20070920 News Clips

News Clips

September 20, 2007

STATE NEWS

A hero’s welcome

Local group goes to BWI, thanks troops for service

http://www.capitalonline.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/09_19-04/TOP

It started with a simple e-mail among friends - head to the airport to welcome a group of soldiers returning home, and thank them for their service in the Middle East.

But, as some e-mails are, it was passed along to a friend of a friend hundreds of times. That idea bred Anne Arundel County-based Operation Welcome Home Maryland, a group of more than 300 people who stand in the international arrivals terminal at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport to greet military personnel.

John Flynn of Annapolis was introduced to the group through the first string of e-mails.

“You go once and you just get this great adrenaline rush,” Mr. Flynn said. “Being there and being part of the excitement and seeing their reactions - they are never expecting to see us there. For a lot of them, (Baltimore) is not their final destination. We want to make sure when they step foot on U.S. soil that we’re there welcoming them.”

O'Malley details cut in income tax

Governor says 95% in Md. would pay less

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.taxes20sep20,0,216227.story

Seeking to make the first changes in 40 years to Maryland's income tax structure, Gov. Martin O'Malley unveiled a plan yesterday that he said would lead to an income tax reduction for most people but would cost top earners thousands more a year. The proposal is the first that O'Malley has discussed in detail from his plan to close a projected $1.7 billion budget gap next fiscal year and add hundreds of millions in new spending. He called it a measure that would cut taxes for 95 percent of Marylanders, but he has not released enough specifics to calculate the total impact of his proposals -- which include increases to the sa les tax and other levies.

Critics said O'Malley's overall tax plan will look a lot worse when all the details come out.

"What the governor is not emphasizing is that the combination of the other tax increases he is proposing, including dramatic increases in the sales tax and the corporate tax ... collectively will swamp whatever benefit the average Marylander gets from that small cut in the income tax rate," said Del. Steve Schuh, an Anne Arundel Republican.

Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell, the minority leader from Southern Maryland, said that if O'Malley cared about taxpayers, he would rein in spending, not increase the top income tax rate. "This to me is a march on the working families of Maryland," O'Donnell said. "This governor is bludgeoning Maryland families with his tax baton."

O'Malley to raise taxes on top earners

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070920/METRO/109200045/1004

Gov. Martin O'Malley made public yesterday his plans to raise taxes on Maryland's top wage earners to help cut the state's $1.5 billion budget shortfall. Mr. O'Malley, a Democrat, expects that the increase - along with legalizing slot machines and increasing taxes on sales, gasoline, cigarettes and corporate income - will generate roughly $2 billion.

"On some things there will be tax relief, and on some things we will have to pay more," Mr. O'Malley said. "At the end of the day, what you will see is that collectively a majority of us will be treated more fairly."

"The governor is trying on another suit, and today it is Mr. Populist - Progressive," said Senate Minority Leader David R. Brinkley, Frederick Republican.

Special session coming in Nov. will cost the taxpayers up to $34K per day to solve deficit

http://www.capitalonline.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/09_19-06/GOV

When the General Assembly is called back to Annapolis for a special session to solve the state's fiscal crisis, it will cost taxpayers between $23,000 and $34,000 per day.

"The governor feels there is a need for immediate action rather than waiting until January," Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., said yesterday, referring to the General Assembly's regular session. "In my opinion (a special session) is definitely going to happen."

The public, however, already is making its voice heard by contacting legislators, said Del. Steve Schuh, R-Gibson Island.

"Marylanders are attuned to what is going on," he said. "I sense a tremendous amount of upset."

The value of having a special session before January is threefold, said Mr. Schuh, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. Businesses and residents will have more time to plan for changing taxes; legislation not dealing with the deficit could pass during the normal 90-day session, and the special session gives the General Assembly an extended opportunity to iron out disagreements.

"It would be very risky to just sit on our hands," he said. "Far better to have an impasse emerge during a special session where there is time to work everything out."

Surge of illegal immigrants causes changes for Frederick

http://www.gazette.net/stories/092007/frednew71246_32365.shtml

The Hispanic population in Frederick County has more than doubled since 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, leading to what one county official believes is an increase in illegal immigration.

''There is no way to know the number of illegal immigrants, but the illegal population is coming here, mostly from Northern Virginia," said Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins (R). ''...We're going to shoot them right back."

Frederick County State's Attorney Charlie Smith (R) said this week he has made it a priority to hire staff who speak Spanish to handle the significant increase in court cases involving illegal immigrants.

