20070912 News Clips

News Clips

Sept. 12, 2007

STATE NEWS

A Dixon victory

Rawlings-Blake defeats Sarbanes in Democratic race for City Council president amid low turnout

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/elections/bal-te.md.ci.elect12sep12,0,5780061.story?coll=bal_tab01_layout

Sheila Dixon, the hard-driving West Baltimore politician who became the city's first female mayor, easily defeated Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr., a scion of one of the nation's prominent civil rights families, in a low-turnout Democratic mayoral primary yesterday. In the race for City Council president, Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake, the incumbent, beat Michael Sarbanes in a contest that pitted the children of two respected political leaders against each other.

"I have never been more honored in my life than I am right now at this very moment," Dixon, 53, told jubilant supporters at a Canton victory party last night. "I am your humble servant and will work tirelessly on your behalf."

Disillusion with City Hall has many voting by not voting

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bal-marbella0912,0,962030.column?coll=bal_tab01_layout

Howard Hamlin wouldn't cross the street to vote yesterday. Literally. "I've given up because of so many disappointments," Hamlin said. "They say one thing and do another." I guess you could say Hamlin, a tractor-trailer driver, voted by not voting. Most of the city, in fact, voted against voting yesterday, with election officials reporting one of the lowest turnouts for a mayoral contest in years - about 28 percent, or close to 83,000 voters. It i sn't for lack of issues - people so often cite the two main ones that I've started to think of them as one word, crimeandschools. It wasn't for lack of candidates, many of whom offered plans and even, in some cases, generated personal enthusiasm.

But for the most part, there seems to be a disconnect: People know what the problems are - they've certainly been around long enough - and yet they've stopped believing the solutions are going to come from City Hall.

Arundel executive's dinner party raises money, eyebrows

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-md.ar.leopold12sep12,0,2587257.story

Many of the guests were developers with multimillion-dollar projects planned in Anne Arundel County. The price of admission was the state maximum for a campaign contribution: $4,000. And the host at Monday night's exclusive dinner at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront was County Executive John R. Leopold, who was swept into office pledging that developers would no longer be allowed "to drive public policy in the county." John G. Gary, a Republican who served as county executive from 1994 to 1998, said he doesn't "see anything wrong" with Leopold's fundraising because it's a fact of life in politics.

Talks on ash upset panel

Lack of updates by state and BBSS frustrates council

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-ar.ash12sep12,0,6955144.story

Anne Arundel County Council members expressed frustration yesterday that they know little about negotiations between the state's environmental agency and the operator of a fly-ash dump site to clean up contaminated wat er in Gambrills.

Without updates from either the Maryland Department of the Environment or the dump operator, BBSS Inc., the council members said it's difficult for them to make an informed decision on a bill to ban the further dumping of coal ash, a byproduct of coal-fired power plants.

"If we are going to have a bill on such an important subject, it would be nice to have MDE here," said County Council Chairman Ronald C. Dillon Jr.

Councilwoman Cathleen M. Vitale said she had some "fundamental questions." "There are discussions between MDE and Constellation, and we have no sense about what those negotiations are," said Vitale, a Severna Park Republican. "I feel like we are doing this in a hole."

BGE demands GOP stop mailing spoof statements

http://www.examiner.com/a-929978~BGE_demands_GOP_stop_mailing_spoof_sta tements.html

The parent company of Baltimore Gas and Electric is demanding Baltimore County's Republican central committee stop mailing spoof billing statements that mock the company and the governor.

"It is obvious that the party is using the mark and the BGE [overall appearance] to draw attention to its mailing and to deceive recipients about the identity of the mailing's author," Constellation attorney Steven Tiller wrote in a letter to party Chairman Chris Cavey this week.

Constellation is threatening a lawsuit if the party does not stop distributing the mailing and is demanding the names and addresses of all recipients.

Cavey said the committee has already complied with Constellation's request and said the committee never intended "anything malicious."

Lawyers: Panhandling law unfairly targets homeless

http://www.examiner.com/a-929962~Lawyers__Panhandling_law_unfairly_targets_homeless.html

An Anne Arundel County plan to fine roadside panhandlers $500 unfairly targets the poor, say homeless and free-speech advocates. "They are making it a crime to be poor and homeless," said Mary Slicher, executive director of Project for People Lacking Adequate Shelter and Employment. The ACLU, noting politicians can still campaign on Anne Arundel streets, raised concerns about this apparent double standard. "If it's unconstitutional to prevent politicians from asking for money, it's unconstitutional to ban poor people from asking for money," said David Rocah, staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union.

