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Municipalities Want The Power....To Negotiate
The Maryland Municipal League has "electrical aggregation" as one of it's priorities for the upcoming legislative session. That is when municipalities negotiate their own electric rates for residents much like water and sewer services. When the legislature passed the now infamous deregulation law in 1999, it forbade them from negotiating such services unless the Public Service Commission declares there is no competition in the residential market.
The Baltimore Examiner says that the organization that represents 150 incorporated cities and towns presented information at their recent meeting in Carroll County while adding that true competition does not exists in Maryland.
Look for the 1999 bill that sparked the cries of bloody murder from this past summer over BGE rate hikes to be examined in 2007.
Leggett: Cautiously Optimistic
 Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett (D) says that he is going to carefully look at the largest school budget request that Superintendent Jerry Weast has made in the seven years he has led the school system.
The Washington Examiner says that it's not a certainty that he would buy into it or voice opposition to the request which tops out at nearly two billion dollars.
Leggett has promised to keep the county finances in check and keeping cost down. Weast justified the request this past Wednesday saying the money is needed to fund student endeavors and for pay raises.
Promise Now Deliver
 Governor-elect Martin O'Malley (D) has made promises like filling $400 million for school construction and holding the line on college tuition in the state, just to name a couple. But now advocacy groups, which includes a coalition of environmental groups, are riding O'Malley to keep his promises.
The bill is coming due on his promises. The Washington Post says that O'Malley is facing a number of questions that include, can he afford to full fund the $400 million promised for school construction and is it possible to freeze college tuition in the state.
O'Malley made a laundry list of promises and ambitions, but to date, there has not been a price tag or a plan of action on how to achieve those goals. Governor Robert Ehrlich (R) says that the Democrats are out to make the budget outlook sound worse than they are, speculating they are preparing everyone for a tax hike.
WBAL Interviews Shaefer
 Outgoing Comptroller William Donald Shaefer (D) had an exclusive interview with WBAL (1090AM) conducted by Dave Durian. Earlier this month WNAV (1430AM) in Annapolis aired a one hour interview with the former Governor and Mayor of Baltimore.
When asked about Governor Robert Ehrlich (R), Shaefer called him an honest man. Shafer said that he used to be great friends with Governor-elect Martin O'Malley (D), but they parted ways. He suggests that O'Malley sticks his nose to being governor.
When it comes to his successor Peter Franchot (D), Shaefer said that the Comptroller-elect does not know what the job is.
WBAL has audio highlights on their website.
Wicomico County: Council To Debate Old Mall's Fate
The Wicomico County Council has until the end of the year,literally, to make a decision in regards to the request made by the developers of the old Salisbury Mall to extend the Tax Increment Financing (TIF,) a project that has been in the bounds of controversy.
The Daily Times says that the council can either table, extend it or scrub it. The developers request would allow more time to seek private bonds.
The Salisbury City Council approved a TIF extension through 2009, but the fate lies with the county.
POLLIT PRESENTS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS
Also from The Daily Times...
Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt(D) presented his Capital Improvement Budget for 2008-2012 to the council.
Among the projects listed in the plan $12 million for construction at James M. Bennett High School and $2.5 million to replace the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center roof.
The $41.9 million budget still faces deductions.
O'Malley To Cooperate and Collaborate
 Governor-elect Martin O'Malley(D) will be meeting with local officials, from both parties to discuss the state budget to formulate priorities and get feedback before making decisions.
The Baltimore Sun that the first official to meet with Team O'Malley was his longtime neighbor, Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith(D).
The meeting with Smith will begin a series of week long meetings with local government officials which is expected to conclude Thursday.
The Ehrlich Factor In 2008
 Don't Look for Governor Robert Ehrlich(R) to have his name on anything.....until 2008.
The Gazette says that he has been meeting with former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani(R) and Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney(R) for a role in 2008.
He also has not ruled out looking to 2010 to run against U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski(D) who will be 74 when her term comes due.
