On January 31, 2023, MACo Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally testified in opposition to HB 0073 - Homestead Property Tax Credit - Calculation of Credit for Dwelling Purchased by First-Time Homebuyer before the House Ways and Means Committee. This bill would open up property tax savings under the Homestead Property Tax Credit to be “portable” for specified homeowners. This dramatically undermines the longstanding policy purpose of the credit – to ensure stability in tax bills after purchase.…

On January 24, 2023, MACo Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in support of HB 0057 - Property Tax - Tax Sales - Requirement to Sell. This bill would grant counties full flexibility in determining the frequency of tax sales, which could help minimize tax collection costs, assist with the payment of overdue taxes, and ultimately allow homeowners to remain in their homes. From the MACo Testimony: MACo strongly…

On January 18, 2023, MACo Policy Director Kevin Kinnally submitted a letter of information to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee for SB0094 - Income Tax - Subtraction Modification - Volunteer Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Medical Services. Maryland communities value and rely upon career and volunteer fire and rescue services as primary actors in emergency response. However, social and demographic shifts present career and volunteer fire companies with great difficulty in recruiting and retaining firefighters. Legislation…

On January 19, 2023, MACo Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally submitted testimony to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee in opposition to SB0049 - Income Tax - Subtraction Modification - Retirement Income, SB0076 - Income Tax - Subtraction Modification - Public Safety Volunteers, and SB0083 - Income Tax - Subtraction Modification - Military and Public Safety Retirement Income. The Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) has also submitted written testimony for the cross-file of SB0083—HB0015—on February 2,…

On January 18, 2023, MACo Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally submitted testimony to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee in support of SB0134 - Property Tax Credit for Disabled Veterans - Established with amendments. This bill would require local governments to grant, by law, a prescriptive property tax credit for specified disabled veterans and surviving spouses. SB 134 is a significant unfunded mandate on county governments. A “local option amendment” would relieve that mandate and allow each…

On January 19, 2023, MACo Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally submitted testimony to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee in support of SB0122 - Property Tax Exemption - Religious Group or Organization - Third-Party Leases. The House Health and Government Operations Committee will consider the bill's cross-file, HB 0328, on February 22. The bill stipulates that real property owned by a religious group or organization but leased to a third party would not qualify for the…