Rocah dismissed Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold's argument that the panhandling ban was to save solicitors from getting hurt in traffic. "If it's safe for politicians, it's safe for other people," Rocah said.

Tax Is Deemed Legal but Unwise

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/11/AR2007091102028.html

A special tax designed to repay developers for roads, green space and other amenities at Clarksburg Town Center is legal but could lead to overpaying developers who may be able to seek repayment more than once for the same project, a Montgomery County report said yesterday.

Taxpayers might be asked to pay twice for some amenities because developers who have been reimbursed for projects are allowed to try to include them in the special taxing district, known as a development district. Council staff members said yesterday that no developer has been paid twice.

Development Ban Lifted, With Caveats

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/11/AR2007091102045.html

City leaders in Annapolis, where many residents have long complained that growth is changing the face of the historic community, voted this week to lift a moratorium on major development and limit growth to areas with adequate public infrastructure and services.

Monday's action came more than a year after the City Council decided, in July 2006, to impose the moratorium until a so-called adequate public facilities ordinance could be adopted. The ordinance requires that, if necessary, developers add or upgrade public infrastructure, including water and sewer, storm water, recreational and maintenance facilities.

Alderman David H. Cordle Sr. (R-Ward 5), who helped introduce the bill Sept. 11, 2006, said, "It's time to stop dragging our feet with it." Cordle noted that by addressing traffic in the adequate pu blic facilities ordinance, the city might effectively cede authority to the state and county, which oversee many of the roadways in Annapolis.

"We would lose every bit of power we have," Cordle said.

Ehrlich Not Ready to Stop Lambasting Democrats

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/11/AR2007091102049.html

Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. is nearly nine months removed from the governor's mansion, but he is still seeking money from supporters to counter the "liberals" in Annapolis.

In a solicitation sent last week, Maryland's former Republican governor -- who has been coy about his political future -- asks for donations of $120 to help pay for newsletters and other communications "needed to tell the truth about Annapolis."

Most of Ehrlich's firepower is directed at plans to close part of a looming $1.5 billion state budget shortfall with tax increases. "The liberals in Annapolis are talking about holding a special session of the legislature this fall -- when they think no one will be paying attention -- to push their tax hikes through," Ehrlich writes.

If Ehrlich does not seek a grudge match with O'Malley in 2010, he has the option of running for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.).

EDITORIALS/OP[EDS

Patience and politics

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.feud12sep12,0,6013527.story

Gov. Martin O'Malley reignited his public clash with state schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick last week, suggesting that he will soon be looking for her replacement. But for all Mr. O'Malley's wishful thinking, and whatever one may think about some of Ms. Grasmick's actions, she does not serve at the pleasure of the governor - nor should she.

Ms. Grasmick is one of the longest-serving superintendents in the state and the nation, and she enjoys a wide reputation for raising standards and pushing accountability.

Her bosses are the 12 members of the Maryland State Board of Education, and her latest four-year contract runs until June 30, 2008.

The long view
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.cityracesf12sep12,0,7096646.story

As mayor, Sheila Dixon should be looking forward now. She can afford to stop taking it "one day at a time"; her first-pl ace finish in yesterday's Democratic primary gave her that.

And while Ms. Dixon does have a Republican challenger, the last time voters elected a mayor from the GOP was 1963 and Birmingham was erupting, political bosses ruled City Hall, and Ms. Dixon was 10 years old.

The issues most on Baltimore voters' minds today - crime, schools, housing - are complex problems that deserve urgent attention, but also sound thinking and comprehensive solutions that involve every strata of the city

State's suburbs nurture diversity

Region saw 38% rise in immigrants in 6 years, census figures show
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.census12sep12,0,3210232.story?coll=bal_tab01_layout

Marylanders are increasingly diverse and better educated and endure commutes more grueling than those in nearly any ot her state in the nation, according to figures released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Immigrants are fueling population growth even in places not previously known for having ethnic enclaves.

