Tech Council Study: Frederick Data Center Project Represents $41M in Annual County Tax Revenue, 1,700 Jobs

Study: Quantum Frederick data center project represents an investment of nearly $30 billion in Frederick County, supporting high-paying jobs for thousands of Marylanders while significantly augmenting both local and state-level tax revenues. The technology sector is driving tremendous demand for more computing and storage capacity. Data centers – the facilities that house the computers and equipment that power the information needs of the modern economy – are in high demand. According to a new study from…

Comments Off on Tech Council Study: Frederick Data Center Project Represents $41M in Annual County Tax Revenue, 1,700 Jobs
Court Blocks Pennsylvania From Entering Multi-State Carbon Cap-And-Trade Program

The Commonwealth Court ruled on Wednesday that Pennsylvania cannot enter into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state initiative to limit carbon emissions, saying it violates the state Constitution. ​RGGI is a ​cooperative, market-based effort among the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,  Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia to cap and reduce CO2 emissions from the power sector. It represents the first cap-and-invest regional initiative implemented in…

Comments Off on Court Blocks Pennsylvania From Entering Multi-State Carbon Cap-And-Trade Program
Harford County Earns Clean Audit, Highest Possible Opinion for Financial Reporting

Independent auditors issued a clean opinion on Harford County's annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. The clean audit opinion of the County's fiscal 2023 annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR), issued by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, means that the financial statements are accurate and contain no material misstatements. The auditors had no management comments or findings. It also means the ACFR was presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and the…

Comments Off on Harford County Earns Clean Audit, Highest Possible Opinion for Financial Reporting
Charles County Receives AAA Bond Rating for Seventh Straight Year

Charles County announced that all three major national bond rating agencies, Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings, and Moody’s Investor’s Service, have reaffirmed the county's AAA bond rating. Bond rating experts met with county leaders to review the health and stability of the county based on budget management, external audits, financial management, and economic development. This allows the county to maintain low interest rates when repaying bonds. “Retaining our AAA Bond Rating is a clear sign…

Comments Off on Charles County Receives AAA Bond Rating for Seventh Straight Year
MACo Announces 2024 Legislative Priorities

In the 2024 General Assembly Session, MACo will prioritize fiscal transparency, modernizing local revenue structures, new incentives to bolster firefighter and EMS recruitment and retention, and collaborative solutions for addressing Maryland's affordable and workforce housing shortage. This week, the MACo Legislative Committee adopted the Association's Legislative Initiatives for the 2024 Maryland General Assembly Session. MACo's Legislative Committee will take positions on hundreds of bills, but these four issues serve as the Association's priorities for the…

Comments Off on MACo Announces 2024 Legislative Priorities
Howard County Is Revitalizing the Route 1 Corridor… One Tax Credit at a Time

In fiscal 2023, the program increased outreach to Route 1 property owners and allocated its max allowance of $250,000, helping transform five properties along the corridor. Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced applications are now being accepted for the County's latest round of its transformational Route 1 Tax Credit Program, which encourages revitalization along the Route 1 corridor by helping owners of commercial and industrial properties with renovation and beautification projects. Overseen by the County's Department…

Comments Off on Howard County Is Revitalizing the Route 1 Corridor… One Tax Credit at a Time
Comptroller Lierman to Launch Online Constituent Engagement Tool

The Comptroller’s Office is launching a new online tool that allows the public – from residents and community leaders to members of the media and government officials – to sign up for regular agency updates. As Comptroller Brooke Lierman outlined in the Transition Report, released earlier this year, the Comptroller’s Office is prioritizing building active partnerships with local governments, community leaders, small businesses, and Maryland residents, ensuring the agency is accessible to everyone and increasing…

Comments Off on Comptroller Lierman to Launch Online Constituent Engagement Tool
Casino Revenue Down, Sports Wagering Revenue Ticks Up

Sports wagering contributes $3.2 million in tax revenue in September. Maryland’s 13 retail and 12 mobile sportsbooks generated $3,231,427 in contributions to the State, up from the $2.555,671 million for August 2023. Each sportsbook contributes 15 percent of its taxable win to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund, which supports public education programs. The statewide handle (amounts players wagered, including free promotional wagers) in September totaled $442,450,666, with mobile handle accounting for 95.1 percent of…

Comments Off on Casino Revenue Down, Sports Wagering Revenue Ticks Up
MD Cannabis Sales Exceed $90 Million in September

In September, collective adult-use and medical cannabis purchases reached $91 million, just short of the $91.7 million total for August — which was more than double the $42.7 million total for June, before the launch of adult-use retail sales, according to the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA). As previously reported on Conduit Street, as of July 1, adult-use cannabis is legal under Maryland law. Nearly all existing medical dispensaries (approximately 100 locations statewide) have converted their licenses…

Comments Off on MD Cannabis Sales Exceed $90 Million in September