Five Decades Of St. Joe
 Delegate, State Senator, Congressional Candidate, Lt. Governor and for the past 20 years Attorney General. J. Joseph Curran(D) is planning to spend more time with family, while entertaining teaching offers from two Central Maryland colleges.
The Gazette has a look at an icon in the free state government.
Washington County: Politicians In Prison
About 40 soon-to-be legislators stopped by the Maryland Correctional Training Center in Washington County on Tuesday and spent two and a half hours there.
The Herald-Mail reports that it is all apart of a three-day, two night lesson about the free state.
Prince George's County: Who Holds The Chair?
There are only two people running for the chairperson for the Prince George's County delegation, Del. Barbara Frush (D-Dist. 21) and Del. Marvin Holmes (D-Dist. 23B), but neither of them have the tally required to claim the seat.
The Gazette is reporting that the vote, which was held last Friday, gave 11 votes to Holmes and 10 votes to Frush. They needed 12 votes to carry the victory.
A second vote has not been scheduled at last check, but it might be the difference maker when Delegates Melony Griffith (D-Dist.25) and Voctor Ramirez (D-47) are thrown in to the frey. Griffith was out that day and Ramirez was overseas at the time. Both are reportedly going to back Frush for the chair.
Freezing in Anne Arundel County
 County Executive John Leopold(R) has put a limited hiring freeze in place through the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2007) as the Central Maryland county is expected to face a budget crisis.
The Capital says that the freeze is in effect for the executive branch and not for jobs in public safety.
Leopold is expected to present his first budget to the county council in May,which is expected to be tight with lower than expected revenues and 10 labor contracts coming up. The last time that a hiring freeze was implemented was in 2002.
Montgomery County: Executive and Council Backs A Higher Gas Tax
 The Montgomery County Council unanimously approved a resolution supporting a higher gasoline tax. The resolution backs calls from County Executive Ike Leggett(D) who is calling for a higher rate to support transit projects like the Purple Line. More from The Gazette.
No Early Voting In Maryland
The state's highest court says that the Maryland Constitution makes it clear that voting must be done on one day in November and that the voter must cast a ballot in their home district. With that statement, the judge's struck down the early voting law, setting another legalistic blow to the 2006 Democratic-led general assembly. Earlier, a federal court had ruled the infamous "Wal-Mart Bill" a no-no. More from The Baltimore Sun.
Ground Rents To Be Examined
Believe it or not, some places in Baltimore City along with Anne Arundel and Baltimore Counties are under colonial-era ground rents. That is a situation that even though you may own the house built on a piece of land, you still have to pay rent for the land underneath of your house.
The Baltimore Sun recently did a series about the ground renting system and how some people were thrown out of their homes for owing back ground rent for as little as $24.00.
Now some lawmakers are looking to change the ground rent system in the free state.
O'Malley Should Have Stayed With Mom For The Night
 From The Examiner's 'Yeas and Nays' Page, Governor-elect Martin O'Malley(D) received a crash course on transportation woes in the capital region. Being a traffic producer, I can tell you there is many.
O'Malley was a keynote speaker at a breakfast being held by a Montgomery County organization. O'Malley was nearly an hour late for the event because he was stuck in traffic.
Organizers stalled and talked a little longer until he arrived. An organization official teased him that this was a morning he should have just stayed with Mama. O'Malley's mother lives in Montgomery County.
Anne Arundel County: Good News and Bad News
 The Good News for Del. Jean Cadden(D), she was correct in that Del. Don Dwyer(R) did not have a 28 vote edge over her. The Bad news is that it was a 25 vote edge and the lead and the seat in District 31 for the House of Delegates goes to Dwyer.
The Baltimore Sun reporting that a hand count of more than 3,000 paper ballots by Anne Arundel officials confirmed the victory for the north county Republican.
Cadden, a four-term Democrat, has not conceded to Dwyer, let alone offer congratulations. Both candidates watched the recount from the Board of Elections Annex from Glen Burnie. The state will cover the cost of the recount because of the thin margin.
