20070919 News Clips

News Clips

September 19, 2007

STATE NEWS

O'Malley presents his fiscal proposal

Higher sales tax, slots part of plan to resolve state's budget shortfall

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-te.md.spend19sep19,0,628092.story?coll=bal_tab01_layout

Marylanders would pay more in sales taxes and higher titling tax when they buy cars, and corporations and smokers would pay more under Gov. Martin O'Malley's plan to fix a budget shortfall he now estimates at $1.7 billion. But those increases would be coupled with a cut in the property tax and reductions in the income tax rate for most Marylanders, though top earners would pay more, according to legislators O'Malley briefed yesterday.

Speaking to reporters later, O'Malley said he will call a special session of the legislature to consider his plan. He said he anticipates a weeklong session, no later than early November.

The delegates and senators - all Democrats - emerged with favorable reviews but with a sense that O'Malley's big gamble is not a sure thing. Republicans immediately panned it as a big-government grab at taxpayers' wallets, and Democrats are split over some of the tax proposals and over O'Malley's proposal to legalize slot machine gambling. Religious groups and others are already gearing up for a slots fight, and Republican lawmakers are firm in their opposition to tax increases of any kind.

"It's not needed," said Sen. David R. Brinkley, the minority leader from Frederick County. "If we keep our [spending] increases to the cost of living, we'll be out of this in 2011, but there's an insatiable appetite to spend people's money."

Transportation officials back higher taxes on gas, vehicles

http://www.examiner.com/a-943058~Transportation_officials_back_higher_taxes_on_gas__vehicles.html

Marylanders need to pay higher taxes on gasoline, car and truck purchases and higher corporate income taxes to generate over $400 million a year to keep up with highway and transit needs, state transportation officials told legislators Tuesday.
"We have no money for any additional projects," Transportation Secretary John Porcari told a joint hearing of fiscal committees. "We're struggling to keep pace with the program."

Maryland's highways, bridges and mass transit are getting older and more heavily used, Porcari said, and construction costs are going up rapidly. "I think the solution needs to start with indexing the gas tax that we have," Porcari said, so that funding keeps up with rising costs.

Md. lawmakers begin preparing for 2008 battle

Clash in legislature seems certain

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bal-te.md.politics19sep19,0,2535230.story?coll=bal_tab01_layout

Within minutes of Maryland's high court upholding a ban on same-sex marriage, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle began preparing for what is sure to be a pitched battle in the next General Assembly session over what rights -- if any -- gay couples should be afforded.

Del. Donald H. Dwyer Jr., an Anne Arundel County Republican, has been at the forefront of past efforts to pass a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. While he called yesterday "a wonderful day" in the wake of the court ruling, he wasn't dialing back the rhetoric. Even though the court agreed with his stance, he still thinks a constitutional amendment -- which would have to be approved by voters -- is a necessity.

"The amendment is simply an insurance policy," he said.

Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell, the House Republican leader from Southern Maryland, said that the case even got to the Court of Appeals -- a lower court found the state's marriage law discriminatory -- proves the need for the amendment.

House Minority Whip Christopher B. Shank, a Washington County Republican, said he sees no reason to change the law at all in light of yesterday's affirmation of the state's marriage law. "That was the law put into effect in the 1970s," he said. "I see no reason that needs to change now. Same-sex marriage has no place in Maryland society, and this decision affirms that."

Fly ash ban delayed

Democrats accuse Republicans of filibustering as meeting runs past midnight

http://www.capitalonline.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/09_18-49/TOP

Debate on whether to ban new fly ash dump sites spilled past midnight today, automatically delaying the decision until October. In what County Council Democrats characterized a filibuster and Republicans called a honest mistake, the council called for a vote seconds too late.

While all councilmen have publicly expressed support of the ban, some Republican councilmen have repeatedly asked to hold off on passing it until the state Department of Environment announces plans to fix problems in Gambrills. They argue that without waiting, the council would make decisions in a vacuum of information and lose any leverage the county has over the process.

