Education / Environment / Finance and Procurement / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / Labor / NACo and Federal Issues / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Transportation and Public Works
White House Releases Government Reform Proposal

On Thursday, the White House released a 132-page report detailing specific opportunities for reform of the Federal government. The comprehensive report lists 32 recommendations for organizational realignments, reassignments, consolidations, privatization of certain government services, disposition of government-owned assets, technology upgrades, customer service improvements, process reform, and more. The report contends to address the federal government's inefficiencies. It does not make recommendations for reducing the federal workforce - another goal put forth by the Administration. The federal…

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June 22, 2018
County Budgets / County News / Education
Worcester Commissioners Approve School’s $1.3M Turf Field

The Worcester County Commissioners recently approved funding for a new turf field at Stephen Decatur High School. The funding will be included in a bond that will fund the construction of a new elementary school. According to The Dispatch: Though they had conceptually agreed to doing so during the budget process, the commissioners made the decision official Tuesday with a 5-0 vote. Commissioner Jim Bunting and Commissioner Chip Bertino abstained from the vote. “We have…

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June 22, 2018
County News / Elections / Employee Benefits and Relations / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / Labor / NACo and Federal Issues / Summer Conference / Taxes and Revenues
Conduit Street Podcast: SCOTUS Sounds Off, Early Voting Boom, Riveting Races, & More!

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson discuss the surge in early voting numbers in this year's primary election, explore the role of county governments in state and local elections, examine the impacts of three major Supreme Court decisions, review MACo's Legislative Initiatives process, and look ahead to the 2018 MACo Summer Conference. *Note: We'll be back next week with a special edition of the Conduit Street Podcast to breakdown…

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June 21, 2018
NACo and Federal Issues / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
SCOTUS Opens Door To State Taxation of Internet, “Remote” Sales

In a widely anticipated decision, the US Supreme Court has struck down a longstanding rule preventing states from imposing their sales taxes on sellers who do not have a physical presence in that state. Today's decision in the case South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. represents a stark turnaround from longstanding federal policy precluding state enforcement of sales taxes on sellers without a "nexus" (typically a physical presence such as a retail location) within that state.…

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June 21, 2018
County Budgets / County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Summer Conference
Treasurer of Maryland to Address County Elected Officials

A veteran of the General Assembly and the only woman serving in a state constitutional office, Treasurer Nancy Kopp will address female county leaders at the Maryland Association of Counties Summer Conference Women of MACo Luncheon. Nancy Kopp is Maryland's 23rd State Treasurer, having been elected in 2002, and re-elected to successive full four-year terms in 2003, 2007, 2011, and 2015. Treasurer Kopp will join the Summer MACo Conference as the special guest speaker at the Women…

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June 21, 2018
County Budgets / County News / Government Liability and Courts / Summer Conference / Taxes and Revenues
MD AG Seeks Judicial Review of Wynne Whammy

The Office of the Attorney General has formally requested the Circuit Court of Anne Arundel County to review the Maryland Tax Court's ruling which essentially raises the Wynne Case refund interest rate from three to 13 percent - a decision which would likely cost Maryland counties $30 to $40 million. On May 23, the Maryland Tax Court ruled that providing taxpayers lower interest rate payments on Wynne refunds than on other refunds is unconstitutional, because it violates the Commerce Clause. From…

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June 19, 2018
Environment / Finance and Procurement / Planning and Zoning
NJIT Offers Two Free Brownfield Training Sessions

      The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is offering two one-day training sessions on brownfield redevelopment on August 1 and 2 in Catonsville, MD. The courses are part of NJIT's Technical Assistance to Brownfield Communities Program (TAB). TAB Background Basic background on the program is provided by an NJIT TAB Flyer: NJIT provides free technical assistance to state, regional, county, tribal, and local government entities and nonprofit organizations interested in learning about, identifying,…

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June 15, 2018
County News / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / Taxes and Revenues
Got PILT? The Feds May Owe You Money

The Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program was created in 1976 to compensate counties and other local governments for losses in tax revenues due to the presence of substantial federal land acreage within their jurisdictions. Because local governments are unable to tax the property values or products derived from federal lands, PILT payments are necessary to support essential local government services. Maryland received $111,289 in PILT payments in 2017. In 2008, Congress significantly amended…

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June 14, 2018
County Budgets / NACo and Federal Issues / Planning and Zoning / Public Safety and Corrections / Summer Conference
Lower Crime, Fewer Foreclosures, Faster Permitting…Data Tracking Contributes to County Performance

Prince George's County's transforming neighborhoods initiative has contributed to positive results through a CountyStat program focused on gathering and analyzing information from 3-1-1 calls and other sources. The National Association of Counties article, Building Trust: Performance Metrics in Counties, profiles performance management programs in county governments in Maryland, North Carolina, and Illinois. NACo writes: Counties across the country are in a continuous process of performance improvement. From running local health departments to overseeing elections, counties deliver…

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June 12, 2018
County News / Education / Elections / News You Can Use / Taxes and Revenues
Conduit Street Podcast: Primary Ballot Battle, Kirwan 2.0, Wynne Whammy, & #MACoCon

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson break down the primary ballot battle between gubernatorial Candidate Valerie Ervin and the State Board of Elections, provide insight on the [Kirwan] Commission on Innovation and Excellence In Education, discuss the latest twist in the Wynne saga, and preview the 2018 MACo Summer Conference. Listen here: MACo has made the podcast available through both iTunes and Google Play Music by searching…

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June 8, 2018
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