Jenkins also announced this week that he plans to meet with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday to learn whether his office can begin deporting illegal immigrants.

Md. Senate President Won't Back Gay Unions

Advocates Vow to Fight For Marriage Equality

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conten t/article/2007/09/19/AR2007091902397.html

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. said yesterday that he would not support legislation to legalize same-sex marriage or civil unions in Maryland, signaling that supporters of gay marriage will face resistance as they take their campaign from the courts to the General Assembly.

"People can introduce any bill they'd like," Miller (D-Calvert) said. "But at this juncture, I don't believe the votes are there to change the law. . . . The burden will be on the people who feel it's needed to explain the need for a change."

Maryland Democrats control the General Assembly and governor's office, but their views on same-sex unions are varied and nuanced. Many would prefer to consider granting legal rights and benefits to gay couples rather than debate whether the state should sanction their unions. Some say privately they would rather avoid putting the issue to a vote.

EEOC accuses county of age discrimination

Suit claims older workers pay more for pensions

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_county/bal-md.co.pension20sep20,0,7663500.story

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against the Baltimore County government, accusing it of age discrimination in requiring older employees to pay more for their pensions.

The lawsuit, filed this week in U.S. District Court, says the county has for years illegally forced some workers older than 40 to contribute to the county's pension system at a higher rate than that required of younger workers.

Gases from dump could be fed's new fuel source

http: //www.examiner.com/a-945078~Gases_from_dump_could_be_fed_s_new_fuel_source.html

Greenhouse gases from a Baltimore City dump could be one of the largest alternative fuel sources for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The U.S. Coast Guard Yard on Curtis Bay wants to build a mile-long pipe to take methane from the Quarantine Road Landfill to feed four electricity generators.

"This project alone will account for the Department of Homeland Security's goals for using alternative fuels until 2012," said Cmdr. John Slaughter, the yard's facility engineer.

Landfill methane power is expensive because the energy output is half that of natural gas, industry experts say.

But it is gaining popularity as the process removes a harmful greenhouse gas and generates revenue for landfills.

State opts against bypasses

http://www.examiner.com /a-945088~State_opts_against_bypasses.html

Instead of building two bypasses that Carroll lawmakers called critical to reducing traffic congestion, the state announced Wednesday plans to upgrade existing county roads.

The bypasses need to be the "No. 1 priority," said Sen. Larry Haines, adding, "I just think it's the wrong plan with what we're doing with Route 140."

"If it's off the table, it'll be permanently off the table because there'll be no land left to purchase," said Del. Tanya Shewell, R-District 5A. "We're not doing the right thing."

Keyes to join GOP debate at Morgan

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/politics/bal-te.keyes20sep20,0,1202966.story

Next week's Republican presidential debate in Baltimore, which has been shunned by the party's leading contenders, is getting an added starter: Alan L. Keyes.

The conservative activist, a former U.S. Senate candidate in Maryland and Illinois who said last week that he is running for president again, is "definitely participating," said a campaign spokeswoman, Carla Michele. A spokesman for Smiley said last night that debate organizers "don't have an announcement at this time" regarding Keyes' participation but indicated he would be welcome at the Sept. 27 forum.

EDITORIALS/OPEDS

Instead of squeezing Md. taxpayers, cut spending growth

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.taxes20sep20,0,6665363.story

Over my 17 years in the Maryland legislature, I've observed four different governors experience budget challenges. William Donald Schaefer, Parris N. Glendening and Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. acted immediately when a budget problem loomed.

Unfortunately, our current governor, Martin O'Malley, chose not to act during this year's General Assembly session, and simply balanced the state's budget on the $1 billion surplus left by the Ehrlich administration.

A year of delay and indecisive leadership has greatly increased the deficit and the pressure for new taxes.

During this year's session, I offered an amendment that would have balanced next year's state budget without any tax increases. It did not "cut" any appropriation from the previous year but simply restrained growth.

Though several Democratic leaders in the Senate privately informed me they liked the amendment, none voted for it. The education, environmental and labor lobbies were powerful enough to alter their better judgment. The public should know that the projected budget shortfall they've heard so much about will occur only if the budget grows by an unreasonable amount.

J. Lowell Stoltzfus represents Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties and is a former Republican leader of the Maryland Senate.

The $2 billion plan

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.budget20sep20,0,847729.story

While many of the specifics of Martin O'Malley's ambitious budget proposal have not yet been revealed, its full purpose is now apparent: The governor aims not only to resolve the state's structural deficit but also to make Maryland's tax system a bit fairer than it is today. He will no doubt catch much heat for daring to recommend tax increases (and even his supporters ought not pass final judgment until the plan is fully vetted), but it's clear the governor is fundamentally on the right track.

