Feds Award Maryland $1.7M to Modernize 9-1-1
County News / Emergency Management / Information Technology / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / Public Safety and Corrections / Summer Conference
Feds Award Maryland $1.7M to Modernize 9-1-1

The U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Transportation last week announced more than $109 million in grants to 34 states and two tribal nations as part of the 911 Grant Program, which will help 9-1-1 call centers upgrade to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) capabilities. Maryland will receive $1,707,856 to power basic improvements such as providing digital and IP network capabilities to 9-1-1 emergency call centers and assist implementation of advanced mapping systems…

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August 12, 2019
Montgomery Unveils Results of Two-Year Apartment Building Inspection Initiative
County News / Housing and Community Development / News You Can Use
Montgomery Unveils Results of Two-Year Apartment Building Inspection Initiative

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich yesterday announced the completion of a  two-year County initiative to inspect 686 apartment buildings – a new protocol that is the most aggressive among large jurisdictions in the Washington area. Over the two-year period, the Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) inspected more than 22,000 apartment units, identified more than 31,000 violations and ensured that 96 percent of the violations were corrected. “Tenants deserve to live in safe housing conditions,” said…

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August 9, 2019
Howard Announces $8.1M Grant to Repair Damage from 2018 Flash Flood
New Cut Road after severe flooding in 2018 (photo courtesy of Howard County Government)
County Budgets / County News / Emergency Management / Transportation and Public Works
Howard Announces $8.1M Grant to Repair Damage from 2018 Flash Flood

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball this week announced that the County has received an $8.1 million grant from the National Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) to rebuild the portion of New Cut Road that washed away in the May 2018 Ellicott City flood. The 2018 Ellicott City flood caused one death and resulted in an estimated $20 million worth of damages. In 2016, Ellicott City was ravaged by a flash flood that claimed two lives and caused roughly…

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August 8, 2019
Frederick Appoints New Budget Director
Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner and Frederick County Budget Director Kelly Weaver (photo courtesy of Frederick County Government)
County Budgets / County News / News You Can Use
Frederick Appoints New Budget Director

Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner yesterday announced the promotion of Kelly Weaver, CPA, to the County's budget director. Ms. Weaver has served as the acting budget director since Rich Harcum, who previously served as budget director, was appointed as the County's chief administrative officer earlier this year. According to a press release: “Kelly brings an extensive knowledge of the county budget and a wealth of financial expertise and experience to this important positon,” Executive Gardner…

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August 8, 2019
California Makes New Push for Next Generation 9-1-1
County Budgets / County News / Emergency Management / General Assembly News / Information Technology / News You Can Use / Public Safety and Corrections / Summer Conference
California Makes New Push for Next Generation 9-1-1

For the past decade, California’s plan to upgrade its antiquated 9-1-1 system has mostly fallen flat. But Governor Gavin Newsom this week detailed a new, permanent funding source to accelerate the state's transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911). NG911 will enable the public to make voice, text, or video calls from any communications device via Internet Protocol-based networks. These capabilities can make public safety both more effective and more responsive. “During my first week in office,…

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August 8, 2019
State Grant Will Help Allegany Residents Get to Work
County News / Economic Development / Housing and Community Development / Transportation and Public Works
State Grant Will Help Allegany Residents Get to Work

Allegany County this week received a $300,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to provide more residents with reliable transportation to and from work. The three-year pilot program will expand bus routes to and from the North Branch Industrial Park (NBIP) — home to several large employers, providing residents with access to high-quality job opportunities. According to the Cumberland Times-News: “It’s no secret that sometimes transportation is a barrier to employment for individuals,” said…

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August 7, 2019
State Awards $11.7 Million for Judy Center Early Learning Hubs
County News / Education / News You Can Use / Summer Conference
State Awards $11.7 Million for Judy Center Early Learning Hubs

The Maryland State Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood announced that it has awarded 24 grants to serve 53 elementary schools in Maryland. Each of the state’s 24 jurisdictions has been funded for one or more Judy Center Early Learning Hubs (Judy Centers). The grant, which totals $11,700,000, provides two-generational program supports to children and families and helps achieve the goal of all children entering kindergarten ready to succeed, regardless of income. According to…

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August 6, 2019
Tax “Fairness” — Where Does Maryland Rank?
Source: ITEP: Who Pays? 6th Edition
County News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
Tax “Fairness” — Where Does Maryland Rank?

Maryland has the tenth most equitable tax structure in the nation, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy's (ITEP) annual study of individual state’s tax policies, which measures the impact of each state’s tax system on income inequality. To rank states (and the District of Columbia) on tax fairness, the authors developed a Tax Inequality Index, based on comparisons of pre- and post-tax incomes by income group. Less equal — or regressive — systems, according to…

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August 6, 2019
Looking for State Budget Info? There’s an App for That
Information Technology / News You Can Use / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
Looking for State Budget Info? There’s an App for That

Governor Larry Hogan and the heads of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Information Technology (DoIT) last week announced the launch of the “Maryland Transparency Portal,” a new web-based application geared towards ensuring residents are better informed about the details of the state budget. “Making sure that people can understand the fundamentals of the state’s budgeting system is necessary if we hope to foster the growth of an informed populace,”…

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August 5, 2019
New Law Bolsters Economic Impact Analysis for Montgomery County Bills
Business Affairs / County News / Economic Development / Planning and Zoning
New Law Bolsters Economic Impact Analysis for Montgomery County Bills

The Montgomery County Council last week passed legislation requiring the County's Office of Legislative Oversight to prepare an economic impact statement (EIS) for each bill pending before the Council. The legislation aims to strengthen the current EIS requirement, originally enacted in 2010. Under the bill, sponsored by Councilmember Andrew Friedson, each EIS must include a bill’s potential positive or negative effects, if any, on the County’s workforce, taxation policy, property values, incomes, operating costs to…

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August 5, 2019
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