"It's partially a spillover from the Washington metro area," said Audrey Singer, an immigration fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, adding that relative affordability makes the Baltimore area attractive to new arrivals.

Unlike decades past, immigrants are bypassing cities for the suburbs, said Singer, who noted that the immigrant population of the Baltimore suburbs doubled in the 1990s.

Don't drink the tax Kool-Aid

http://www.examiner.com/a-929947~Editorial__Don_t_drink_the_tax_Kool_Aid.html

The tax code favors the rich?

That's Gov. Martin O'Malley and certain Democratic state legislators' deceptive potion as they canvas state media declaring the need to raise taxes on everyone in the form of higher state income and sales taxes to finance the $1.5 billion "structural" deficit.

Legislators consistently spend more of our money than we have, and extra money to play with provides no incentive to cut waste.

Until they address the core reason for the "structural" deficit, all tax debate should be canceled.

Now more than ever, we need the ICC

http://www.gazette.net/stories/091207/montedi201234_32360.shtml

There's a new kink in the contorted battle over a vital highway, the Intercounty Connector between Interstate 270 in Gaithersburg and I-95 in Laurel.

A raft load of political leaders in neighboring Prince George's County are throwing their support behind a federal lawsuit filed by environmental groups and homeowners to block the thoroughfare's construction, parts of which are already under way.

In addition to flagging worries that the ICC will decimate the environment, and that the lengthy review and approval process ignored fresh studies on air and water pollution, the politicians also are fretting the $2 billion-plus price tag of the toll road is imprudent as Maryland stares down a budget crisis.

Political dialogue on taxes needed

Necessary opposition ideas are missing from state battle

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070912/OPINION01/709120395

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley is towering high on the tax hike bully pulpit, and no one seems to want to step up and challenge him with any alternatives to raising a slew of state levies.

The two-party system in Maryland might be at its weakest point ever. The absence of Republicans in the tax hike battles means that O'Malley only has to convince his Democratic counterparts that more taxes are needed.

Their resistance, at least so far, can only be described as passive at best. The point here isn't that Republicans are needed to keep taxes from being raised; the point is that an opposition party which offers counterpoint ideas is needed to ensure some checks and balances.

All we're hearing now is the sound of one hand clapping. Political dialogue is needed -- quickly.

NATIONAL NEWS

District 1 candidate field builds

7 have filed, 3 are considering -- and there's still months to go in Congressional race

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070912/NEWS01/709120360/1002

With exactly five months until Maryland's 1st Congressional District voters cast their primary ballot Feb. 12, seven candidates have stated their intentions to run, and three more could make an announcement soon.

A race this crowded hasn't been seen on the Eastern Shore since 1996 when 12 challengers -- seven Democrats and five Republicans -- filed to remove U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, R-Md., from office after his third term. Gilchrest took 65 percent of vote in the primary, and defeated Steven R. Eastaugh in the general election by 50,000 votes. Despite the increased competition, Gilchrest has not altered a single campaign strategy.

"He feels that if he does a good job, and explains why he votes the way he does, then people can make an intelligent decision and re-elect him," said Tony Caligiuri, Gilchrest's spokesperson. "Honest to God, he does not have campaign strategy sessions about these kinds of things.

"Gilchrest reported more than $350,000 in cash on hand in last quarterly filing. His key challenger, state Sen. Andy Harris, R-7-Baltimore County, earned about $175,000 for his war chest. Harris's campaign has scheduled a major fundraiser Oct. 18 with former Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich.

Fighting for BRAC dollars

Brown: Minority business issues still need attention

http://www.gazette.net/stories/091207/busimlo204731_32356.sh tml

The Pentagon's Base Realignment and Closure program is expected to create a multibillion-dollar contracting pie in Maryland in the coming years. For one thing, the BRAC program does not contain specific minority contracting goals, officials said during a meeting Sept. 5 in Silver Spring coordinated by the Maryland?District of Columbia Minority Supplier Development Council.

The state's goal is to award 25 percent of contracts to minority- and women-owned companies. That figure was 22 percent last fiscal year, up from 15.6 percent in 2003, according to a state report. Brown said he will ''engage the federal delegation" - including Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Benjamin Cardin - to make sure the process allows minority businesses a fair opportunity to win BRAC-related contracts.

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