Make no mistake: Balancing a budget is seldom painless. There are significant elements in the O'Malley proposal that are troubling, not the least of which involves slot machines.

Funding to sustain spending

http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2007/09/20/news/opinion/editorial/editorial879.txt

Utilizing temporary revenue streams to fund ongoing expenses is a mistake that governments make often, and Gov. Martin O'Malley appears determined to continue the trend. Continual government expansion of spending without established revenue streams to fund the expansion is a major reason why taxes keep going up. Somewhere along the line our elected representatives need to start thinking more long-term, and base their proposals on solid plans that go beyond the next election cycle.

Failing that, government will continue to expand, and our taxes will continue to increase in order to pay for bloated government.

NATIONAL NEWS

Akonni scores $450,000 for DNA, forensic work

Incubator company lands Justice Department grant

http://www.gazette.net/stories/092007/busiflo70037_32362.shtml

Akonni Biosystems Inc., a Frederick incubator company ready to fly the coop, has snagged a $450,000 grant from the federal government to help forensic investigators with faster and cheaper DNA test results. Akonni scientists, now at the Frederick Innovative Technology Center Inc. incubator at Hood College, are advancing the company's diagnostic technology called ''microarray" to help doctors diagnose diseases more cheaply, quickly and thoroughly.

''This is an important grant because Akonni Biosystems' advances will help improve DNA analyses of samples from crime scenes," Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett (R-Dist. 6) of Buckeystown said in a statement. ''DNA analysis is vitally important to improve law enforcement and our criminal justice system."

Sen. Cardin details grants to Bowie State students

http://www.bowieblade.com/vault/cgi-bin/bowie/view/2007B/09/20-06.HTMhttp://www.bowieblade.com/vault/cgi-bin/bowie/view/2007B/09/20-06.HTM

"Nothing is more important than improving access to quality education," Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., recently told Bowie State University students and faculty.

"I'm very concerned with where we're heading as a nation regarding the cost of education and making it more affordable." Cardin held a roundtable discussion with students and faculty about the recent Senate passage of legislation for an increase student aid, the biggest of its kind in 63 years.

"It would provide more opportunities for students to be eligible for grants and make it easier for families to afford a college education," Cardin said.

Additionally, the bill would offer loan forgiveness to public services employees and reduce monthly loan payments. The financial aid package also promises to reduce borrowers' interest rates, cutting student loan interest rates in half from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent for undergraduate students with subsidized loans.
Cardin was optimistic that President Bush would sign the bill soon, potentially within the next two weeks. He told the students in attendance that the best way to assist in passing this bill would be "follow what's going on in Washington."

HarVest Bank of Maryland Welcomes Michael Steele to Board

http://digital50.com/news/items/PR/2007/09/19/NEW124/harvest-bank-of-maryland-welcomes-michael-steele-to-board.html

HarVest Bank of Maryland, a locally owned full service commercial bank, today announced the appointment of Michael S. Steele to its Board of Directors. Mr. Steele is the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, and is currently Chairman of GOPAC, a national fundraising vehicle of the Republican Party, as well as a partner of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP, a Washington DC law firm.

"We are honored and fortunate to have Michael join our team at HarVest Bank of Maryland," said Jack Hollerbach, President and CEO."

As Lieutenant Governor, he helped us to celebrate our grand opening in late 2004 along with former County Executive Doug Duncan and Congressman Chris Van Hollen, and he has remained a good friend through our early years of success.

As we begin to accelerate our business growth, we anticipate that Michael's extensive contacts and knowledge of the government sector will be very valuable. As a prominent Maryland native, Michael Steele is committed to the Bank's mission of "Bringing Maryland Banking Back Home"(TM).

New prostate cancer care legislation to fund lifesaving imaging research

http://www.medicexchange.com/mall/departmentpage.cfm/MedicExchangeUSA/_81694/2624/departments-contentview

In response to the rising epidemic of prostate cancer in America and the lack of accurate diagnostic tools that cost lives and the nation's health care system billions annually, US Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Albert Wynn (D-MD) announced they will co-sponsor legislation that would fund the development of technological advances in the fight against a disease that kills one man every 18 minutes.

"The funding of imaging research that will lead to more accurate detection and diagnoses of prostate cancer could eventually save tens of thousands of lives a year," said Rep. Cummings.

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