Md. Mental Records to Be Checked In Gun Buys

State Requirement Is Adopted After Va. Tech Shootings

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/17/AR2007091701805.html

Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration has quietly issued a new gun purchase regulation that requires prospective buyers to sign a waiver releasing their mental health records to the Maryland State Police.

The rule, which came in response to the killings at Virginia Tech and took effect Aug. 1, is intended to help police determine whether someone should be prevented for mental health reasons from buying a gun.

It would apply to people who have been ordered into treatment by a court or who have checked into a state psychiatric hospital for at least 30 days. "We're trying to keep people who the law says can't buy a gun from buying one," said Greg Shipley, a state police spokesman. "This will enable us to determine if you are telling the truth as far as state facilities are concerned." Most inpatient treatment in Maryland takes place in state facilities rather than private ones, advocates say.

Maryland is one of many states trying to balance privacy rights and public safety as they consider new mental health policies and tighter restrictions on gun sales after the Virginia Tech massacre. The new regulation does not require public hearings or the General Assembly's approval because it clarifies existing law, officials said.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

County isn't aiding special interests
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/letters/bal-ed.le.19ssep19,0,6123842.story

For more than 30 years, I have fought to arrest or mitigate the influence of money in political campaigns.

But the stark reality of political life in America today is that winning campaigns require a lot of money and candidates must spend an inordinate amount of time fundraising. Campaign contributions should be viewed as reprehensible when there is a quid pro quo or favored treatment in exchange for the contribution. My record for the past nine months as county executive and during my previous 30 years in elective office speaks loudly that my executive and legislative actions have been in the broad public interest, not in the service of special interests seeking favored treatment.

My record over three decades justifies public confidence that my commitment will be kept.

John R. Leopold, Annapolis The writer is county executive of Anne Arundel County

EDITORIALS/OP-EDS

A civil right

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.marriage19sep19,0,3643897.story

A fractured Maryland Court of Appeals couldn't agree on a constitutional basis for affirming the right of same-sex couples to marry or even to share in the legal benefits that marriage provides.

But yesterday's ruling, issued in four separate versions by the seven judges, pointedly invited the General Assembly to provide the statutory underpinnings that will allow Maryland to reflect the societal shift under way toward acceptance of gay unions.

That's an entreaty Gov. Martin O'Malley and the lawmakers ought to quickly accept.

Maryland court backs marriage limits

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070919/METRO/109190070/1001

Maryland's highest court ruled yesterday that marriage can be only between one m an and one woman. "It is a wonderful day. This is great news," said Delegate Don Dwyer Jr., Anne Arundel Republican, who has introduced a constitutional amendment to ban homosexual "marriage" for three consecutive years in the Assembly. The ruling marks the end of years of legal battling over the issue, though both sides say they will continue the fight in Maryland's General Assembly.

Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, who has said he supports civil unions but opposes homosexual "marriage," said he supports the ruling. "I look forward to reading the court's full opinion," said Mr. O'Malley, a lawyer. "But as we move forward, those of us with the responsibility of passing and enforcing laws have an obligation to protect the rights of all individuals equally, without telling any faith how to define its sacraments. I respect the court's decision."

"Most Americans believe that gays and lesbians have a rig ht to live as they choose," said Matt Daniels, president of the Alliance for Marriage, a District-based advocacy group, "but they don't believe they have a right to redefine marriage for our entire society."

O'Malley eyes increase in sales, income taxes

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20070919/METRO/109190048/1004

Gov. Martin O'Malley said yesterday that he wants to increase sales and income taxes to close the state's $1.5 billion budget shortfall. Mr. O'Malley, a Democrat, also wants to legalize slot machines to help raise $2 billion and call a special General Assembly session in late October or early November to resolve Maryland's financial problems, said state budget leaders who attended a private breakfast yesterday at the Governor's Mansion.

The details of Mr. O'Malley's plan were confirm ed by several Democratic lawmakers. Republican lawmakers were not invited.

The governor showed a PowerPoint presentation to lawmakers but did not distribute handouts of his plan.

Republican leaders were excluded from the briefings Monday and yesterday, but said they did not support the proposals they learned about elsewhere.

