and Corrections
House, Senate Pass MACo NG911 Initiative

The Maryland House of Delegates on Saturday overwhelmingly passed HB 397, Public Safety – 9-1-1 Emergency Telephone System (Carl Henn’s Law), a 2019 MACo Legislative Initiative to update state laws and the 9-1-1 financing system to provide the flexibility and resources needed for the deployment of a statewide Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) system. Earlier this month the Senate approved an identical Senate bill, SB 339. The House bill will need a pro forma vote in the…

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March 18, 2019
County News / Education / Environment / General Assembly News / News You Can Use / Planning and Zoning
Conduit Street Podcast: Dueling Budgets, Solar, Septics, General Issue Updates, and More!

MACo has made the podcast available through both iTunes and Google Play Music by searching Conduit Street Podcast. You can also listen on our Conduit Street blog with a recap and link to the podcast. You can listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website. Useful Links Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Dueling Budgets: Senate Plan Reels In Kirwan Spending Previous Conduit Street Coverage: House Passes Budget, Action Moves to Senate Previous Conduit Street Coverage: House Budget Proposal…

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March 15, 2019
County News / Education / General Assembly News
Dueling Budgets: Senate Plan Reels In Kirwan Spending

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee yesterday voted unanimously on a $46-billion-plus budget proposal that limits appropriations for the recommendations of the [Kirwan] Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education to current state revenues. The Senate plan dedicates $225 million in FY 2020 to begin implementing the recommendations of the Kirwan Commission, far less than the $320 million the House approved in its budget plan. The Senate budget allocates an additional $345 million to the…

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March 15, 2019
County News / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
House Passes Budget, Action Moves to Senate

The Maryland House of Delegates today gave final approval to HB 100, the Budget Bill, and HB 1407, the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2019 ("BRFA"). The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee will finalize its budget recommendations this week. Overall, the House budget increases state aid to local governments by $612.9 million (7.1%), most of which is in the form of state aid to education/libraries, which increases by $564.1 million (7.4%). House Budget Documents…

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March 14, 2019
Cecil’s New FEMA Rating Means Big Savings for County Residents
Left to Right: Bryan Lightner, LUDS Resource Plans Reviewer; Deputy Emergency Manager Michelle Lloyd, Cecil County Department of Emergency Services; County Executive Dr. Alan McCarthy; Heather Davis-Jenkins, FEMA; and Eric Sennstrom, LUDS Director (photo courtesy of Cecil County)
County News / News You Can Use
Cecil’s New FEMA Rating Means Big Savings for County Residents

Residents in Cecil County are about to see big savings on their flood insurance premiums. By achieving a Class 7 rating through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System, each NFIP policyholder will save an average of $218 on their annual premium. According to a press release: Throughout the United States, there are well over 20,000 communities participating in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), with 148 of…

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March 13, 2019
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