State Budget and Fiscal Issues Archives

Local Road Money Gets “A Little Boost” In State Budget

Coverage today by Capital News Service discusses the one-time funding being provided for county and municipal governments in the developing state budget for FY 2012, noting "Maryland counties and municipalities are set to receive a one-time $13.2 million infusion to help maintain and repair battered roads, under spending plans recently approved by the House and Senate." From coverage in the Herald-Mail: The state's portion of the funds it gives to local governments has dropped from…

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March 31, 2011

County Budgets / Education / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Transportation and Public Works

County Issues Watch – Week of March 28 – April 1

The General Assembly has passed its "crossover" date, meaning most legislation destined to pass has been approved by its house of origin. As always, exceptions apply - and there remains much work to be done in Annapolis in these final days until the April 11 end of session. Here we will detail issues of interest to the county community that are likely to play out during the week of March 28-April 1, 2011. Budget Conference…

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March 29, 2011

State Budget and Fiscal Issues

House and Senate Budget Actions – What’s Left?

As reported previously, the full House has approved its budget plan and the full Senate will debate its plan this week. Whereas, the Senate concurred with a large number of actions taken by the House, a few issues of importance to local governments remain to be resolved. These include the assessment function shift, language to shift costs for the implementation of a video conference system to perform local inmate parole hearings, the Disparity Grant, and…

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March 26, 2011

Education / Employee Benefits and Relations / Parks and Recreation / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Transportation and Public Works

Senate Budget Committee Approves Budget Plan: Rejects Pension Shift, Agrees To One-Time Funding for Local Roads

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee approved its plan to modify the Governor's 2012 proposed budget, concurring with a large number of the actions taken by the House. As a part of their plan, the Senate Committee concurred with the House to restore funding for education, rejected a Department of Legislative Services (DLS) recommendation to transfer 50 percent of teacher retirement expenses to the local boards of education, and concurred with a one-time payment of…

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March 25, 2011

County Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues

National Trend: States Passing Down “Pain” to Local Governments

As Maryland debates its own fiscal plan for FY 2012 and beyond -- a budget that carries over more than $500 million in annual budget cuts and cost shifts affecting county and municipal governments -- other States are facing similar budget challenges, and either debating or actually resorting to similar measures. From coverage in today's New York Times: The reductions in state aid, along with falling property tax revenues that are finally catching up with…

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March 24, 2011

Education / State Budget and Fiscal Issues

Major Unions Seek Pension Reform Compromise

As the House of Delegates appears prepared to pass its own revised version of pension and benefits reform for state employees and teachers, the two largest unions appear to be lining up behind a compromise proposal to adjust facets of the pension reform proposal. Coverage in the Baltimore Sun indicates: The Maryland State Education Association, a 71,000 member union, would go along with O'Malley's proposed higher contribution rate (5 percent to 7 percent), though the…

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March 24, 2011

Parks and Recreation / State Budget and Fiscal Issues

Program Open Space Funding Formula Left Intact

The Senate Budget and Taxation's Capital Budget Subcommittee concurred with the House Appropriations Committee on funding both state and local Program Open Space (POS) and rejected a Department of Legislative Services recommendation to direct all transfer tax revenue, which funds POS and other land preservation programs, to the General Fund and establish a statutory minimum funding level for all programs of $50 million. This action would have essentially eliminated Program Open Space. The House and…

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March 23, 2011

State Budget and Fiscal Issues

Differing Views on House Budget Plan

In a segment on WYPR this morning, Joel McCord reports mixed reaction to the House Appropriations Committee recommendations for the State's budget plan for FY 2012. Delegate Norman Conway, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee said his committee set out to meet the recommendations of state budget advisors to reduce the structural deficit by 33-and-a-third percent this year and exceeded expectations. They cut it by 40 percent. He called the recommendations "frugal but fair." House…

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March 23, 2011

County Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Transportation and Public Works

House Budget Plan – Online Summary Document Available

The Department of legislative Services has release its summary of the House Appropriations Committee's budget plan - online as a 31-page document in pdf format. See previous coverage on the Conduit Street blog for details of provisions with county government effect. To jump quickly to the segment of the summary document showing fiscal effects for FY 2012, click here. The House budget plan is expected to be debated on the floor or the House during…

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March 22, 2011

Education / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Transportation and Public Works

County Issues Watch – Week of March 21-25

The General Assembly's session continues in "high gear" with three weeks remaining. Here we will detail issues of interest to the county community that are likely to unfold (or begin unfolding) during the week of March 21-25, 2011. Budget, Round Two The Senate now takes up its budget proposals, in a similar manner to the House action last week. Subcommittees of the Budget and Taxation Committee will hold decision meetings on Monday, and the full…

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March 21, 2011