Bill Hearing / County News / MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues
Counties Need Security When Issuing TIFs

MACo Associate Director Barbara Zektick testified in support of Senate Bill 925, "Property Tax - Liability for Payment of Tax on Leased Property", before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on March 13, 2018. This bill allows for the attachment of tax liens in special circumstances where the government leases property for private development, and they utilize tax increment financing (TIF) bonds to finance the project or development. When businesses lease government property and perform…

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March 13, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / Education / MACo Testimony
Funding Bolsters Free and Reduced-Price Meal Program

MACo submitted written testimony in support with amendments of House Bill 1235, "Maryland Meals for Achievement In-Classroom Breakfast Program - Eligibility and Annual Appropriation", to the House Ways and Means Committee on March 13, 2018. The bill allows schools that fall below 40% of students that qualify for the free and reduced-price meal (FRPM) program to remain eligible for one year following the fall below the 40% threshold. This allows schools that experience an anomaly…

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March 13, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony
Expanding Benefits Another Tool for Counties to Retain 9-1-1 Telecommunicators

9-1-1 telecommunicators operate in a very stressful environment, and the nature of the job has made it difficult for counties to maintain a consistent staff over a long period of time. Senate Bill 1053 would allow local governments to expand benefits to these public safety telecommunicators and their dependants by implementing a tax credit up to $2,500 for property owned in the jurisdiction by a 9-1-1 telecommunicator. The bill also expands the eligibility criteria for…

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March 13, 2018
Government Liability and Courts / Health and Human Services / Public Safety and Corrections
First in the Fight: Counties Continue Battle Against the Opioid Epidemic

Counties led the fight to protect "first responders" administering emergency anti-overdose medications, and support this year's proposed refinements that continue to fill in gaps. The number of opioid overdoses has steadily skyrocketed in all corners of the state over the past five years, and State and local officials have sought any and all solutions to the myriad of problems that the opioid epidemic presents. With the implementation of the Overdose Response Program and expansion of…

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March 13, 2018
Bill Hearing / Business Affairs / County News / MACo Testimony
Getting a Handle on Short-Term Rental Regulation

While counties have already enacted some regulations of short-term residential rentals, some are still working through how they plan to regulate them. House Bill 1604 provides some needed parameters on these limited rentals, while maintaining local autonomy for local governments to enact laws regulating the industry. MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu testified in support of HB 1604 before the House Economic Matters Committee on March 9, 2018. HB 1604 strikes a balance between ensuring communities…

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March 9, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues
Simplified Tax Credit Encourages Economic Growth in Targeted Counties

MACo Associate Director Barbara Zektick testified in support of House Bill 1295, "One Maryland Economic Development Tax Credits – Simplification and Alteration", before the House Ways and Means Committee on March 9, 2018. This bill streamlines and simplifies the One Maryland Tax Credit, providing easier access for businesses and promoting economic development in the counties. This legislation consolidates start-up and project into one tax credit and promotes growth of new businesses by allowing them to…

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March 9, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / MACo Testimony / School Construction and Capital Budgets
Improve State Assessment of School Construction Needs

House Bill 1495 would establish educational facilities sufficiency standards and a facility condition index and use the index to rank all of Maryland’s public schools. This can help accurately inform the State and counties about what school construction needs exist here in Maryland. However, the indexing of facilities through a ranking system are a concern because it would be difficult for the index to properly take into account all of the factors and priorities that…

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March 9, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / Education / MACo Testimony
Tuition Assistance Encourages Students to Consider Many Careers

A bill authorizing counties to opt-in to tuition waivers for vocational and apprenticeship programs, in addition to a tuition assistance program for Associate's degrees, would help develop a stronger and more skilled workforce. MACo Policy Associate Kevin Kinnally testified in support of House Bill 976, "Community Colleges – Vocational Certificates, Apprenticeship Training Programs, and Associate Degrees – Tuition Assistance", before the House Ways and Means Committee on March 7, 2018. This bill helps to achieve a…

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March 9, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections
Pretrial Cost Recovery is Critical to Provision of the Service

MACo submitted written testimony in opposition to Senate Bill 484, "Criminal Procedure – Pretrial Release - Fees", to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on March 8, 2018. This would prohibit local jails from placing fees on any pretrial services. Many of these fees are charged simply to compensate for costs on providing these services and no profits are made off of the fees imposed. This prohibition would potentially undermine and imperil developing pretrial service programs.…

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March 8, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / Finance and Procurement / MACo Testimony
Economic Difficulties Extend Beyond County Lines

MACo submitted written testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee in support of House Bill 1594, Economic Development - More Jobs for Marylanders - Tier I Eligibility", on March 7, 2018. This legislation would extend access to economic development benefits under the More Jobs for Marylanders programs to geographical areas that share a zip code with jurisdictions that currently qualify. Most counties do not register as a "qualified distressed" county, many have areas that do…

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March 7, 2018
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