"There is an insatiable appetite to spend people's money," said Senate Minority Leader David R. Brinkley, Frederick Republican. "They still haven't figured out which poison pills are the least toxic to the voters."

Mr. Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch, Anne Arundel Democrat, do not appear close to agreeing on how to make up the shortfall - Mr. O'Malley's prerequisite for calling a special session.

However, lawmakers said they expect to return to Annapolis this fall for a special session and that Mr. O'Malley wants the session to last seven to 10 days.

NATIONAL NEWS

Hopkins University to receive $40 million from NIH

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MD_HOPKINS_GRANT_MDOL-?SITE=MDSAL&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Johns Hopkins University will create a new center that will translate promising research into medical treatments with the $40 million in federal funds it will receive over the next five years, school officials said Tuesday.

It will be part of a national group of 24 for which NIH started providing funding last year in anticipation that collaboration among scientists will accelerate the development of medical breakthroughs.

The Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research will be funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Crisfield dock to get overhaul

The county-owned dock will have to be refurbished without federal aid
http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070919/NEWS01/709190342/1002

Somerset County Commissioners agreed Tuesday to proceed with a complete overhaul of the county dock in Crisfield, although the work may have to be done without the aid of federal funds. U.S. Rep Wayne Gilchrest was able to secure $150,000 in federal transportation funds in a version of the Appropriations Bill, approved by the House of Representatives.

However, a different version of the bill that apparently cut Somerset's $150,000 was approved by the Senate on Sept. 12, said Gilchrest spokeswoman Cathy Bassett. Both versions of the bills will go to a conference committee before going back to Congress for approval.

Fort Detrick tech transfer program gets funding boost

http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2007/09/17/daily12.html

A Maryland Technology Development Corp. program at Fort Detrick in Frederick has been expanded, with $750,000 being added for commercialization of technology developed there. U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., and U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., secured the funding, according to a release from the Maryland Technology Development Corp., also known as Tedco.

Family Crisis Resource Center receives grant

http://www.times-news.com/local/local_story_261134541.html

A first-time federal grant of more than $230,000 to the Family Crisis Resource Center will allow the agency to expand its services to further assist victims of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault.

"This is a new grant for us and is badly needed. The number of women we serve here has risen greatly," said Lynnette Irlmeier, FCRC director since May 2005. Congressman Roscoe Bartlett and Sen. Barbara Mikulski announced the Transitional Housing Grant Program from the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women that will provide FCRC funding of $232,900 over three years.

Bartlett, who voted for both acts, said, "I am encouraged by this grant because women in Western Maryland and the tri-state region will now have resources and refuge including access to housing and a broad range of vital individualized services if they become the victims of violence." Mikulski said she has "absolutely no tolerance for domestic violence."

Residents dismayed by Senate vote on D.C. voting rights

http://www.examiner.com/a-942168~Residents_dismayed_by_Senate_vote_on_D_C__voting_rights.html

The Senate's vote Tuesday to halt a measure that would have given the District of Columbia a full vote in Congress frustrated residents who said they were again let down by lawmakers who take their tax money but won't give them a say in how it is spent.

Senators voted 57-42, three votes short of the 60 needed to move the measure to the floor for debate. The bill would have created a House seat for heavily Democratic D.C. and one for Republican-leaning Utah. Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., who helped write the legislation, promised that voting rights advocates wouldn't give up. "Clearly, we're close," said Davis, who decried what he called "a missed opportunity.

The region's senators voted along party lines with Maryland Democrats Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski voting in favor of the voting rights measure, along with Virginia Democrat James Webb.

Congress Revisits Cruise Ship Security

http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,149770,00.html

Critics of the cruise industry's track record on handling crimes on the high seas plan to push for stronger oversight of the industry at a congressional hearing Wednesday.

The cruise industry has reported roughly 200 crimes between April and August, according to Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat who is the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

"The cruise industry is worried about its image and the victims' groups are worried about making sure these ships are safe and people are taken care of when something happens," Cummings said, noting one goal of the follow-up hearing is to ensure the industry and victims work constructively together.