Prince George's County: Hornsby Aide...Aided The Feds
A former aide to Prince George's County Schools CEO Andre Hornsby, who worked with him in Texas and New York, aided the FBI in recording a conversation held in a Bowie hotel room.
Details from The Baltimore Sun.
Salisbury: Sassafras-Westwood Has Been Added
Despite vocal resident opposition, the Salisbury City Council has approved the annexation of Sassafras-Westwood, the combination resident and commercial area located on the west side of the city near the Route 50 and Business Route 50 intersection.
The Daily Times reporting that Councilwoman Debbie Campbell asked the council to place the annexation under the same terms as newly adopted annexation guidelines.
Council President Mike Dunn said that he would refrain from voting on the annexation due to his involvement with the property.
GOP: Now What?
Now that the Maryland Republican Party has a leader, they now have to pick who will lead the opposition in the legislature. Easier said than done.
For example in the Senate, The Gazette says that the GOP caucus is no closer to picking a leader than they were before walking in on Friday.
The two senators who want the job are a contrast in styles. Current Senate Minority Whip Andrew Harris (R-Dist. 7) is a strident conservative who will buck the democrats, while Sen. David R. Brinkley (R-Dist. 4) is considered a moderate and a consensus builder who will work the the Democrats to pass GOP backed legislation.
Salisbury: City Council Hot Bed
In a continuing story, the Salisbury City Council will look at four hot button issues that have been grabbing headlines across the state.
The Daily Times says that among the agenda items, they will have two public hearings. The first hearing is on the annexation of Sassafras Meadows and the second one is regarding the extension of the Tax Increment Financing District for the old Salisbury Mall.
The council will also look at a resolution to adopt new annexation procedures and hear a second reading of an ordinance regarding developer reimbursement involving bonds.
Each item has earned the opposition from a good sized number of city residents.
Anne Arundel County: Belt Tightening
Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold (R) is seeking to cut the fat out of the Anne Arundel County government, while keeping the quality of services in place.
According to The Sunday Capital, Leopold says that he has already trimmed $1 million from his own office already.
Leopold is also asking for other departments to cut ten percent from their budgets, although there are some reservations.
Health Care Tops Priority Sheet
 State Sen. Thomas "Mac" Middleton (D-Dist. 28) says that next to education funding, health care is a top priority going into the 2007 General Assembly session.
The Gazette says that there are a number of ideas being floated to reduce the number of uninsured Marylanders. One idea is popular with Comptroller-elect Peter Franchot(D), raise the tobacco tax.
If you recall in the 2006 session, the General Assembly passed what was dubbed "The Wal-Mart Bill" which required companies with more than 100,000 employees statewide to contributed a percentage to their employees health benefits, or contribute the same amount to the state health fund. That bill was vetoed by Governor Robert Ehrlich(R), later to be overridden by the General Assembly and struck down by the courts.
Kaufman Deja Vu
 A. Robert Kaufman is a perennial candidate for any office that he runs for. As of late, he ran in the Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate. When I interviewed him back in May, he told me that he was socialist running on for the Democrat ticket.
Kaufman was not in good health at that time, getting around the candidates forum via a walker and a cane. That's was due to being attacked and nearly stabbed to death. Now comes a near moment of deja vu.
The Baltimore Sun is reporting that Kaufman was knocked in the head with a brick and robbed as he was coming from his dialysis treatment.
Franchot Wants To Expand His Role
 Despite having to voting power in the legislature, nor having any veto power, Comptroller-elect Peter Franchot(D) still has an agenda and a vote on the Board of Public Works. He wants to use that to his full advantage to make his mare on the Office of Comptroller.
The Baltimore Sun says that Franchot will call in law makers to present his case with lunch and PowerPoint when it comes to slot machines.
Franchot, an outspoken advocate against the one arm bandits, will be the third person in the past five decades to hold the office.
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