20061213 Annual CC MML Legislative Dinner Meeting

Annual CC MML Legislative Dinner Meeting

December 13^th, 2006

Later this evening is the annual Carroll County Chapter of the Maryland Municipal League Legislative Dinner.

This is the occasion when the eight Carroll County municipalities review this year’s MML Legislative priorities for the upcoming Maryland General Assembly with the Carroll County Delegation to Annapolis and the Carroll County Commissioners.

Candace Donoho, the MML’s legislative liaison was kind enough to email me this year’s MML Legislative Priories the other day.

The MML does an extraordinarily good job of legislative advocacy for all Maryland’s 157 municipalities.

20070000 MML Legislative Priorities

Maryland Municipal League

GROWING

STRONG

COMMUNITIES

2007 Legislative Priorities

Increased State Aid for Municipal Police Protection

MML’S 2007 AGENDA - ENHANCING AND STRENGTHENING MUNICIPAL SERVICES

BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS…

Relationships are the backbone of any successful organization’s legislative advocacy program and MML is no exception. The strong grassroots efforts of municipal leaders in their cities and towns is in large part what makes MML as effective as it is when working with legislators and members of the administration.

Beginning with the 2007 Maryland General Assembly session, MML and municipal officials will be working hard to strengthen existing relationships with returning legislators.

MML leadership will also be meeting with newly elected members of the state legislature to convey the needs of municipal government and to make contacts that will well serve Maryland’s cities and towns in the coming four years.

In addition, MML staff will be reaching out to current and new members of the administration in various State agencies important to municipal government in Maryland.

The League will be sponsoring and participating in activities and events that advance this purpose.

With a predicted 1.2 million new residents coming to Maryland within the next 25 years, it is important that municipal public safety programs are well prepared to protect citizens.

The State Aid for Police Protection municipal sworn officer grant currently stands at $1,800 per officer.

The municipal sworn officer grant has not been increased since 1999.

As of FY 2005, municipal police aid grants paid for less than 7% of municipal police expenditures.

Police aid formulas are largely expenditure based which means a municipal police agency must “spend to get” additional public safety funding from the State.

Proposed action: Review current formula for municipal police protection grants-in-aid and seek legislation to provide adequate funding levels to accommodate current and future municipal public safety needs.

Local Government Authority to Purchase Streetlights

Streetlights are an important amenity in a community. Well-lit streets provide a safer environment for all residents. This is especially important for our children and senior citizens.

Existing Maryland law does not allow local governments to purchase streetlights mounted on wooden poles where overhead high voltage lines exist.

If local governments were able to purchase and maintain their own streetlights, it would likely minimize expenditures and maximize local revenues, enhance maintenance efforts, and reduce lengthy outages.

Federal OSHA law already regulates access to high voltage lines. Maryland’s law is unnecessary and duplicative.

Proposed action: Seek legislation to allow local governments to purchase their streetlights from utility companies. This could ultimately save taxpayer dollars, enhance reliability and safety, and allow cities and towns to choose energy efficient equipment.

Municipal Opt-Out Electrical Aggregation

Many municipalities already provide water and sewer utility services for their citizens. The ability to provide for lower cost electrical service is a natural next step in utility service provision.

Currently little or no competition exists in the residential electricity market.

With rate caps off in almost all portions of the State, residents are already experiencing or will likely experience significant electrical cost spikes.

With the uncertainty and volatility at the Maryland Public Service Commission, the pilot program proposed two years ago is unlikely to move forward any time soon.

It is imperative that something be done now to offer some relief to Maryland’s citizens.

Proposed action: Seek legislation to authorize opt-out municipal electrical aggregation.

The Maryland Municipal League

The Maryland Municipal League represents all 157 municipal governments and two special taxing districts in the State. A voluntary, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization controlled and maintained by city and town governments, MML works to strengthen and support municipal government through advocacy and the development of effective leadership.

Municipal government is often referred to as “the government closest to the people”. Citizens who reside in a municipality have the authority to make quality-of-life decisions on behalf of their community.

The MML legislative program represents the collective efforts of elected and appointed municipal officials who identify legislation and advocate on behalf of issues that directly affect the quality of life in Maryland’s cities and towns and the well-being of citizens who choose to live there.

Working through MML, Maryland’s incorporated cities and towns provide a powerful legislative voice for the almost 1.5 million citizens living in Maryland’s municipalities.

MML Legislative Staff

Scott A. Hancock, Executive Director

Candace Donoho, Director/Government Relations

James P. Peck, Director/Research & Information Management

Jessica Barnes

Legislative Assistant

1212 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401

410-268-5514 ~ 800-492-7121

www.mdmunicipal.org