Airbnb Loses Ballot Battle to Skirt Regulations in Jersey City
Business Affairs / County News / Planning and Zoning / Taxes and Revenues / Winter Conference
Airbnb Loses Ballot Battle to Skirt Regulations in Jersey City

Voters in New Jersey's second-largest city this month overwhelmingly upheld new restrictions on short-term rental properties, dealing a significant blow to short-term rental companies like Airbnb and VRBO. The new regulations, initially passed by the Jersey City Council in June, were put on hold after short-term rental advocates collected enough signatures to force a referendum. The rules limit how often landlords can rent properties, forbid short-term rentals in buildings with more than four units if…

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November 12, 2019
County News
Washington Appoints Interim County Administrator

The Washington County Board of County Commissioners today announced that Kirk C. Downey will fulfill the role of interim county administrator, effective immediately. The appointment was made upon the resignation of County Administrator Robert Slocum. Downey, who has served as the county attorney since 2018, first joined Washington County Government as part-time assistant county attorney in October of 2004. In August of 2005, Downey became the full-time assistant county attorney, and was promoted to the…

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November 12, 2019
New Technology, New Policy – The Ever-Shrinking Island of Cable Television
Business Affairs / County News / Information Technology / MACo Events / Planning and Zoning / Taxes and Revenues / Winter Conference
New Technology, New Policy – The Ever-Shrinking Island of Cable Television

At this year’s MACo Winter Conference, special guests will join a live recording of the Conduit Street Podcast to discuss the ever-shrinking island of cable television. The session, “New Technology, New Policy – The Ever-Shrinking Island of Cable Television,” will focus on the county role in the telecommunications market of the 2020s. New Technology, New Policy – The Ever-Shrinking Island of Cable Television Description: Technological change continues to advance rapidly - public policy needs to…

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November 12, 2019
State Casino Revenue Down 8.9% in October
County News / Education / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
State Casino Revenue Down 8.9% in October

Gross gaming revenue (GGR) fell 8.9% percent in October to $143,895,409 from $157,960,668 in October 2018, state lottery and gaming officials announced last week. In terms of year-over-year data, it’s the second month in a row that Maryland casinos brought in less revenue. Casino revenue in September was down 1.1% compared with September 2018. Contributions to the State of Maryland from October 2019 casino gaming revenue totaled $59,267,140, including $44,456,366 for the Education Trust Fund.…

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November 11, 2019
Frederick Announces New Director of Governmental Affairs
Photo courtesy of Frederick County Government
County News
Frederick Announces New Director of Governmental Affairs

Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner today announced a new director of governmental affairs. Roger Wilson, who has held the position since 2014, announced that he will be transitioning to other opportunities. Succeeding Wilson will be Joy Schaefer, who is well known in the community for her role on the Frederick County Board of Education. Schaefer is a member of the [Kirwan] Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education and has previously served as the president…

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November 6, 2019
County Budgets / County News / Taxes and Revenues / Winter Conference
Queen Anne’s Previews 2021 Budget Proposal, Calendar

Queen Anne's County today previewed some of the highlights from its FY2021 budget proposal and budget calendar. The county administrator's budget is scheduled to be released on March 24, 2020, with the Queen Anne's County Commissioners holding work sessions in April. The commissioner's budget proposal is due on April 21, followed by public hearings in May. Budget adoption is scheduled for June 9. According to a press release: Rainy Day Fund will retain funding of…

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November 6, 2019
Cecil’s Forest Conservation Program Gets Favorable Review
County News / Environment
Cecil’s Forest Conservation Program Gets Favorable Review

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) last week praised the Cecil County Department of Land Use and Development Services' (LUDS) implementation of the County's Forest Conservation Program. During its biennial review of the program, DNR gave the plan a favorable review. “Cecil County’s forest conservation efforts are vitally important to ensure a clean environment for our citizens now and future generations,” said County Executive Alan McCarthy. “This favorable review is another example of the…

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November 6, 2019
Business Is Booming in Frederick
Business Affairs / County News / Economic Development
Business Is Booming in Frederick

Sixty-three percent of Frederick County businesses surveyed during this year's Business Appreciation Week said they have plans to expand, County Executive Jan Gardner announced last week. “Our businesses are booming because of Frederick County’s outstanding quality of life and our excellent workforce,” Executive Gardner said. “We have a strong and growing economy with a record 104,000 jobs. Frederick County is a great place to do business!” According to a press release: Eight-one percent of business…

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November 5, 2019
Short-Term Rental Revolution: What’s Your Game Plan?
Business Affairs / County News / Economic Development / Planning and Zoning / Taxes and Revenues / Winter Conference
Short-Term Rental Revolution: What’s Your Game Plan?

Lodging is evolving through technology, as many tourists and visitors now seek to stay in shared spaces and other short-term lodging alternatives. While short-term rentals can help diversify tourism by promoting areas that need visitors the most and reducing overcrowding in tourist hotspots, significant challenges remain regarding the regulation and fair and equitable taxation of short-term rental properties. At the MACo Winter Conference session, "Short-Term Rental Revolution: What's Your Game Plan?" an expert panel will detail the latest trends on the…

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November 5, 2019
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